(By Alexander Christie-Miller)
The Christian Science Monitor recently reported on an Assyrian Christian revival in southeastern Turkey, fueled by a burgeoning Turkish economy and more tolerant laws enacted by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan addresses the media in Ankara September 30, 2013. Erdogan announced plans to return monastery property belonging to Syria Christians that was seized by the state.
In eastern Turkey, a rare renaissance for Middle East Christians (via The Christian Science Monitor)
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan addresses the media in Ankara September 30, 2013. Erdogan announced plans to return monastery property belonging to Syria Christians that was seized by the state.(Umit Bektas/Reuters/File) Outside the window of…
This post was republished using Repost. Please read it on Informed Comment directly: https://www.juancole.com/2013/12/assyrian-christian-revival.html
Related video:
Assyrian Christians Women’s conference in Sydney, where there is a large Assyrian expatriate community. The music is beautiful and haunting:
The Syriacs have applied to the ECHR for the return of their patriarchate (EU Minister Bagis has mocked their claims in the past).
Tayyip is magnanimous in his promises … and yet;
the Constitution stalled when he couldn’t get a Putinesque presidency, the Kurds kept getting strung along, freedom of dissent and protest and judicial protection keep disappearing.
these are some magnificent and terribly neglected buildings; I would hope for their return .. and Halki Seminary to the Greek Patriarchate.
I think, alas, there’s a better chance that the Aya Sofya follows its Trabzon and Iznik little sisters back to becoming a mosque. lest we think there’s any ecumenical spirit in the AKP ranks.
Of course, if you’re in Istanbul on the 26th, you can watch the IU Young Muslims punch Santa.
Incredibly interesting
“: Assyrian Christian Revival in Turkey – link to t.co link to t.co
As victims of massacres, persecution, ethnic cleansing, and wholesale land theft, the Assyrians never became a cause for the Left. I wonder why? This has always been puzzling to me.