Wolfgang Häde | Martin Bucer Seminary (original) (raw)

Papers by Wolfgang Häde

Fernando's book is not a classical work on persecution of Christians. The national director o... more Fernando's book is not a classical work on persecution of Christians. The national director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka provides the broader picture: Suffering in all its aspects is an integral part of the Christian calling.

Islam und Christlicher Glaube, 2022

Aus der Türkei stammende und Türkisch sprechende Menschen stellen den höchsten Anteil an den in D... more Aus der Türkei stammende und Türkisch sprechende Menschen stellen den höchsten Anteil an den in Deutschland lebenden Muslimen. Was in Moscheen türkischer Organisationen jeden Freitag gepredigt wird, hat daher vermutlich eine nicht zu unterschätzende Bedeutung für Muslime in Deutschland.1 Man kann davon ausgehen, dass die Freitagspredigten (hutbe, plural: hutbeler), auch einen positiven oder negativen Einfluss darauf haben, wie Muslime in der deut-schen Gesellschaft „ankommen“. Die vorliegende Studie versucht eine Annähe-rung an die Frage, inwieweit Predigten in türkisch geprägten Moscheen von der deutschen Gesellschaft beeinflusst sind und andererseits, was sie den muslimi-schen Gläubigen für das Leben in einer andersgläubigen Gesellschaft vermitteln.

Islam and Christianity, 2022

People originating from Turkey and speaking Turkish make up the highest pro-portion of Muslims li... more People originating from Turkey and speaking Turkish make up the highest pro-portion of Muslims living in Germany. Therefore, what is preached in mosques of Turkish organizations every Friday likely has a significance for Muslims in Ger-many that should not be underestimated.1 One can assume that the Friday ser-mons (hutbe, plural: hutbeler), also have a positive or negative influence on whether Muslims “arrive” in German society. This study seeks to deal with the question of the extent to which sermons in Turkish-influenced mosques are in-fluenced by German society and, on the other hand, what they convey to Muslim believers about life in a society shaped by another faith.

Islam und Christlicher Glaube, 2020

Welche Sicht auf Christen vermitteln türkische Tageszeitungen, die verschiedenen politisch-gesell... more Welche Sicht auf Christen vermitteln türkische Tageszeitungen, die verschiedenen politisch-gesellschaftlichen Milieus zuzuordnen sind. Ein Studie von Zeitungen in den Jahren 2004 und 2005 wird zusammengefasst, um dann die Entwicklungen bis zur Umwidmung der Hagia Sophia im Jahr 2020 nachzuverfolgten

Islam and Christianity, 2020

Five Turkish daily newspapers from different ideological backgrounds were analyzed on how they pe... more Five Turkish daily newspapers from different ideological backgrounds were analyzed on how they perceived of Christians in 2004/05. The article then tells about developments since then and the perspective of those newspapers on the rededication of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

International Bulletin of Mission Research, 2022

This article discusses the witness of Protestant Christians in Turkey from historical, empirical,... more This article discusses the witness of Protestant Christians in Turkey from historical, empirical, and theological perspectives. A historical survey from the Ottoman Empire around 1820 to the present is followed by an overview of the variety in forms of Christian witness today. Short, exemplary personal stories of converts from Islam to the Christian faith demonstrate the impact of the witness. In some concluding theological considerations and practical recommendations, the author pleads for the legitimacy and necessity of a Christian witness in Turkey that not only testifies about Jesus Christ but also is like Jesus-in weakness and sacrificial love.

This study examines the perceptions of Christians within the most important socio-political milie... more This study examines the perceptions of Christians within the most important socio-political milieus in today’s Turkey. Methodically it undertakes a qualitative content analysis of five Turkish daily newspapers. First a retrospect depicts the most prominent historical factors for the attitude towards Christians in Turkey: early Islam, the societal status of Christian minori-ties in the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic, the interference of “Christian” powers during the crusades and later in the age of colonialism.
The analysis of the newspapers Yeniçağ, Millî Gazete, Yeni Şafak, Milliyet and Cumhuri-yet, which are selected for representing the different milieus, proves to provide meaningful and adequately differentiated results concerning the perceptions of Christians. It becomes obvious that secular Kemalism, Turkish-Islamic nationalism, Islamism in its different flavors, and democratic liberalism manifest thoroughly different perceptions of Christians. Simultane-ously, significant common ground of the perspectives under examination can be demonstrat-ed, especially in terms of a deep mistrust against Christian missionary activities in Turkey.
In the systematizing part of the study, ideological, historic-political, and psychological-sociological reasons are established for the mostly negative attitude towards Christians in Turkey. In addition the necessity of a Christian theological interpretation of the accusations against Christians is substantiated. Appropriate Christian responses are identified, with special attention to the First Letter of Peter. A theologically justified integration of verbal abuse into the broader framework of persecution creates the interpretational foundation for determining a variety of possible responses. Prominent among these responses are a debate about the accu-sations against Christian mission and the self-assurance of one’s Christian identity. The First Letter of Peter suggests active strategies to mitigate societal prejudice, but at the same time calls for Christians to patiently bear accusations according to the example of Christ and for his sake.

