An Overview of Christianity and the Turkish Language

Christianity has a long history among the Turkish people, dating back to the early centuries of the Christian era, long before the rise of the Turkish-speaking peoples in Anatolia. The region that is modern-day Turkey was home to some of the earliest and most important centers of Christianity, including cities like Antioch, Ephesus, and Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). These areas were key to the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire and later became centers of the Byzantine Empire, where Christianity flourished. However, when the Seljuk Turks began migrating into Anatolia in the 11th century, followed by the Ottoman Turks in the 14th and 15th centuries, Islam gradually became the dominant religion in the region. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 solidified Islamic rule in what had been a predominantly Christian region.

Despite the dominance of Islam, small Christian communities, including Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Syriac Christians, continued to exist under Ottoman rule. The Turkish language gradually replaced Greek and other local languages as Turkish-speaking Muslims became the majority. While Christian communities have diminished significantly in modern Turkey, Christianity remains present among minority groups such as Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians. The Bible was translated into Turkish in the 19th century, and there has been a renewed interest in Turkish-language Christian resources in recent years, especially among Protestant groups. Today, while Christianity is a minority religion in Turkey, Turkish-speaking Christians continue to practice their faith and maintain a small but vibrant presence in the country.