Turkey’s Hollow Promises on Halki Seminary Reveal Deeper Religious Freedom Failures
Turkey’s long-standing closure of the Halki Theological School exposes persistent restrictions on religious freedom—and Washington must hold Ankara accountable to protect minority rights and America’s strategic interests.
As Pope Leo XIV prepares for his historic visit to Turkey, slated to commemorate foundational Christian milestones, an old but unresolved controversy shadows the trip: the indefinite closure of the Halki Theological School. This institution, once a beacon of Orthodox Christian training and heritage, has stood shuttered since 1971 under Turkish government edicts that suppress religious freedom. Is Turkey’s reopening rhetoric just another diplomatic ploy? Amid growing international pressure and a recent pledge from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during talks with former President Trump to "do our part," there remains skepticism about whether Ankara will deliver tangible results. Despite legal...
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