An edited and updated version of the dissertation was published as:

2017. Anschuldigungen und Antwort des Glaubens: Wahrnehmungen von Christen in türkischen Tageszeitungen und Maßstäbe für eine geistliche Reaktion. Berlin: LIT (Beiträge zur Missionswissenschaft/Interkulturellen Theologie, Bd. 38).

For some milieus in Turkey Christian missionaries are perceived as a danger. The very small Prote... more For some milieus in Turkey Christian missionaries are perceived as a danger. The very small Protestant minority is the community that is most active in spreading its faith. Therefore, very often public accusations in Turkey are directed against Protestants. However, the perception of Christians as being an instrument of hostile powers is not limited to Protestant missionaries but often indicates a general distrust against Christians in the country.

Bibel und Gemeinde, 2021

Das bequeme Leben vieler Christen im Westen ist von der Realität verfolgter Kirchen und Christen ... more Das bequeme Leben vieler Christen im Westen ist von der Realität verfolgter Kirchen und Christen oft weit entfernt. Weil aber die Bibel deutlich macht, dass Ablehnung und Leiden zum Normalfall des christlichen Daseins gehören, verändert das auch unsere Theologie. Wir sind nicht nur leidensscheu, sondern die Schwerpunkte verschieben sich auch zu Konsumorientierung und Diesseitigkeit. Wenn wir auch das Leiden nicht suchen müssen, müssen wir zum einen darauf vorbereitet sein, um keine falschen Kompromisse mit der Welt zu machen. Zweitens können wir in der Verbindung mit verfolgten Geschwistern mitleiden und drittens lernen wir auch für unser Missionsverständnis, unsere Abhängigkeit vom Evangelium der Gnade und die Ausrichtung auf die Ewigkeit.

In Turkey, we find a remarkable degree of prejudice against Christians. Opinion formers of the na... more In Turkey, we find a remarkable degree of prejudice against Christians. Opinion formers of the nationalistic and the Islamist ideologies use and deepen the existing prejudice to define Christian identity in a way that may lead to more violent forms of persecution and to a wrong self-image of the Christians themselves. Therefore, an important element of persecution in today’s Turkey is a battle for defining Christian identity. As a response to wrong definitions, Christians have to focus on the real Christian identity. The First Letter of Peter speaks into a similar situation of suffering through prejudice and ostracism. The letter focuses on the assurance of real Christian identity and on a warning of Christians to provoke wrong definitions by inconvenient behavior.

Trusting the Holy Spirit for his guidance in persecution does not exclude a proper preparation of... more Trusting the Holy Spirit for his guidance in persecution does not exclude a proper preparation of global workers. However, more important than any security check list is to check and foster spiritual disciplines so that workers will be able to continue them in rougher times. A strong focus on who we are in Christ can be a protection again ceaseless verbal attacks on the identity of Christians.
God’s perspective on suffering has to be taught to missionary candidates. They need a good biblical theology of persecution to integrate their experiences of persecution in their walk with Christ. Reading and learning about Christian witnesses who went through persecution before us can equip us to find the convenient response when challenged with threats. It will also be helpful to think about the possible changes in church structure before we encounter persecution.
This chapter certainly cannot be exhaustive. However, it is obvious that a proper preparation of global workers for contexts of suffering is indispensable. The number of countries in the world seeing persecution is huge.

The study focusses on converts from Islam to the Christian faith in Turkey. Converts are confront... more The study focusses on converts from Islam to the Christian faith in Turkey. Converts are confronted with special challenges. Based on Islamic theology and Turkish nationalism most Turks cannot think of positive reasons to choose Christianity. So verbal assaults with social consequences like ostracism, prejudice, suspicion, and very low esteem are very common. The First Letter of Peter provides advice for strengthening new Christians by defining their identity as chosen and loved people of God.
Personal caring for converts from Islam is crucial to provide a new "home" in assuring them of their new identity. They have to learn to evaluate accusations honestly and from a faith-based position, and to integrate their new faith with their old environment. In the context of modern Turkey a fresh look at history can be meaningful: There were Turkish Christians before Islam, and there are still Christian Turkish people today. More important however is a genuine spiritual approach that understands verbal assaults with the framework of God´s history with his people. Converts should find their identity "in Christ". At the same time, being in Christ must become practical in finding a new family in the local church and seeing themselves as part of the worldwide multinational body of Christ.

