Missionary work and global imperialism

“When Christianity came to Africa, the Africans had the land, and the Christians had the Bibles.

The Christians taught us to pray and worship with our eyes closed.

When we opened our eyes, they had our land, and we had their Bibles.”

How simply this African proverb summarizes the situation….

For centuries, religion has been used as a tool to achieve imperial goals.

Through missionary activities, pressure was applied to national identities, penetrating into the very capillaries of societies. The feelings of oppression stemming from ethnic groups being a “minority” in society were exploited through beliefs. Our history is full of examples of this.

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first and largest missionary organization, founded in 1810.

In the Bartlett Report published by this organization in 1880, it is written that “Turkey is the key to Asia in terms of missionary activities.”

Missionaries began their activities in Anatolia starting in 1820. They established stations and opened churches, schools, and hospitals.

In the report titled “The Mission of the American Board in Asiatic Turkey,” published in 1904, the religious fabric of Anatolian lands was described as follows;

“Due to polygamy, a large number of people have converted from Christianity to Mohammedanism. The geography of Turkey, which also includes Armenians and Greeks, is actually the land of the Bible. It will have a great contribution to the explanation of the holy scriptures.

The need for Evangelism is great.

Evangelism is necessary to explain to the public that religion did not come for death, but for a holy life.”

In 1850, an Imperial Edict (Padişah Fermanı) was issued through the initiatives of Lord Stratford Canning. Protestantism attained the same status as other Christian denominations. Thus, the path was cleared for Protestantism and its expansionist ideology, the Evangelists, who gained a protective shield against the pressures of the Patriarchate.

The Ottoman Empire was divided into four regions. Stations were established in each region. (Gaziantep, Bursa, Bitlis, Cappadocia, Istanbul, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Harput, Mardin, Merzifon, Maraş, Sivas, İzmir, Van, Trabzon)

According to the information in their own reports (American Board of Commissioners in Asiatic Turkey/ 1904);

By 1904, the number of churches had reached 120. The payment made to missionaries participating in Christian propaganda was 93 thousand dollars. They were supported by donations. It is also clearly stated in the report that they received donations from Armenians and Kurds.

Independent “Unions” were established outside of the churches. According to the report, those working in these unions were specifically assigned to missionary activities in “Kurdistan.”

The foundation of American Board schools also began to be laid. Education held special importance for them. The goal was not just to educate the youth. According to the statement in the report again; “It was used for the purpose of discovering natural leaders. With the establishment of Christian Colleges, the Light was beginning to shine in the East.”

The first attempt in the West was started with a school founded by Cyrus Hamlin in Bebek. In this small building, missionary training was started by the American Board in 1863 under the name “Bebek Seminary.” The impact of the school was enormous. This was the first step. The big move would follow.

Education held great importance in the efforts to expand the missionary movement.

Cyrus Hamlin, the founder of Robert College, who played a pioneering role in missionary activities, explained the importance of directing young people to missionary schools as follows; “This was the only way that could be achieved regarding Evangelization in the eastern world. Central points should be well established and then they should be left to do their own work” (Cyrus Hamlin; “Missionary Activities in Turkey Among the Turks and Robert College”, Brown Book, p.17-18)

Now it was time to open a large Christian College.

The chosen area was the most exclusive spot on the Bosphorus. For 400 years, the Ottoman Empire had not allowed any Christian institution on these magnificent shores and the hills embracing them. The American Board’s resources were not sufficient to provide the funds. American businessman Mr. Robert stepped in. Great obstacles were encountered for the allocation of the land. After seven years of struggle, an Imperial Decree (İrade-i Seniyye) was issued and the land was donated.

The name of the school built was determined as “Robert College.” The school was built as a masterpiece of Christian education.

Its location began to be compared with Rumeli Hisarı (Rumeli Fortress). While the Greek orator was comparing the building with Rumeli Hisarı; he challenged it by saying, “The building is being built in a place higher than the towers of the Fortress. It will dominate them. Its power is spiritual and eternal. It will see its (Rumeli Hisarı’s) destruction,” and saw the school as a monument of victory. (Cyrus Hamlin; op. cit. p.272)

What is interesting is that the stones used in the construction of the school were chosen to be the same as the stones in the fortress. An educational temple that would last forever was being built.

