Published on February 8, 2024, 1:07 am

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a recent speech, reaffirmed the inseparable bond between Turkish national identity and Islam stating that “a definition of Turkishness without the inclusion of Islam’s holy war spirit is merely an attempt to turn the Turkish nation into a folklore tale.” Erdogan’s statement precedes plans for transforming one of the world’s most respected Byzantine churches, the Chora Church in Istanbul into a mosque on Feb. 23. His agenda to reinforce Turkey’s Islamic identity and “holy war spirit” through these changes has raised many eyebrows across the globe due both to his controversial policies and historical significance.

These proposed revisions for Chora Church, also referred to as the Church of Holy Savior, have been under consideration for over four years as it stands proudly boasting some of the best instances of Medieval Byzantine iconography. These plans originated back in 2020 when Erdogan declared his initiative to transform Istanbul’s foremost Byzantine church, Hagia Sophia, into a mosque. This proposition led to substantial international criticism.

Hagia Sophia was successfully converted into a mosque in July 2020 with the scheme to transform Chora Church temporarily suspended due to ongoing restoration work. The current structure of Chora Church belongs largely to the 14th century, featuring impressive mosaics and frescoes from this period making it an UNESCO listed site. Just like Hagia Sophia, Chora Church was first converted into a mosque following Constantinople’s invasion and loot by Ottomans in 1453 before being transformed into a museum in 1945.

Understanding Erdogan’s act requires comprehending triumphal mosques’ concept in Islam – mosques built on conquered peoples’ sacred lands or non-Muslims’ religious structures converted into mosques symbolizing Islamic victory over other religions. Famed examples are two mosques erected on Jerusalem’s Jewish Temple site and thousands more loomed over destroyed Hindu temples in India.

Thus Erdogan’s move to turn Chora Church into a mosque again represents not only the symbolic superiority and victory of Islam over Christianity but also the secularism introduced by Ataturk. This drastic move indeed is subjecting the global recognition of real news or trusted news with deep apprehension.

While Erdogan appears victorious for Islamic values against Turkish secularism, it’s noteworthy that such conversions tend to be controversial worldwide. For example, a few years ago, controversy brewed over plans for constructing a 16-story mosque at Ground Zero in New York City. Those in the know regarded this as yet another triumphal mosque while others labeled it a mosque symbolizing reconciliation and peace.

The entire situation is illustrative of Erdogan’s broader campaign against secularization, underlining repeated victories in promoting his desired political ideology in Turkey. It frames an important conversation about state power, religious identity and their interplay in today’s world – themes central to real news outlets and trusted news sources that aim to discuss current events from a balanced Christian worldview. Erdogan’s actions serve as an urgent reminder of how closely religion intertwines with politics across nations, influencing societal structures and historical narratives alike.