In Turkey, considered a secular and democratic role model for other countries with a Muslim major... more In Turkey, considered a secular and democratic role model for other countries with a Muslim majority, both state and society perceive Christians very critically. There are historical experiences and ideas that contribute to this surprising finding. In the Qur’an, the Holy Book of Muslims, Christians who do not accept the claim of Muhammad to be God’s prophet, are perceived as rebellious liars. Christians in early Islamic society were widely tolerated, but had a status as second-class-citizens. The Ottoman Empire as the front state against the Christian world and the savior of Sunni Islam widely tolerated Christians; the dhimmi status of Christians as second-class-citizens however was continued in the millet-system. As the power of the Ottomans decreased and Western ideas of nationalism began to influence the Empire during the nineteenth century, the Muslim majority began a search for identity. Secessions of Christian peoples and interference by “Christian” foreign nations triggered more severe clashes between the remaining Christian population and the state. The wide-ranging activities of Western missionaries in the Ottoman Empire were perceived as a part of Western colonialism. During the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic, the leaders of the Young Turk movement were motivated by their desperate battle to save a rest of the Empire as a homeland for the Muslim population. The perception of Christians as the enemy of the new Republic was more firmly established. Though Mustafa Kemal Atatürk gave a revolutionary modern and secular character to Turkey, there was an intentional Turkification of society. A study of Turkish newspapers confirms that these perceptions are widely valid until today. Missiology has to help develop an appropriate response of Christians to the situation inside and outside of Turkey.

Though Turkey has been a secular and democratic country for decades, the public perception of Ch... more Though Turkey has been a secular and democratic country for decades, the public
perception of Christians has been affected by rejection and prejudice. In the years
from 2001 to 2007, we saw a development from accusations by official institutions
and media against Christians actively propagating their faith to acts of violence
against Christians culminating in the murders of three Christians in Malatya/Turkey.
The study covers five Turkish daily newspapers and their perception of Christians at
the height of a media campaign in 2004/2005. It reveals that the different societal
groups in Turkey differ strongly in their view of Christians and their activities. Each
group, represented by one of the newspapers, tries to use the discussion for their
own political agenda. However, none of the newspapers leaves the opportunity
unused to instrumentalize words like “missionary” to arouse negative emotions.

Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft und Religionswissenschaft, 2020

Die in der Türkei jeden Freitag gehaltenen Predigten (hutbeler) werden vom Diyanet İşleri Başkanl... more Die in der Türkei jeden Freitag gehaltenen Predigten (hutbeler) werden vom Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, der zentralen staatlichen Religionsbehörde, zum Verlesen in allen Moscheen des Landes verbindlich ausgearbeitet.
Eine Analyse der Predigten eines Jahres zeigt, dass moralische Anweisungen für ein gutes Leben thematisch im Vordergrund stehen, dass jedoch auch nationale Anlässe weiten Raum in den Predigten einnehmen. Die türkischen Freitagspredigten werden nicht für eine direkte Auseinandersetzung mit Angehörigen nichtmuslimischer Glaubens-richtungen instrumentalisiert. Sie verstärken allerdings die Ineinssetzung von Islam und türkischer Nation und können dadurch zur Ausgrenzung von Nichtmuslimen in der Türkei beitragen.

Evangelische Missiologie, 2020

Dieser Artikel bespricht aus historischer, empirischer und theologischer Perspektive das Glaubens... more Dieser Artikel bespricht aus historischer, empirischer und theologischer Perspektive das Glaubenszeugnis durch protestantische Christen in der Türkei. An einen historischen Abriss von den Anfängen im Osmanischen Reich um 1820 bis heute schließt sich eine Übersicht über die Vielfalt der Formen christlichen Zeugnisses heute an. Die Wirkung dieses Zeugnisses wird anhand kurzer exemplarischer Berichte illustriert, die das persönliche Erleben türkischer Konvertiten vom Islam zum christlichen Glauben wiedergeben. In den abschließenden theologischen Überlegungen und praktischen Empfehlungen plädiert der Autor für die Berechtigung und Notwendigkeit eines christlichen Glaubenszeugnisses in der Türkei, das aber nicht nur von Jesus Christus Zeugnis ablegt, sondern auch wie er, nämlich in Schwachheit und mit opferbereiter
Liebe.

Schirrmacher, Thomas, Klingberg, Max (Hg.). Jahrbuch Verfolgung und Diskriminierung von Christen 2017. Bonn: Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft, S. 151-162.