In 1871, the new College opened in its new building. Students from 18 nations, 12 languages, and all religions began to receive education.

Robert College was followed by colleges opened under the names of Antep Turkish College, Euphrates College in Harput, Merzifon Anatolian Girls’ College, Üsküdar American Girls’ College, Tarsus St. Paul Institute, Maraş Girls’ College, and İzmir American College.

Theology seminars were started in all colleges opened in Anatolia. The language of instruction was English and the American curriculum was applied. There was Bible study every day. Most of the schools were boarding schools.

The characteristics of the schools and the structure of the students are detailed in the American Board’s report. While the majority of the students consisted of children of Greek and Armenian families, a different assessment was made for Robert College and Üsküdar American College. A note was made that “in these schools, there is a high concentration of children from different nations and wealthy families, as well as students who will have leadership qualities in society, and that advanced education is provided.”

Gradually, the number of children from Muslim families attending these schools began to increase. Over time, the rate reached 10-15%.

It was believed that evangelism also gained strength thanks to these schools.

In addition, magazines and books were printed in evangelist publishing houses. For example, the College in Merzifon published a magazine called “Pontus.” It was a frequently encountered situation for the publications to be in Armenian and Greek, and for the Bibles to be printed in these languages as well.

Especially in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia, there was no settlement left where missionaries were not organized. Even villages had been entered.

Christian propaganda was being carried out with 257 independent units in addition to 14 main stations, and aid and humanism were used as tools. 49,118 people had become affiliated with them, and 424 schools had been opened. The number of people they received support from among the local population had reached 93 thousand.

The support that many of these schools gave to the occupying forces during the War of Independence has entered historical records.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the situation of foreign schools in Ottoman lands was as follows: 72 French schools, 83 British schools, 7 German schools, 7 Austrian schools, 24 Italian schools, 44 Russian schools, 2 Iranian schools, 3 Greek schools, 465 American schools. There were a total of 707 foreign schools.

It was the Republican regime that made the decision to close the missionary schools.

In Article 40 of the Treaty of Lausanne, non-Muslim minority schools and foreign schools were allowed to continue their existence on the condition that they were subject to the laws and regulations to which Turkish schools were subject. However, all their privileges were abolished. They would be able to provide education in their own native languages, but it would also be mandatory for them to learn the Turkish language.

In Article 41, the seminary providing theology education was excluded from this scope and a decision was made for its closure.

In 1924, a circular was sent to foreign schools, and religious propaganda was banned. It was decided that their education should be conducted in line with the Republican values and nation-state principles in Turkish schools. Schools that did not comply with this were closed.

The reason for the closure of the vast majority of American schools was that they were engaged in missionary activities.

The US Ambassador to Ankara, Grew, made continuous attempts on this matter but could not change the result.

The reopening of the schools was prevented on the grounds that 3 Muslim girl students were converted to Christianity in Bursa, a Turkish Bible was found in Merzifon, and Greek students in some schools tore up the map of Turkey. As a result, only a limited number of foreign schools were permitted on the condition that they be affiliated with and supervised by the Ministry of National Education. By 1928, all missionary schools had been closed. The American Board organization officially ended its activities in Turkey in 2010.

In 1984, with the Law on Private Educational Institutions, permission was granted again only for schools that foreigners in our country would attend. Schools affiliated with some Embassies and Consulates were opened. However, it was forbidden for Turkish children to be admitted to these schools. The issue has recently come to the agenda again with these schools (French Schools), which are not affiliated with the Ministry of National Education, violating the ban and admitting Turkish students.

The phenomenon of education being made a tool for the new projects of imperialism through missionary activities has not remained on the dusty pages of history. It is necessary to be sensitive against the projects continued on the geography of Turkey.

New methods that will continue the missionary model of Evangelical Christianity will be put into effect, and imperialism will never give up on its projects over Turkey.

To be continued….