Day 27
Turkey
Islamic religious classes have been compulsory in Turkish schools since the 1980s, though people of other faiths can be exempt from attending. Turkey’s Constitutional Court recently ruled that these compulsory classes violate human rights and religious freedoms. Local courts have to abide by this decision, so pray that there will be a flow-on effect of this ruling. Pray that fears around exploring other religious faiths will diminish as a result. Pray that Christians in Turkey will experience the power of God resting on them as they speak out about choosing to follow Jesus (The Bible, 2 Corinthians 12:9).
Source: Turkey’s Mandatory Religion Classes Violate Human Rights, Court Says (ICC)
Once the land of Paul’s missionary journeys, Turkey is now predominantly Muslim. In response to a failed coup in 2016, Turkey has continued to clamp down on anyone President Erdogan deems an enemy. Anyone seen to be anti-Erdogan can be arrested or removed from their positions, increasing the atmosphere of state control. Dozens of long-term Christian missionaries have been deported or refused entrance. Predominantly Syrian refugees have overwhelmed Turkey, numbering about four million – the most in the world. Due to the deteriorating situation, the UN pulled out, and the Turkish government stopped registering refugees and closed camps forcing refugees to find work in the cities or risk being deported. As a result, anti-refugee attitudes have increased in the wider community. The COVID-19 impact has been significant across the nation, both on the health care system and the economy. Interest in the Gospel has also increased significantly in recent years.