Die kleine christliche Minderheit in der Türkei wird in der Wahrnehmung vieler Türken, aber auch ... more Die kleine christliche Minderheit in der Türkei wird in der Wahrnehmung vieler Türken, aber auch in öffentlichen Stellungnahmen von Politikern oder journalistischen Arbeiten häufig als Gefahr für die Türkei dargestellt. Insbesondere werden christliche Missionare als Instrument westlicher Machtspiele gesehen. Der Artikel versucht historische Gründe für diese Wahrnehmung aufzuzeigen und Christen geeignete Reaktionen auf den Argwohn der türkischen Gesellschaft nahezulegen.

Untersucht werden in dieser Studie fünf türkische Tageszeitungen und ihre Wahrnehmung von Christe... more Untersucht werden in dieser Studie fünf türkische Tageszeitungen und ihre Wahrnehmung von Christen auf dem Höhepunkt einer Medienkampagne gegen Christen in den Jahren 2004/2005. Es wird deutlich, dass die verschiedenen politisch-gesellschaftlichen Gruppen in der Türkei sich in der jeweiligen Sicht auf Christen und ihre Aktivitäten durchaus stark voneinander unterscheiden. Jeder der durch eine der Zeitungen vertretenen Gruppen versucht dabei, die Diskussion über christliche Mission für ihre eigene politische Agenda nutzbar zu machen. Allerdings lässt keine der Zeitungen die Gelegenheiten ungenutzt, Begriffe wie "Missionar" zur Erregung negativer Gefühle zu instrumentalisieren.

The Muslim theologian Süleyman Turan has written an expressly objective portrayal about Christian... more The Muslim theologian Süleyman Turan has written an expressly objective portrayal about Christian missiology as a discipline from an Islamic perspective. He wrote his book in open exchange of ideas with Christian missiologists. That makes the book a successful example of a constructive Christian-Muslim dialogue.As the discussion about Christian mission in Turkey was very biased in the past, Turan’s dissertation could help to introduce perspectives into this discussion that were neglected until now. Turan confirms that mission is one of the natural characteristics of Christianity. He also demonstrates that missiology is critically evaluating errors of Christian mission in the past.Some self-criticism towards the Muslim side would have given the book even more credibility. Nevertheless, I hope that it can contribute to a more objective and realistic discussion about Christian mission in a Muslim context.

Fernando's book is not a classical work on persecution of Christians. The national director o... more Fernando's book is not a classical work on persecution of Christians. The national director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka provides the broader picture: Suffering in all its aspects is an integral part of the Christian calling.

Islam und Christlicher Glaube, 2022

Aus der Türkei stammende und Türkisch sprechende Menschen stellen den höchsten Anteil an den in D... more Aus der Türkei stammende und Türkisch sprechende Menschen stellen den höchsten Anteil an den in Deutschland lebenden Muslimen. Was in Moscheen türkischer Organisationen jeden Freitag gepredigt wird, hat daher vermutlich eine nicht zu unterschätzende Bedeutung für Muslime in Deutschland.1 Man kann davon ausgehen, dass die Freitagspredigten (hutbe, plural: hutbeler), auch einen positiven oder negativen Einfluss darauf haben, wie Muslime in der deut-schen Gesellschaft „ankommen“. Die vorliegende Studie versucht eine Annähe-rung an die Frage, inwieweit Predigten in türkisch geprägten Moscheen von der deutschen Gesellschaft beeinflusst sind und andererseits, was sie den muslimi-schen Gläubigen für das Leben in einer andersgläubigen Gesellschaft vermitteln.

Islam and Christianity, 2022

People originating from Turkey and speaking Turkish make up the highest pro-portion of Muslims li... more People originating from Turkey and speaking Turkish make up the highest pro-portion of Muslims living in Germany. Therefore, what is preached in mosques of Turkish organizations every Friday likely has a significance for Muslims in Ger-many that should not be underestimated.1 One can assume that the Friday ser-mons (hutbe, plural: hutbeler), also have a positive or negative influence on whether Muslims “arrive” in German society. This study seeks to deal with the question of the extent to which sermons in Turkish-influenced mosques are in-fluenced by German society and, on the other hand, what they convey to Muslim believers about life in a society shaped by another faith.

