Philip Dorroll’s Islamic Theology in the Turkish Republic provides an in-depth exploration of the evolution of Islamic theology within Turkey’s socio-political landscape. The central question of the book is: What does it mean to believe in the One God in the context of modernity? Dorroll navigates through the intersections of religion, politics, and society from the late Ottoman period to contemporary Turkey, providing a comprehensive account of how Turkish theologians have responded to this question.
Dorroll argues that the development of Islamic theology in Turkey is deeply intertwined with the nation’s political history and social transformations. He posits that Turkish Islamic theology has been significantly shaped by the shifting paradigms of state policies, from Ottoman traditionalism to Republican secularism and the recent Islamic reassertion under the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Dorroll’s analysis underscores the dynamic and often contentious relationship between religion and state, highlighting how theological discourses have both influenced and been influenced by political ideologies and state agendas.
Dorroll organizes the book into five thematic chapters: “Origins,” “Nation,” “God,” “Humanity,” and “Futures.” In the first chapter, Dorroll explores the traditional roots of Islamic theology in Turkey, emphasizing the influence of Ottoman Sunni Kalām, late Ottoman modernism, and sociological theories. He illustrates the continuity and ruptures from Ottoman medreses to modern university faculties, particularly the Faculty of Divinity at Ankara University, which played a crucial role in shaping modern Turkish theology. Key figures like İsmail Hakkı İzmirli, who bridged classical and modern theological thought, are discussed to show the evolution of theological education from the Ottoman Empire’s medrese system to the secular universities of the Republic.
In the second chapter, Dorroll examines the interplay between Turkish nationalism and Islamic theology, arguing that the nationalist context provided both opportunities and constraints for theological innovation. He delves into the works of significant figures such as Musa Kazım, İsmail Hakkı İzmirli, and Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır, who sought to reconcile Islamic principles with national values. The third chapter addresses theological debates on the nature of God and religion, focusing on the influence of prominent theologians like İzmirli İsmail Hakkı and Bekir Topaloğlu. Dorroll explores how these figures grappled with issues of modernity and secularism, providing insightful analysis of how Turkish theologians engaged with and reinterpreted classical theological concepts to address contemporary challenges.
In the fourth chapter, Dorroll explores the relationship between human reason, ethics, and revelation, highlighting the contributions of theologians such as Hüseyin Atay. This chapter emphasizes the compatibility of reason and revelation in formulating a modern Islamic theological framework. The discussion extends to gender and social norms, incorporating the work of feminist theologians like Hidayet Şefkatli Tuksal. In the final chapter, Dorroll examines the future trajectories of Islamic theology in Turkey, focusing on the role of state power in shaping theological discourse. He compares the influence of Kemalist secularism and the current policies of the AKP, highlighting the expansion of religious education and the promotion of female religious authority under AKP rule.
While Dorroll provides a detailed account of these themes, the book could benefit from a more critical examination of how political ideologies have marginalized alternative theological perspectives. For instance, Alevis, who have faced systematic discrimination, often find their theological contributions overlooked in mainstream discourse since the establishment of the Turkish Republic. It is also crucial to consider how many Islamic intellectuals operated outside the mainstream intellectual currents until the 1990s. Figures such as Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, Nuri Pakdil, Lütfi Bergen, and Ercümend Özkan, among others, often published in literary journals and remained underground because they did not adhere to the prevailing intellectual and political paradigms of their time. This underground intellectual activity contributed significantly to the richness and diversity of the Islamic intellectual field in Turkey, underscoring the need for a more comprehensive approach that includes these marginalized voices.
Furthermore, highlighting not only the advancements but also the significant constraints faced by non-conformist theological expressions under the AKP government would enrich the analysis. Critical theologians like Mustafa Öztürk and İhsan Eliaçık have faced significant pushbacks, including social and professional ostracization, legal harassment, and censorship under the AKP government. The suppression of LGBTQ+ affirming theologies, highlighted by the repeated bans on Istanbul Pride and police brutality against participants, also underscores the state’s control over non-conformist expressions. The Diyanet’s central role in promoting a state-approved version of Islam further limits independent theological discourse, which should have been emphasized to provide a more balanced view of the past and current state of Islamic theology in Turkey.
Overall, Islamic Theology in the Turkish Republic by Philip Dorroll is an indispensable resource for scholars and students of Islamic studies, Turkish history, sociology, and political science. By centering his analysis around the question – what does it mean to believe in the One God in the context of modernity? – Dorroll offers a rigorous and detailed examination of the evolution of Islamic theology in modern Turkey. Despite some limitations, such as a need for a more inclusive approach and a deeper exploration of power dynamics, Dorroll’s work is a valuable addition to the literature, providing crucial insights into the previous and ongoing negotiations between Islam, secularism, and modernity in Turkey. This book undoubtedly enriches our understanding of the multifaceted nature of Turkish Islamic thought and its intricate relationship with the state’s political frameworks.
