Istanbul's Anglican community on the brink of open rebellion with their Bishop

Members of Istanbul's Anglican community are on the brink of open rebellion with their Bishop whom they accuse of high-handed tactics in suspending both the church council and the priest who has administered to them for 18 years.

The row erupted over the ordination of a new deacon in Istanbul, Engin Yıldırım.
Local Anglicans say they pressed Geoffrey Rowell, the London-based Bishop responsible for their parish, to postpone the ordination until they could resolve what office the new minister would occupy under Turkish law. Mr Yıldırım is Turkish and at present foreign Christian clergy in Turkey are regarded as officials sent by the governments of their countries. Those close to the Anglican community suspect its real objection may be related to Mr Yıldırım's proselytizing approach to his vocation.

From another article, same subjectA London bishop has suspended the most senior Anglican priest in Turkey, who opposed the fast-track ordination of a Turkish evangelist. The dispute highlights a potential clash of cultures between the hands-off approach of the expatriate Anglicans and the missionary zeal of Turkish Protestant converts.

Istanbul Anglicans have branded the bishop “bullying”, “crazy”, “un-Christian” and “a scandal and a menace”. Their colourful language stems partly from the popularity of Canon Ian Sherwood, the Irish cleric at the centre of the battle.



Trey Farmer, a member of the church council, which has also been suspended, illustrated the strength of feeling. “We are not here to convert anyone, but to support what exists,” he said. “If anyone wants to engage in missionary work in Turkey they are going to have to do it over our dead bodies. I don’t want to get shot for going to church.”