Islam und Christlicher Glaube, 2020

Welche Sicht auf Christen vermitteln türkische Tageszeitungen, die verschiedenen politisch-gesell... more Welche Sicht auf Christen vermitteln türkische Tageszeitungen, die verschiedenen politisch-gesellschaftlichen Milieus zuzuordnen sind. Ein Studie von Zeitungen in den Jahren 2004 und 2005 wird zusammengefasst, um dann die Entwicklungen bis zur Umwidmung der Hagia Sophia im Jahr 2020 nachzuverfolgten

Islam and Christianity, 2020

Five Turkish daily newspapers from different ideological backgrounds were analyzed on how they pe... more Five Turkish daily newspapers from different ideological backgrounds were analyzed on how they perceived of Christians in 2004/05. The article then tells about developments since then and the perspective of those newspapers on the rededication of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

International Bulletin of Mission Research, 2022

This article discusses the witness of Protestant Christians in Turkey from historical, empirical,... more This article discusses the witness of Protestant Christians in Turkey from historical, empirical, and theological perspectives. A historical survey from the Ottoman Empire around 1820 to the present is followed by an overview of the variety in forms of Christian witness today. Short, exemplary personal stories of converts from Islam to the Christian faith demonstrate the impact of the witness. In some concluding theological considerations and practical recommendations, the author pleads for the legitimacy and necessity of a Christian witness in Turkey that not only testifies about Jesus Christ but also is like Jesus-in weakness and sacrificial love.

This study examines the perceptions of Christians within the most important socio-political milie... more This study examines the perceptions of Christians within the most important socio-political milieus in today’s Turkey. Methodically it undertakes a qualitative content analysis of five Turkish daily newspapers. First a retrospect depicts the most prominent historical factors for the attitude towards Christians in Turkey: early Islam, the societal status of Christian minori-ties in the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic, the interference of “Christian” powers during the crusades and later in the age of colonialism.
The analysis of the newspapers Yeniçağ, Millî Gazete, Yeni Şafak, Milliyet and Cumhuri-yet, which are selected for representing the different milieus, proves to provide meaningful and adequately differentiated results concerning the perceptions of Christians. It becomes obvious that secular Kemalism, Turkish-Islamic nationalism, Islamism in its different flavors, and democratic liberalism manifest thoroughly different perceptions of Christians. Simultane-ously, significant common ground of the perspectives under examination can be demonstrat-ed, especially in terms of a deep mistrust against Christian missionary activities in Turkey.
In the systematizing part of the study, ideological, historic-political, and psychological-sociological reasons are established for the mostly negative attitude towards Christians in Turkey. In addition the necessity of a Christian theological interpretation of the accusations against Christians is substantiated. Appropriate Christian responses are identified, with special attention to the First Letter of Peter. A theologically justified integration of verbal abuse into the broader framework of persecution creates the interpretational foundation for determining a variety of possible responses. Prominent among these responses are a debate about the accu-sations against Christian mission and the self-assurance of one’s Christian identity. The First Letter of Peter suggests active strategies to mitigate societal prejudice, but at the same time calls for Christians to patiently bear accusations according to the example of Christ and for his sake.

An edited and updated version of the dissertation was published as:

2017. Anschuldigungen und Antwort des Glaubens: Wahrnehmungen von Christen in türkischen Tageszeitungen und Maßstäbe für eine geistliche Reaktion. Berlin: LIT (Beiträge zur Missionswissenschaft/Interkulturellen Theologie, Bd. 38).

For some milieus in Turkey Christian missionaries are perceived as a danger. The very small Prote... more For some milieus in Turkey Christian missionaries are perceived as a danger. The very small Protestant minority is the community that is most active in spreading its faith. Therefore, very often public accusations in Turkey are directed against Protestants. However, the perception of Christians as being an instrument of hostile powers is not limited to Protestant missionaries but often indicates a general distrust against Christians in the country.

Bibel und Gemeinde, 2021

Das bequeme Leben vieler Christen im Westen ist von der Realität verfolgter Kirchen und Christen ... more Das bequeme Leben vieler Christen im Westen ist von der Realität verfolgter Kirchen und Christen oft weit entfernt. Weil aber die Bibel deutlich macht, dass Ablehnung und Leiden zum Normalfall des christlichen Daseins gehören, verändert das auch unsere Theologie. Wir sind nicht nur leidensscheu, sondern die Schwerpunkte verschieben sich auch zu Konsumorientierung und Diesseitigkeit. Wenn wir auch das Leiden nicht suchen müssen, müssen wir zum einen darauf vorbereitet sein, um keine falschen Kompromisse mit der Welt zu machen. Zweitens können wir in der Verbindung mit verfolgten Geschwistern mitleiden und drittens lernen wir auch für unser Missionsverständnis, unsere Abhängigkeit vom Evangelium der Gnade und die Ausrichtung auf die Ewigkeit.

