Being Christians in Turkey

The Pauline Year ended in Tarsus, Turkey, on June 29th in the presence of Benedict XVI’s special envoy, Card. Jean-Louis Tauran. The final celebrations had begun on June 28th in Antioch, with a Mass in the local Catholic Church and the solemn vespers presided over by the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I in the nearby Orthodox Church. At the same time the XII Study Symposium on the figure of Saint Paul, attended by a congruous group of scholars and experts is under way in Iskenderun, promoted under the aegis of the Pontifical Antonianum University and of the “Father Andrea Santoro” centre for inter-religious and intercultural dialogue. This year’s edition proposes the theme, “Paul of Tarsus, history, archaeology, reception”. To this regard, SIR Europe encountered Cardinal Tauran, who is also the President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue. What is the significance of your presence in Turkey as envoy of Benedict XVI for the closing celebrations of the Pauline Year and what is the final message?“To exhort the faithful to seek the will of God in their daily lives with prayer, meditation, and reflection on spiritual needs, with renewed force and thrust. This is what the Pope asked me to say to Turkey’s Catholics: you are a minority and you must set the example not only in church but also in your daily lives”.What Church did you find in Turkey and what fruits will this Year bear? “Turkey’s Catholic Church is a living Church in a minority context. Given this state of things, she must bear witness of her faith in a clear, discreet, albeit incisive manner. The Pauline Jubilee is an occasion for the faithful to develop their faith without fearing of being Christians in a minority situation, just like Saint Paul, who was never afraid. The Lord gives us the strength to be credible and persevering witnesses. The Pauline Year has brought and will continue bringing about the progress of Turkish Christianity just like the faithful have discovered and known the Apostle of the peoples”.Is there a privileged point of encounter for the dialogue with the Muslim majority, and to give further meaning to the presence of Catholics in Turkey? “The first point of departure is the cultural realm that grants the possibility of inter-cultural dialogue. The Church enjoys much prestige, there are numerous Christian scholars, many people who studied in our institutions – like the Notre Dame of Zion and Saint Benoit institution in Instanbul. Christian men and women are prone to dialogue since they are called to share with others their treasure Jesus Christ. Paul was the creator of intercultural dialogue and placed himself at the crossroads of worlds and cultures”.Does a Muslim-Turkish cultural opening correspond to the Christian one? “Each religious tradition is incarnated in a given culture since in order to express itself is requires words and concepts. The problem is that some cultures are more open while others are more closed. As a token of friendship, we must ensure that people get to know one another, enabling others to share the core of their faith, thus overcoming ignorance. According to my personal experience, most of the difficulties encountered in inter-religious dialogue are due to the fact that we don’t know one another. The primary task is learning more about other people so others will have faith in us in return. This leads to a path of mutual dialogue based on friendship. Friendship is an important element of inter-religious dialogue”.How can it be established?“Let it suffice to recall the visit of the Pope here in Turkey in November 2006. With small simple gestures he changed the atmosphere. The power of love brought about a change of heart regarding the apostolic visit. It happened again in the apostolic trip to the Holy Land. The future of dialogue stems from friendship and mutual knowledge. This can be created in the family, on the street, in churches, in the mosques and in schools”. Is there enough freedom in Turkey to raise awareness of Christian faith?“There’s a scarce possibility since we lack many of the structures present in other Countries. There are various educational institutions where Muslim population outnumbers the Christian one. As said previously, many of those who are part of Turkey’s intellighenzia were formed in our academic centres, notably in Istanbul. Even though there are only few, their seriousness and prestige are outstanding. However, when we talk of religious freedom we don’t only refer to the freedom of worship but also to the possibility of taking part as faithful in the public dialogue”. Will Turkey experience its future in Europe and will its adhesion benefit the freedom of religion and worship? “It’s not up to the Holy See to establish whether Turkey ought to be an EU Member State. All I can say is that EU membership requires the adoption of its criteria. It’s like a club: those who enter must follow the rules. The responsibility is in the hands of Turkey’s political authorities, and not in the Holy See’s”.