Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movement

 My name is Tim Godfrey, I am a Jesuit priest, and I am working at Georgetown University, and I am Director of Campus Ministry at Georgetown. I was very interested when Mr. Ali Yurtsever invited me to go on this trip, I was very interested in doing that, because at our work at Georgetown we see ourselves as preparing men and women for leadership, but in campus ministries specifically we are looking at trying to create men and women for leadership, men and women for others who also have a deep respect for diversity, are not afraid of otherness, and are able to interact with people in a way in which they can approach people in openness, they can also respect for various traditions and various cultures.

So this gave me an opportunity to not only discover much more about Turkey and also the Islamic tradition of which we have students who are Muslim and who come from the middle east as part of the country. But it also gave me an opportunity to come to know a little bit more about the traditions from which my own tradition, the Christian tradition, much here in this area that we have seen in Cappadocia and Constantinapole which is now Istanbul, that many of our Christian roots are here as well, so it gave me an opportunity to come to a deeper awareness that how we share a common tradition. This has been an opportunity not only to know the Turkish people but also see the great history, a very rich history. It has also given me an opportunity to know a little bit more about the Gulen movement of which I am very impressed. The commitment, the hospitality, the sense of –what we would say in the Christian tradition- mission, to promote understanding, to promote peace through that understanding...

… one of the things I really appreciated is coming to know a little bit more about the Gulen movement. I have come to understand that it is a movement which is full of many young people. I am really impressed with the amount of younger people who are involved in the movement who have been very generous, welcoming to us here in Turkey, but also the commitment, and what we would say in our Christian tradition a real sense of mission through understanding and dialog as a way of promoting intercultural respect, and as a way of creating a sense of peace, and of coming to a better peace in our world. So coming to know a little more about Gulen movement of how the leadership here, the business people, the leaders of the communities are supporting the movement and how the faculties and students, the people working in the hospitals are committed to overseeing and to being in the trenches as a world and helping that vision and mission to be accomplished. So I have greatly appreciated my time here in Turkey. I want to thank the Rumi Forum and all those here in Turkey who have made my stay very enjoyable and areal learning experience. Thank you!