In Turkey, we find a remarkable degree of prejudice against Christians. Opinion formers of the na... more In Turkey, we find a remarkable degree of prejudice against Christians. Opinion formers of the nationalistic and the Islamist ideologies use and deepen the existing prejudice to define Christian identity in a way that may lead to more violent forms of persecution and to a wrong self-image of the Christians themselves. Therefore, an important element of persecution in today’s Turkey is a battle for defining Christian identity. As a response to wrong definitions, Christians have to focus on the real Christian identity. The First Letter of Peter speaks into a similar situation of suffering through prejudice and ostracism. The letter focuses on the assurance of real Christian identity and on a warning of Christians to provoke wrong definitions by inconvenient behavior.

Trusting the Holy Spirit for his guidance in persecution does not exclude a proper preparation of... more Trusting the Holy Spirit for his guidance in persecution does not exclude a proper preparation of global workers. However, more important than any security check list is to check and foster spiritual disciplines so that workers will be able to continue them in rougher times. A strong focus on who we are in Christ can be a protection again ceaseless verbal attacks on the identity of Christians.
God’s perspective on suffering has to be taught to missionary candidates. They need a good biblical theology of persecution to integrate their experiences of persecution in their walk with Christ. Reading and learning about Christian witnesses who went through persecution before us can equip us to find the convenient response when challenged with threats. It will also be helpful to think about the possible changes in church structure before we encounter persecution.
This chapter certainly cannot be exhaustive. However, it is obvious that a proper preparation of global workers for contexts of suffering is indispensable. The number of countries in the world seeing persecution is huge.

The study focusses on converts from Islam to the Christian faith in Turkey. Converts are confront... more The study focusses on converts from Islam to the Christian faith in Turkey. Converts are confronted with special challenges. Based on Islamic theology and Turkish nationalism most Turks cannot think of positive reasons to choose Christianity. So verbal assaults with social consequences like ostracism, prejudice, suspicion, and very low esteem are very common. The First Letter of Peter provides advice for strengthening new Christians by defining their identity as chosen and loved people of God.
Personal caring for converts from Islam is crucial to provide a new "home" in assuring them of their new identity. They have to learn to evaluate accusations honestly and from a faith-based position, and to integrate their new faith with their old environment. In the context of modern Turkey a fresh look at history can be meaningful: There were Turkish Christians before Islam, and there are still Christian Turkish people today. More important however is a genuine spiritual approach that understands verbal assaults with the framework of God´s history with his people. Converts should find their identity "in Christ". At the same time, being in Christ must become practical in finding a new family in the local church and seeing themselves as part of the worldwide multinational body of Christ.

In Turkey, considered a secular and democratic role model for other countries with a Muslim major... more In Turkey, considered a secular and democratic role model for other countries with a Muslim majority, both state and society perceive Christians very critically. There are historical experiences and ideas that contribute to this surprising finding. In the Qur’an, the Holy Book of Muslims, Christians who do not accept the claim of Muhammad to be God’s prophet, are perceived as rebellious liars. Christians in early Islamic society were widely tolerated, but had a status as second-class-citizens. The Ottoman Empire as the front state against the Christian world and the savior of Sunni Islam widely tolerated Christians; the dhimmi status of Christians as second-class-citizens however was continued in the millet-system. As the power of the Ottomans decreased and Western ideas of nationalism began to influence the Empire during the nineteenth century, the Muslim majority began a search for identity. Secessions of Christian peoples and interference by “Christian” foreign nations triggered more severe clashes between the remaining Christian population and the state. The wide-ranging activities of Western missionaries in the Ottoman Empire were perceived as a part of Western colonialism. During the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic, the leaders of the Young Turk movement were motivated by their desperate battle to save a rest of the Empire as a homeland for the Muslim population. The perception of Christians as the enemy of the new Republic was more firmly established. Though Mustafa Kemal Atatürk gave a revolutionary modern and secular character to Turkey, there was an intentional Turkification of society. A study of Turkish newspapers confirms that these perceptions are widely valid until today. Missiology has to help develop an appropriate response of Christians to the situation inside and outside of Turkey.

Though Turkey has been a secular and democratic country for decades, the public perception of Ch... more Though Turkey has been a secular and democratic country for decades, the public
perception of Christians has been affected by rejection and prejudice. In the years
from 2001 to 2007, we saw a development from accusations by official institutions
and media against Christians actively propagating their faith to acts of violence
against Christians culminating in the murders of three Christians in Malatya/Turkey.
The study covers five Turkish daily newspapers and their perception of Christians at
the height of a media campaign in 2004/2005. It reveals that the different societal
groups in Turkey differ strongly in their view of Christians and their activities. Each
group, represented by one of the newspapers, tries to use the discussion for their
own political agenda. However, none of the newspapers leaves the opportunity
unused to instrumentalize words like “missionary” to arouse negative emotions.

Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft und Religionswissenschaft, 2020

Die in der Türkei jeden Freitag gehaltenen Predigten (hutbeler) werden vom Diyanet İşleri Başkanl... more Die in der Türkei jeden Freitag gehaltenen Predigten (hutbeler) werden vom Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, der zentralen staatlichen Religionsbehörde, zum Verlesen in allen Moscheen des Landes verbindlich ausgearbeitet.
Eine Analyse der Predigten eines Jahres zeigt, dass moralische Anweisungen für ein gutes Leben thematisch im Vordergrund stehen, dass jedoch auch nationale Anlässe weiten Raum in den Predigten einnehmen. Die türkischen Freitagspredigten werden nicht für eine direkte Auseinandersetzung mit Angehörigen nichtmuslimischer Glaubens-richtungen instrumentalisiert. Sie verstärken allerdings die Ineinssetzung von Islam und türkischer Nation und können dadurch zur Ausgrenzung von Nichtmuslimen in der Türkei beitragen.

Evangelische Missiologie, 2020

Dieser Artikel bespricht aus historischer, empirischer und theologischer Perspektive das Glaubens... more Dieser Artikel bespricht aus historischer, empirischer und theologischer Perspektive das Glaubenszeugnis durch protestantische Christen in der Türkei. An einen historischen Abriss von den Anfängen im Osmanischen Reich um 1820 bis heute schließt sich eine Übersicht über die Vielfalt der Formen christlichen Zeugnisses heute an. Die Wirkung dieses Zeugnisses wird anhand kurzer exemplarischer Berichte illustriert, die das persönliche Erleben türkischer Konvertiten vom Islam zum christlichen Glauben wiedergeben. In den abschließenden theologischen Überlegungen und praktischen Empfehlungen plädiert der Autor für die Berechtigung und Notwendigkeit eines christlichen Glaubenszeugnisses in der Türkei, das aber nicht nur von Jesus Christus Zeugnis ablegt, sondern auch wie er, nämlich in Schwachheit und mit opferbereiter
Liebe.

Schirrmacher, Thomas, Klingberg, Max (Hg.). Jahrbuch Verfolgung und Diskriminierung von Christen 2017. Bonn: Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft, S. 151-162.

Die kleine christliche Minderheit in der Türkei wird in der Wahrnehmung vieler Türken, aber auch ... more Die kleine christliche Minderheit in der Türkei wird in der Wahrnehmung vieler Türken, aber auch in öffentlichen Stellungnahmen von Politikern oder journalistischen Arbeiten häufig als Gefahr für die Türkei dargestellt. Insbesondere werden christliche Missionare als Instrument westlicher Machtspiele gesehen. Der Artikel versucht historische Gründe für diese Wahrnehmung aufzuzeigen und Christen geeignete Reaktionen auf den Argwohn der türkischen Gesellschaft nahezulegen.

Untersucht werden in dieser Studie fünf türkische Tageszeitungen und ihre Wahrnehmung von Christe... more Untersucht werden in dieser Studie fünf türkische Tageszeitungen und ihre Wahrnehmung von Christen auf dem Höhepunkt einer Medienkampagne gegen Christen in den Jahren 2004/2005. Es wird deutlich, dass die verschiedenen politisch-gesellschaftlichen Gruppen in der Türkei sich in der jeweiligen Sicht auf Christen und ihre Aktivitäten durchaus stark voneinander unterscheiden. Jeder der durch eine der Zeitungen vertretenen Gruppen versucht dabei, die Diskussion über christliche Mission für ihre eigene politische Agenda nutzbar zu machen. Allerdings lässt keine der Zeitungen die Gelegenheiten ungenutzt, Begriffe wie "Missionar" zur Erregung negativer Gefühle zu instrumentalisieren.

The Muslim theologian Süleyman Turan has written an expressly objective portrayal about Christian... more The Muslim theologian Süleyman Turan has written an expressly objective portrayal about Christian missiology as a discipline from an Islamic perspective. He wrote his book in open exchange of ideas with Christian missiologists. That makes the book a successful example of a constructive Christian-Muslim dialogue.As the discussion about Christian mission in Turkey was very biased in the past, Turan’s dissertation could help to introduce perspectives into this discussion that were neglected until now. Turan confirms that mission is one of the natural characteristics of Christianity. He also demonstrates that missiology is critically evaluating errors of Christian mission in the past.Some self-criticism towards the Muslim side would have given the book even more credibility. Nevertheless, I hope that it can contribute to a more objective and realistic discussion about Christian mission in a Muslim context.

evangelische missiologie, 2024

Im Dialog mit Argumenten von "Insider Movements" untersucht Brotherson strikt exegetisch biblisch... more Im Dialog mit Argumenten von "Insider Movements" untersucht Brotherson strikt exegetisch biblische Texte, die von den jeweiligen Seiten angeführt werden. Er konzentriert sich dabei auf die Frage, nach dem "Gebrauch von Anbetungsformen aus anderen Glaubensrichtungen".

