4 The barriers of prejudice and hatred of the gospel can appear insurmountable

a) Historical

b) Cultural. To be a Turk is to be a Muslim, even if only nominally

c) Fixed attitudes

d) Biased understandings

e) The legacy of violent past suppression of Christian minorities

5 The ancient churches survived until the beginning of the 20th Century, but since then have been decimated by massacres (Armenians), severe persecution (Assyrians) and emigration (Greeks, etc.)

6 The Turkish Church has at last become a visible reality, but still only constitutes 0.003% of the ethnic Turkish population

a) The Turkish Protestant Christian Council

b) Strong, united fellowships

c) Avoidance of internal dangers

d) Courage in persecution

e) Perseverance

f) Legal recognition of the Protestant Church as a whole

7 Vision for the future is developing

a) In 2000 goals were set by the Church that by 2005 there be a congregation in 50 of Turkey's 80 provinces

b) Bible training for leaders

8 Kurds are a majority in 16 provinces in east and south-east Turkey

a) A complete end to the hostilities between the army and Kurdish separatists and a fair resolution to the causes

b) Cultural rehabilitation of the Kurds

c) The Muslim Alevi and Yezidi sects (the latter based on Zoroastrianism and the occult)

d) The emergence of a Kurdish expression of the Church

Peoples

Turks 76- 80%.

Kurds 14- 20%.

Arabs 1.8%.

Muslim minorities 1.8%.

Refugees 1.3%.

Non-Muslim minorities 0.2%.

Literacy 82%. Official language Turkish. All languages 36. Languages with Scriptures 7Bi 5NT 5por 13w.i.p.

Economy

Tourism, agriculture and industry are all important to the economy; rapid development in 1980s. HDI 0.728; 86^th/174. Public debt 24% of GNP. Income/person $3,130 (10% of USA).

Politics

The Turkish Ottoman Empire once stretched across North Africa, Arabia, Western Asia and Southeast Europe.

Religion

Turkey's Ottoman Empire was for centuries the guardian of all the holy places of Islam and its chief protagonist.

Churches in Turkey

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Geography

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Area 779,452 sq.km. Straddles two continents; 3% in Europe (Thrace), 97% in Asia (Anatolia).

Population (2000) 66,590,940 +1.68%AGR

Capital Ankara 3,250,000.

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