Turkey Considers Starting Religion Class With Christian Curriculum in Public Schools

Teresa Neumann : Jun 3, 2014
Greg Yoder – Mission Network News

"This is the first in the history of Turkey. This is wonderful! Pray that they will accept it and print the books." -Behnan Konutgan

(Turkey)—In a country of 76 million where 99.9 percent of the population is Muslim, positive pro-Christian news is rare. (Photo via MNN)

But, as noted in a recent Mission Network News report, in a rare move, Turkey's ministry of education has requested that Behnan Konutgan, director for International Needs Network, to lead a group of Christians to create a Christian curriculum for a religion class for the public schools.

"Because Turkey is on its way to joining the European Union, they have created a new thing for next year," said Konutgan. "They will have an elective course for the schools for 5, 6, 10, and 11 grades. They promised to print it. This is the first in the history of Turkey. This is wonderful!"

According to the report, Christian students in the past were required to take Islamic education classes. [Now] any Christian student in a public school can request the alternate religion class.

"Pray that this project will be done," added Konutgan. "Pray that there would be no people against this project in the ministry of education and that they will accept it and print the books."