International panel on Virgin Mary held in Istanbul


Date posted: November 12, 2013

The international panel entitled “The Virgin Mary in the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an” jointly organized by Journalists and Writers Foundation’s Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADIP), Roma Tevere Instituto and Izmir Intercultural Dialogue Center took place at WOW Istanbul Convention Center, on November 1-2, 2013.

With a large participation of specialists in the field, the two-day panel featured a wide range of headlines including “Approaches to the Blessed Virgin Mary,” “Discussions about the Blessed Virgin Mary,” ‘The Blessed Virgin Mary Teaching and Its Historical Development”, from the perspectives of the two books.

Chorepiscopus Yusuf Sag, Vicar General and leader of the Syriac Catholic Church in Turkey; Cemalnur Sargut, Turkish Women’s Cultural Association Director in Istanbul; Prof. Muhit Mert Fatih University Faculty of Theology Dean and Journalists and Writers Foundation President Mustafa Yesil inaugurated the panel with their opening remarks.

Approaches to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Discussions about the Blessed Virgin Mary, Virgin Mary’s Mystical Character from the Islamic Perspective, Virgin Mary in the Holy Bible and Qur’an and the Blessed Virgin Mary Teaching and its Historical Development were the session headlines, each elaborated during the following Q-and-A sessions.

Bishop Sahak Mashalian of Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul in his presentation said two women namely, Virgin Mary and Eve have always been revered in monotheistic religions. “Virgin Mary has been a source of inspiration for many. No other woman in history has been as influential as Mary, the woman of few words.

Emine Eroglu, Timas Publishing Editor-in-Chief in the session two delivered her presentation entitled “Al-nafs Al-safiya (purified lower self) and Mary as the Chosen One.” Eroglu noted that God sent a message to the male-dominated community of the time by naming Jesus as “Jesus, Son of Mary.”

As the panel drew to a close, a committee of presenters gathered to draft the final declaration, following a video clip on Virgin Mary. The declaration committee under the leadership of Prof. Omer Faruk Harman was comprised of Prof. Chaterine Joseph Droste, Dr. Mustafa Alıcı, Dr. İsmail Taşpınar ve Kadriye Erdemli.

In the final declaration of the panel “The Virgin Mary in the Holy Bible and The Holy Qur’an”, it was noted that Virgin Mary who broke many discriminative taboos of her time played a significant role throughout history in placing women in the status they deserve.

Published [in Turkish] on KADIP, November 2, 2013.

Source: HizmetMovement.Com , November 12, 2013


Related News

11th Int’l Turkish Olympiads kick off in İstanbul

The 11th International Turkish Olympiads, which is a festival celebrating the Turkish language and brings together 2,000 students from 140 countries this year, began in İstanbul on Wednesday. The event began with a news conference held in Atatürk Olympic Stadium attended by the Turkish deputy parliamentary speaker and International Turkish Language Olympiads organizing committee chairman, […]

One wounded in armed attack on university preparation course

22 April 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM A private institution that offers weekend and evening courses to assist students in preparing for national exams, was attacked by an unidentified person with a Kalashnikov rifle in the southeastern province of Şırnak on Saturday, leaving a security guard wounded. The attack took place at Şırnak’s FEM Dershanesi around 10 p.m., […]

Arresting police to make Erdoğan happy

It is no secret that under the direction of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan police officers who conducted graft operations against his close associates have been detained.

Turkish govt begins massive deportation of Nigerian students

The Turkish government is in a drive to deport all Nigerian students at universities linked to Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet movement. Gulen is an Islamic cleric whom President Erdogan of Turkey considers as his strongest rival. After the botched July 15 coup, Erdogan launched a massive crackdown on the investments of Gulen’s followers. He blamed Gulen for the coup, but he has denied the allegation.

Hizmet turns theories of Millennium Development Goals into practice

The 2015 Millennium Development Goals of the UN were discussed in the international panel, with participants agreeing that the goals can only be sustainably achieved through education.

Where does Gülen stand on: democracy, human rights, and minorities?

Gülen recognizes democracy as the only viable political system of governance. He denounces turning religion into a political ideology, while encouraging all citizens to take an informed and responsible part in political life of their country. He stresses the flexibilities in the Islamic principles relating to governance and their compatibility with a true democracy.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Is Turkey Supporting ISIS?

Dalai Lama praises sema at Turkish fest in New Delhi

A little fairness, please!

Afghan minister says proud his children studied at Turkish schools

Parents seek TL 40,000 in damages for violation of students’ educational rights

Bank Asya’s corporate governance rating increases

Political cartoonist Aseem Trivedi raises voice against detention of women after delivery in Turkey’s hospitals

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News