Anlam Arayışında Bir Yol: Alfa Çalışma Programı Üzerine Etnografik Bir İnceleme/ A Way in the Pursuit of Meaning: An Ethnographic Analysis of the Alpha Study Program
Abstract
The research, which focused on how the participants experienced leaving a religious tradition adopted by the majority and believing in another religion, started in October 2022 and continued until the end of April 2023. The results of the research are limited to the participants in the study and cannot be generalised due to the nature of qualitative research.
In the research using ethnographic design, which is one of the qualitative approach designs, it was aimed to explore the meaning worlds of the participants in depth. During the research, in addition to the Nativity Feast and Sunday worship services of the church, field notes were written by participating as a participant observer in the event called "Alpha Study Programme", which is a promotional activity organised by the church every Tuesday evening. No difficulties were encountered in entering the church and participating in the activities; on the contrary, it was observed that the participants and church staff were very nice and attentive.
Based on the ethics committee report received from Ankara University Ethics Committee, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten participants. All interviews except two of them were recorded with a voice recorder and then transcribed and analysed with observation notes. Since two participants said that they did not approve the recording of the interview, short notes were taken during the interview and then transcribed. The interview recordings, which were recorded on a voice recorder, were then transcribed and analysed. The interviews were carried out in places such as churches and cafes determined by the participants.
In this study, the reasons why the participants gave up the religious tradition they were in, the changes they experienced during and after the conversion process, and the way they relate to their new milieu were analysed through their own expressions and field notes. Some of the results of the research are as follows: Before the participants converted, their ties with Islam were damaged for various reasons. In this process, some of the participants started to search, while others converted to Christianity as a result of encountering a Christian person. In this process, they developed new friendships and new group belonging. It was observed that the activity called Alpha Study Programme, which is the subject of this study, had a significant effect on the participants' adaptation to their new religion. Within the framework of this activity, group members mutually reveal their feelings and thoughts.
In this context, they share their experiences with each other and increase their faithfulness to their religion. The Alpha programme is an eleven-week programme for those who have converted to Christianity or want to get to know Christianity. The programme is based on a different topic each week. During the programme, the participants also express their feelings and thoughts clearly. In this way, it can be said that there is a mutual transmission of information, not a one-sided one.
In addition, it was observed that concepts such as healing, prayer, forgiveness and love, which were enriched with references from the Bible, were reinforcements for the group members' commitment to their new religion. Since these concepts provide the individual with a state of well-being and evoke inner peace for the individual, it was observed that the participants especially emphasised them. According to another result of the study, religion continues to function as a shelter for the modern individual who faces many economic and psychological problems.
Keywords
Anlam Arayışında Bir Yol: Alfa Çalışma Programı Üzerine Etnografik Bir İnceleme/ A Way in the Pursuit of Meaning: An Ethnographic Analysis of the Alpha Study Program
Öz
Bu çalışma, Ankara’da etkinlik gösteren bir Protestan kilisesi olan Ankara Kurtuluş Kilisesi’nde gerçekleştirilen saha araştırmasına dayanmaktadır. Çalışmada, katılımcıların çoğunluğun benimsediği bir dinî gelenekten ayrılarak “sayıca az” bir gruba mensup olmayı nasıl deneyimledikleri temel problem olarak belirlenmiştir. 2022 yılının Ekim ayından başlayarak 2023 yılının Nisan ayı sonuna kadar devam eden araştırmada, kilisede Doğuş Bayramı ve pazar ayinlerine de katılım sağlanmıştır. Araştırma süresince, her hafta salı akşamı kilisenin düzenlemiş olduğu tanıtım faaliyeti olan “Alfa Çalışma Programı” adlı etkinliğe katılımcı gözlemci olarak katılarak saha notları yazılmıştır. Katılımcıların içinde bulundukları dinî gelenekten vazgeçme nedenleri, iman etme süreci ve sonrasında yaşadıkları değişimleri; yeni çevreleriyle olan ilişki biçimleri onların kendi ifadeleri ve saha notları eşliğinde analiz edilmiştir. Dini gruplarla ilgili nitel yaklaşım kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen çalışmalar “orada” neler olduğu sorusuna yanıt aramak için elverişlidir. Bu çalışmada, derinlemesine görüş elde edebilmek için sahada uzun süre kalmayı gerektiren etnografik desen kullanılmıştır. Ankara Üniversitesi Etik Kurul Başkanlığı’ndan alınan etik kurul raporuna dayanarak on kişiyle yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Bunlardan ikisi dışındaki tüm görüşmeler ses kayıt cihazıyla kayda alınarak sonrasında yazıya geçirilmiş, ardından gözlem notları eşliğinde analiz edilmiştir. Araştırmada Kutsal Kitap’tan referanslarla zenginleştirilen şifa, dua, affetme ve sevgi gibi kavramların grup üyelerinin yeni dinlerine bağlılıklarını sağlayan pekiştireçler olduğu görülmüştür. Araştırmada öne çıkan bir diğer sonuç da günümüzde ekonomik ve psikolojik olarak birçok sorun ile yüzleşen modern birey için dinin sığınak olarak işlev görmeye devam ettiğidir.
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