Book Review: Religion and Statecraft in the Turks

Abstract

This article analyses Christoph Wilhelm Lüdeke’s book Religion and Statecraft in the Turks (Izmir, Istanbul 1759-1768). The book is fundamentally based on the Protestant pastor Christoph Wilhelm Lüdeke’s impressions of Turks, Muslims and the Ottoman Empire during the years 1759-1768, when he served in the Protestant Church of Izmir. As it is a book based on observations, its language and style are fluent. The relationship between religion and state is a significant topic in the sociology of religion, and indeed, the study of caesaro-papism, secularism, religion and politics can be encompassed within this broad framework. States invariably accord great significance to their relations with religion in terms of legitimacy grounds. The book under discussion in this article evokes these issues with its title. The levels of religiosity and religiosity of a society under periodical conditions can be analysed in terms of the sociology of religion. In this respect, the book provides first-hand information about the religiosity and religiosity of 18th-century Ottoman society, which is important in terms of its coverage of non-Muslims, Muslims and Islam living in the Ottoman lands. Contrary to its title, the book focuses on non-Muslims rather than Turks. The text's content is notable for its extensive criticism of Islam and Muslims, as well as the Ottoman administration and the Prophet Muhammad. Additionally, it contains disparaging remarks about various Christian sects, the Greek population, and the papacy. The author’s European and Christian background is a significant factor in the credibility of the records, which are noteworthy for the primary sources. The fact that the language of religion used in worship was archaic in the 18th century is highlighted, drawing parallels with contemporary debates. The discussion on the distinction between religious and civil marriages among Muslims in the 18th century also provides insight into Ottoman religious life, contributing to the book’s value as a source on the religious life of 18th-century Ottoman society.

Highlights

• The study evaluates Christoph Wilhelm Lüdeke's book “Religion and State Administration Among the Turks.”
• It focuses on Christoph Wilhelm Lüdeke's observations of the Turks, Muslims, and the Ottoman Empire.
• Christoph Wilhelm Lüdeke makes harsh criticisms of Muslims and Turks.
• The book is important in terms of providing information about religious life in 18th-century Ottoman society.
• Christoph Wilhelm Lüdeke provides quite inaccurate and biased information about Turks and Muslims.