Religion and Religious Life in Turkey

Abstract

Shortly after the transition to the Republican regime in Turkey, the millet system was abolished in the Ottoman Empire. While certain rights were given to non-Muslims in religious matters, not all of them were included in the framework of civil law. For Muslims, the place of religion in society and state institutions has always been a matter of debate. While religious and state affairs were separated according to the principle of secularism, the state's control over religion continued. However, some restrictions on religious matters created discomfort in the society, therefore, after the Second World War, more flexible policies were followed in the field of religion. In addition, the social reflection of religion has become more visible. Since the 2000s, the social visibility of religion in Turkey has expanded considerably and the number of respective studies has increased compared to previous years. However, studies on religious life in Turkey are obviously very late, compared to studies in the West. The Religious Life in Turkey Survey conducted by the Directorate of Religious Affairs in 2013 is the most comprehensive to date. In this study, religious affiliation, belief, religious knowledge, daily life and religion and religiosity in Turkey were examined. In some places, evaluations were made by comparison with other surveys and studies.

Keywords

• turkey
• religion
• life
• identity
• faith
• practice
• education