Notes
Slide Show
Outline
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Ecumenical Patriarchate
in Grave Peril
  • What can we do to stop this assault on religious freedom?
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Under Attack
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"Christian communities in Turkey face..."



  • Christian communities in Turkey face unfair official restrictions regarding:
    • Ownership and operation of churches and seminaries
    • Selection of religious leaders
    • Christian education
    • Freedom of expression and association
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Walled In
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Repression Takes Many Forms
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The Halki Seminary
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   The Halki Seminary
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The Future of the Church
  • There are now only 5,000 Greek Orthodox Christians left in Turkey, many of whom are elderly.





  • Yet Turkey requires even priests to be Turkish citizens. This excludes eligible clergy from around the world.
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The Future of the Church
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"These policies are wearing away..."
  • These policies are wearing away the Orthodox Christian presence






  • and may eventually wipe out the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
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The Future of the Church
  • Who will carry on our traditions?


  • Who will keep our church alive?
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Under Attack
  • This political climate of religious repression has encouraged extremists to destroy the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul with
  •  bombs, slanderous inscriptions
  • on the walls, and desecration of Patriarchal cemeteries.
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A Real Threat
  • In 1998, a Greek Orthodox official was
  • murdered
  • at his church, Saint Therapon, in Istanbul.







  • The church was also robbed and set on fire .
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"Turkey’s actions pose a threat..."
  • Turkey’s actions pose a threat to
  • Greek Orthodoxy









  • We MUST take action now for the survival of
  • a 2,000 year-old religious institution that is an inspiration to Christians worldwide.
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Like this Greek primary school in Turkey, our church too may soon be left in ruins.
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Political Attention

Repression of the Greek Orthodox Christians in Turkey has gained the attention of the international community and U.S. Officials.
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The Lantos Letter
  • On May 11, 2007 Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Congressman Tom Lantos sent a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan expressing concerns about Turkey’s suppression of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.


  • ALL of the Members of the Foreign           Affairs Committee from CA and
  • 90 % of the entire Committee signed
  •                      on to this letter in support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
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House Resolution 373
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"The resolution calls on Turkey..."
  • The resolution calls on Turkey to:
  • (A) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate appropriate international recognition and ecclesiastic succession


  • (B) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate the right to train clergy of all nationalities, not just Turkish nationals and


  • (C) respect human rights and property rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
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You Can Also Make a Difference
  • Phone, fax, or write to your Member of Congress asking them to support religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
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Online Political Action
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A Step By Step Guide To Online Action
Log on to www.AmericanHellenic.org!
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Taking Action – Current Legislation
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Sending a Message
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Sending a Message
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Telling Others to Take Action
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Get Involved and Stay Current!
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Stay Connected! www.AmericanHellenic.org
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Together We Can Do It!
  •   Contact: American Hellenic Council
  • 8124 W. 3rd St. Suite 200
  • Los Angeles, CA 90048
  •      Phone: 323.651.3507
  • Fax: 323.658.6306
  •      Email: info@americanhellenic.org
  • Web: http://www.AmericanHellenic.org