The ‘ascendance’ of deism in Turkey: Context, drivers and debate

Abstract

ABSTRACT While religion and religiosity in Turkish society have long been topics of discussion, there has been a flourishing debate on the ascendance of deism, particularly among the youth. Simultaneous claims for the growing spectre of deism and religious backsliding and the Turkish government’s policies of ‘Islamization’ seemingly resulted in a paradox. This article will start by tracing the evolution of the debate on deism and, through qualitative analysis, dissect the arguments raised by those who increasingly self-identify as deists into two interrelated categories: those directed against the very concept of God and those directed against the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. Furthermore, it will explore the factors explaining the growing prevalence of deism, drawing attention mainly to trends of secularization and the broader socio-political context of Turkey in recent decades.