According to DW Turkish Service reporter Gülsen Solaker, the discussion about reopening the seminary took on new dimensions during the White House meeting, with Erdoğan expressing readiness to take necessary steps regarding the institution. “We are ready to do whatever is necessary regarding the Halki Seminary,” Erdoğan stated before his return to Turkey, adding that he would discuss the matter with Patriarch Bartholomew upon his arrival. This development follows Patriarch Bartholomew’s own meeting with Trump at the White House in mid-September, where the seminary’s status was reportedly a key topic of discussion.
The Halki Seminary, officially known as the Holy Trinity Seminary, was established in 1844 and served as one of the Orthodox world’s most prestigious theological institutions until its closure in 1971. During its 127 years of operation, the seminary graduated approximately 1,000 Orthodox clergy members, serving the global Orthodox community’s educational needs. The closure came during a period of heightened tensions over Cyprus and bilateral issues with Greece, when Turkey’s Constitutional Court ruled that private higher education institutions must operate under state control.
According to the article, the ecumenical status of the Fener Greek Patriarchate remains a contentious issue closely tied to the seminary’s reopening. While the Patriarchate claims spiritual leadership over global Orthodox communities as “primus inter pares” (first among equals), Turkish law recognizes it only as a local religious institution serving Istanbul’s Greek Orthodox community. This distinction has significant geopolitical implications, particularly as the United States supports the Patriarchate’s ecumenical status to counter Moscow’s influence in the Orthodox world.
Russia, home to the world’s largest Orthodox population, promotes the Moscow Patriarchate as the leader of Orthodox Christianity, creating a rivalry that gained intensity after the Fener Greek Patriarchate recognized the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in 2019. The United States has consistently backed Istanbul’s patriarchate in this religious-diplomatic contest, viewing it as a counterweight to Russian influence.
Legal pathways for reopening the seminary are being actively explored. Legal experts suggest that new legislation could grant special status to minority religious educational institutions outside the standard higher education system. The ruling coalition holds sufficient parliamentary majority to pass such legislation, with some opposition parties expected to support the measure. Alternative proposals include recognizing the seminary as a foundation providing religious education or establishing it as a department within an existing state university.
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin recently confirmed technical preparations are complete, stating, “The reopening of the seminary is a political decision. If I receive instructions to open it, we have completed our technical preparations and submitted our report.” Patriarch Bartholomew has expressed optimism, telling Greek media that President Erdoğan has instructed the Ministry of Education to proceed and that they are “on the threshold of resuming activities.”
The seminary’s potential reopening represents more than a religious education issue; it embodies Turkey’s complex navigation between competing international interests while addressing longstanding minority rights concerns within the framework of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.
Photo: DW Turkish