Mission Studies, 2023

Old Testament scholar Christopher J. H. Wright is ministry director of the Langham Partnership, a... more Old Testament scholar Christopher J. H. Wright is ministry director of the Langham Partnership, a UK-based ministry with the goal to strengthen the majority world church. Wright is known for focusing on the big picture of biblical theology as in some of his previous books (The Mission of God, The Mission of God´s People, Knowing Go through the Old Testament). Christopher Wright was the theologian who drafted and finalized the "Cape Town Commitment, Part 1" that was issued at the "Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization" 2010. Wright´s new book fits into the category of giving a deep theologically founded overview about God´s plans by using a language that is understandable for non-theologians as well. With "The Great Story and the Great Commission" the author intends to encourage "A Missional Hermeneutics of Scripture" (Chp. 1, 1-11), i.e., reading the Bible "as the record, the product, and the tool of God´s own mission" (2). He wants to "see the whole Bible as relevant to mission (God´s mission and ours), rather than basing our mission of theology and practice solely upon a few "missionary texts" (11).

International Journal for Religious Freedom, 2024

Pastoral Care for Christian Converts from Islam

evangelische Missiologie Nr 39 2/2023, 2023

Sauer untersucht vier Theologen aus der weltweiten Christenheit zur Frage, wie sie Mission und Ma... more Sauer untersucht vier Theologen aus der weltweiten Christenheit zur Frage, wie sie Mission und Martyrium, also das Leiden von Christen um Christi willen, in Beziehungen setzen. Davon ausgehend versucht Sauer in seiner Habilitationsschrift „Grundzüge einer doxologisch-martyrologischen Missionstheologie“ zu entwickeln. Schließlich zieht er daraus praktische Schlussfolgerungen für Kirche Jesu Christi im Westen.

Mission Studies, 2023

Derek Brotherson seeks to rectify a gap in the missiological discourse on "Insider Movements" (IM... more Derek Brotherson seeks to rectify a gap in the missiological discourse on "Insider Movements" (IM) through a deep exegetical study of two types of passages in the Bible, which he classifies as "appropriation texts"-texts which are used as evidence for a very extensive adoption of Muslim forms in Christian worship-or as "resistance texts"-texts which are used to warn against the danger of syncretism.

evangelische missiologie, 2021

Rezension (Deutsch) des Buches Vernon J. Sterk, Surviving Persecution: How to Understand, Prepare... more Rezension (Deutsch) des Buches Vernon J. Sterk, Surviving Persecution: How to Understand, Prepare, and Respond, Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2019

European Journal of Theology, 2019

Rezension des Buches von Thiessen über eine Ethik der Evangelisation

Evangelische Missiologie, 2020

Rezension des grundlegenden Werkes von Eberhard Troeger über Kirche und Mission in Syrien

Review of Eckhard Schnabel, Paul - the Missionary

Review of Duane Alexander Miller, Two Stories of Everything: The Competing Metanarratives of Isla... more Review of Duane Alexander Miller, Two Stories of Everything: The Competing Metanarratives of Islam and Christianity. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Credo, 2018.
This review was published in Mission Studies, Vol 36, 1/2019, p. 145-146.

Johnson/Kuyama, Persecution and Toleration: The Long Road to Religious Freedom. This review was p... more Johnson/Kuyama, Persecution and Toleration: The Long Road to Religious Freedom. This review was published in: Mission Studies, Vol 36, 3/2019, p. 508-510.

Jahrbuch Verfolgung und Diskriminierung von Christen 2016, S. 176-192. Das Buchkapitel behandelt ... more Jahrbuch Verfolgung und Diskriminierung von Christen 2016, S. 176-192.
Das Buchkapitel behandelt geschichtliche Einflüsse auf das Bild von Christen, dass verschiedene gesellschaftliche Milieus in der heutigen Türkei haben.

Wie also sollten wir Mitarbeiter im weltweiten Dienst vorbereiten auf Diskriminierung, Schikanen ... more Wie also sollten wir Mitarbeiter im weltweiten Dienst vorbereiten auf Diskriminierung, Schikanen und Verfolgung? Die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass sie der einen oder der anderen Form von Angriffen um des Glaubens willen begegnen, nimmt heute stark zu.