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A worship service at Bursa’s
French Church Cultural Centre
led by Pastor Ismail.
Photo: World Watch Monitor

Church-going Christians in Bursa, a large city located within northwest Turkey, were ordered by officials to vacate their premises by February 26th. We are delighted to report that on the 23rd, three days before the previously announced deadline, city authorities had rescinded the order to vacate. Various congregations share the historic "French church" dating back to the 1880s -- the only recognized place of Christian worship in Bursa.

For decades, the church sat in ruins. Aykan Erdemir, a Turkish academic who grew up in Bursa and is now a fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told reporters that as a child he played among the piles of rubble with friends. He saw the church's reopening as a symbol of Bursa rediscovering its multicultural past.

Upon news of the initial eviction order, Aykan was mindful of Turkey's failure to institutionalize religious freedom for its non-Muslim minority. "Christians do not have any legal entitlement to the building. They only have usage rights for the time being, which I think is a very precarious situation," he explains. "Members of non-majority religions have to depend on the goodwill of bureaucrats and the majority population. Such problems will continue to happen until religious minorities have property rights for their houses of worship and restitution rights to use their historical churches."

The church remains a symbol of the struggle experienced by the city's non-Muslims to become an accepted part of society. Pastor Ismail Kulakciolgu, who represents one of the four congregations that regularly conduct worship services at the historical church, tried to convince the council that Bursa would lose a priceless piece of its cultural heritage if the congregations were forced out of their building: "We're trying to explain that this church, which is used as a house of worship by different congregations, is perhaps the only example of its kind in the world."

Additional reports, including informative video clips, pertaining to persecution in this country are available at the Turkey Country Report.

Let us join together in praising God for the permission that was recently granted by local governing officials to the members of this multicultural church in Turkey, allowing for the continuance of their worship services. Pray that as these Christians, representing various denominational affiliations, gather peacefully in this beautiful sanctuary of worship, their special bond of unity and love will serve as a strong witness to others in the city of Bursa and throughout Turkey. Also pray that their Turkish society will champion religious liberty for all of the country's citizens.

Current Ministry Projects

VOMC is working alongside ministry partners to provide legal aid for Christians who have been detained due to false allegations or trumped-up charges. VOMC also helps to equip and empower Christians spiritually through the provision of Biblical and discipleship resources.

Project Funds: Legal Defence, Equipping the Saints

Country Information

Population
82,482,383 (July 2021 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Turkish (70-75), Kurdish (19), other minorities (7-12)

Religion (%)
Islam (99.8), other (0.2)

Leader
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2014)

Government type
Parliamentary republic

Legal system
Civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook

Pray for Türkiye

Prayerfully uphold those who have had their churches and places of worship taken over by a government that does not represent their beliefs, values or ordinances. Ask the Lord to oversee the mediation process as church officials and government representatives endeavour to work out a solution that is both honouring to Him and fair to all the members of the various churches. Despite the challenges experienced by the believers of this country, may they have a sense of God's reassuring presence and peace, knowing that one day He will reign supremely and justly over the entire earth.

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