Religion and clergyman in Turkish story (1923-1980)

Religion is one of the most important phenomena in human history, and the concept of the clergy in terms of religious representation has been addressed and interpreted in many artistic and literary genres. This study examines how the concepts of religion and the clergy were addressed in Turkish stories between 1923 and 1980. In the study, the stories belonging to the period were addressed with the thematic analysis method; positive and negative representations of religion and the clergy were revealed. In the early years of the Republic, a passive understanding of religion and the figure of the clergy came to the fore due to social changes; with the transition to multi-party life, religion and the clergy began to play a more active role in social issues. In the study, the effect of religion on the social structure and the psychology of the individual, religion-science and religion-politics relations, religious rituals and beliefs, the position of the clergy in society, elements such as their roles and charisma in guiding the society, and critical and negative approaches towards the clergy were analyzed through the stories and critical and negative approaches were determined. The works of storytellers who deal with the themes of religion and clergy, which stand out in Turkish stories from different periods between the mentioned dates, were examined in the context of religion and clergy, and the findings were discussed and evaluated by title.