Our recent stay in Izmir was only for one week, but it
was a good experience. We could review the situation of both the society and of
St John’s Church. Unlike our two previous visits, this time there were no
national crises or major political campaigns- so we were not harangued from
loudspeakers; life seemed fairly normal and tranquil! Indeed, one of the remarkable aspects of life
in Izmir is still how normal things seem. Probably, there is close
surveillance, but we saw only one policeman with a sub-machine gun (by
contrast, Paris seemed to be frequented by them.) The friendliness of welcome
at the passport control in Izmir contrasts favourably with what many
‘foreigners’ experience at London airports. (When Jo presented her visa, the
officer declined to look at it, saying she ‘looked honest!) The helpfulness of
the average Turk is notable; Jo was always offered seats on crowded metro trains.
St John’s seemed to be in good heart. The new chaplain,
James Buxton, has obviously settled in and developed good relations with the people.
There have been comings and goings, but several new people have taken on active
roles in the church. We went primarily for the baptism of the second son of one
of the Iranian refugee families, at the Epiphany Sunday Eucharist. It was a
happy occasion; although the municipality cut off electric power just before we
started – there are major works going on locally to set up a tram network – there
were enough candles to provide light, as the Christmas decorations were still
in place. They helped incidentally to
create a special atmosphere!
We also led the weekly Bible
Study. It was good to see even more church members than before attending; for
most of them English is their second language (which does create a few
problems.) But there is a real desire to grow in faith and knowledge. This
desire was also shown in a conversation after the Sunday Eucharist when a young
Turkish woman – not a committed Christian, though with some Orthodox family
background – asked me about the blessing of the sea at Epiphany, how one
received the Holy Spirit, and whether he proceeded from Father alone, or from
Father and Son. (I think that was the first discussion I have ever had outside
clerical or theological circles about the Filioque
controversy!)
On our Saturday flanerie, we visited the sole remaining
Greek Orthodox church in Izmir – Saint Voukolos’ (he was apparently a disciple
of St John the Divine, and precursor of Polycarp.) It has been restored by the
municipality, and serves as a cultural centre, but is also used for the Orthodox
services. As this was the feast of the Epiphany, the church was crowded for the
divine liturgy; it was good to see the RC bishop in the sanctuary.
In one of the English-language
newspapers, we saw that President Erdogan was going to attend the inaugural service
at the newly restored Romanian Orthodox Church in Istanbul. The Turkish
government had contributed to the cost of the building work. St John’s Church continues
to be open for visits on several days each week (though prudence has dictated a
slightly lower profile, with no canvassing on the street.) Next week a local
primary school have asked to bring a group of children on a visit.
These positive signs must be
balanced against signs of an increasingly strident Islamisation of this previously
solidly secular society, with changes to the school curriculum and an increase
in the number of faith-based schools. Some Christian pastors have been
imprisoned; the previous churchwarden at St John’s and her doctor husband had
to leave Izmir at short notice after untrue statements were made about them in
one Turkish newspaper. Turkey is not a comfortable country for journalists or
opposition politicians (one of whom is being sued for ‘demeaning the office of
the president.’)
Finally, we really sympathise
with the Iranian refugees, who feel trapped in Turkey. Their situation could be
worse: they can get jobs, and receive free medical care. But one, a qualified
Electrical Engineer, who had been told he would be able to move permanently to
another country within a year or so, is about to begin his fourth year in
Izmir. The Trump administration’s refusal to admit refugees, and its withdrawal
of funding from UNHCR, together with the increasing raising of barriers by
other countries, is leading to much frustration and a terrible wasted of
talent. Please pray for a solution to be found soon!
We enjoyed our visit, and hope
to be able to return later this year.
