Life, works and religious educational views of Hamdi Mert

It is the religious men who bear the greatest responsibility in informing the society on religious matters and in constructing the perception of religion in a proper and undistorted way. They deal with more mass than other occupational groups, communicate with people of all ages, statuses and genders, and are respected by the society in general. Therefore, the efforts and activities of the religious men have an important effect on the way the society perceives religion and the transfer of moral virtues to life. The religious men, who try to fulfil their duties in the best way by dedicating their lives, and who do not contradict the general values of the society, are embraced and glorified by the people. Hamdi Mert was one of the religious men who became a part of the society with his religious education, which he started to receive from an early age and crowned with the Higher Islamic Institute. He was also a scholar who was equipped with the identity of a lawyer, poet and writer, and devoted his life to raising the Turkish nation with religious and state sensitivity. Having his first professional experience in Denizli Imam Hatip High School in 1967, Mert worked in various formal and non-formal religious education institutions, took part in different and qualified positions, and eventually rose to the position of Vice President of Religious Affairs. After his retirement in 1998, Mert continued to serve at Ahmet Yesevi University, writing articles on religion, state and society in various newspapers and journals until his death in 2015. Mert was a religious man who made efforts to build a high-quality, moral, strong Turkish society devoted to his state and nation, by preserving the national culture and giving national upbringing throughout his life. In this research, Hamdi Mert's views on his life, works and religious education were examined in terms of his sensitivity to religion- state and nation- property. Keywords: Hamdi Mert, Directorate of Religious Affairs, Formal Religion Education, Informal Religion Education, Moral Values