Categories: christianity
Date: 06 April 2009 11:37:36
Turkey
Languages: Turkish, Kurdish
Present-day Turkey was known to the Romans as Asia Minor and is the area in which the seven churches of Revelation are located. After Jesus' death and resurrection Christianity spread rapidly here and there were (now famous) communities in Ephesus and Galatia. The capital, now Istanbul, used to be called Constantinople and was the capital of the Christian Byzantine Empire.
Today this rich heritage is largely confined to ancient ruins. Christians now make up about 0.12% of the Turkish populaton and Christians are seen as foreigners in the Turkish state - despite it being a secular state since 1924.
There is apparently a negative portrayal of Christians in the press and media which does not help Christians who are trying to live out their faith.
Western media reported the attacks in April 2007 on 3 Christian workers who were murdered (2 Turks, one German leaving young families) by extremists pretending to be interested in Christianity.