Building a Protestant Church on Ottoman Armenian Soil

Year 2024, , 129 - 157, 30.04.2024

David Barchard

https://doi.org/10.52792/tws.1474831

Abstract

The presence of American missionaries in late Ottoman territory, exemplified by figures like Smith and Dwight, marked a significant chapter in the region's history. Their legacy, spanning a century, left indelible marks on Turkey's cultural and educational landscape, including the establishment of institutions like Robert College and the Redhouse press. However, their engagement was not without complexities, as they found themselves embroiled in the intricate interplay between the Ottoman government and the burgeoning nationalist movements among its Christian populace. This paper examines the missionaries' dual roles as contributors to Turkey's development and intermediaries in the dialogue between nationalist aspirations and Western sympathizers, such as James Bryce. Delving into their initial harmonious coexistence with Ottoman authorities and subsequent entanglements, it sheds light on the missionaries' confrontations not with the government but with the Armenian Gregorian patriarchate, as they navigated the delicate terrain of religion and politics in Ottoman Armenian soil.

Keywords

American missionaries, Protestant Church, Ottoman Armenian soil

Osmanlı Ermeni Topraklarında Bir Protestan Kilisesi İnşa Etmek

Abstract

Smith ve Dwight gibi isimlerle örneklenen Amerikalı misyonerlerin geç dönem Osmanlı topraklarındaki varlığı, bölge tarihinde önemli bir döneme işaret etmektedir. Bir asra yayılan mirasları, Robert Kolej ve Redhouse basını gibi kurumların kurulması da dahil olmak üzere, Türkiye'nin kültür ve eğitim manzarasında silinmez izler bıraktı. Bununla birlikte, kendilerini Osmanlı hükümeti ile Hıristiyan halk arasında filizlenmekte olan milliyetçi hareketler arasındaki karmaşık etkileşimin içinde bulan misyonerlerin faaliyetleri karmaşık bir hal almıştır. Bu makale, misyonerlerin Türkiye'nin kalkınmasına katkıda bulunan ve milliyetçi arzular ile James Bryce gibi Batılı sempatizanlar arasındaki diyalogda aracı olan ikili rollerini incelemektedir. Misyonerlerin Osmanlı yetkilileriyle başlangıçtaki uyumlu birlikteliklerine ve daha sonraki karışıklıklarına değinerek, misyonerlerin Osmanlı Ermenistanı topraklarında din ve siyasetin hassas arazisinde gezinirken hükümetle değil, Ermeni Gregoryen patrikhanesiyle karşı karşıya gelmelerine ışık tutuyor.

Keywords

Amerikan misyonerleri, Protestan Klisesi, Osmanlı Ermeni toprakları

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