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Copyright of Cumhuriyet Ilahiyat Dergisi / Cumhuriyet Theology Journal is the property of Cumhuriyet Universitesi, Ilahiyat Fakultesi / Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Theology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the most influential figures in the history of Islamic thought is Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 606/1210). The identities of mushakkik, which creates problems on many subjects, especially metaphysical and theological ones, the muhaqqiq who tries to solve the problems above the sects, and the jâmî who brings many different views together in the highest concepts, have seriously affected all the thinkers after him. Therefore, in the tradition, all schools had to inherit the philosophical and scientific dynamism that he created and displayed an attitude about the problems he created and the solutions he offered. The real important motive that makes Râzî so indispensable and effective is his problematic identity (mushakkik), which carries the kalām to philosophy and philosophy to kalām, and criticizes philosophy on the basis of the kalām, and the kalām on the basis of philosophy. For this reason, when we look at the works of Râzî, who has been evaluated politically and sociologically within Ash'arism throughout his life, it is clearly seen that he is a thinker who is suitable to be embraced by different schools and to be interpreted in different ways. The fact that many Ahl as-sunnah theologians emphasized the works written by Râzî with a theological-Ash'ari theme, caused his supra-sectarian identity to be overshadowed. On the other hand, it is seen that some thinkers are making an effort to know and recognize Râzî as a philosopher-theologian and muhaqqiq. This effort is clearly seen especially in scientific figures who benefited from Kamaladdin Ibn Yûnus (d. 639/1242) in some way. Af?al al-Dīn Khūnajī (d. 646/1248), Athir al-Din al-Abharî (d. 663/1265), Najm al-Din al-Qazwinî al-Kâtibî (d. 675/1277) can be given as examples. These personalities, on the one hand, played an active role in the spread of Râzî's scientific heritage and they were effective in bringing Râzî to the fore with his supra-sectarian identity on the other. Sirāj Al-Dīn Al-Urmawî (d. 682/1283), who inherited his scientific legacy, is among the important names who established his identity as a muhaqqiq who mostly solved supra-sectarian problems. Human actions are at the forefront of the issues in which this facility has clearly emerged. Urmawî tries to revise al-Arba'în's expressions, which seem to ignore the power and influence of human beings in terms of human actions as well as criticizing Razi's arguments very seriously. In his work Lübâb, on the one hand, he summarizes al-Erba'în of Razî he seriously criticizes Razi's Ash'ari attitude towards human actions on the other. He does this largely on the axis of the arguments that Râzî himself expressed from his encyclopedic works such as al-Matâlibu'l-'âliyya mina'l-'ilmi'l-ilâhi. It is clear that this is not an ordinary situation. Because human actions are at the forefront of the issues that determine the thinkers' conception of divinity and the relationship between God and man. In this study, Râzî's attitude on this issue and Urmavi's philosophical and theological criticisms will be tried to be determined. Thus, it is clearly seen that he is trying to establish Râzî as a muhaqqiq in the axis of human actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2022 July issue of KADER Journal, which began publishing in 2003, we have included interviews with doyen scholars in the field of kalām. Within this scope, for the second interview of our interview series, we will be accompanied by Prof. Dr. Metin Yurdagür. Originally from a family of Crimean origin, he was born in Istanbul. Upon having graduated from Imam Hatip School, he began to study in Istanbul High Islam Institute and graduated in 1973. Then, he worked in, in the given order, The Ministry of National Education, The Presidency of Religious Affairs and various universities. He participated, under ISAM, in publication of TDV Encyclopedia of Islam from the very beginning till supplemantary fascicules. We would like to thank him, who is currently holding the position of dean in Theology Faculty of Kastamonu University, for kindly accepting our interview request. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that there are different concentrations of Muslims in European countries. However, Germany has a special importance in these countries due to the numerical excess of Muslims and the existence of our compatriots due to the economic migration from Turkey to Germany that started in the 1960s. For this reason, in our article, the educational activity carried out on Islamic theology, in particular kalam, in the example of Germany will be discussed. In Germany, Islamic religious education departments were opened in three different universities to train teachers to teach Islamic religion in primary, secondary and high school schools, and to provide Imam education in order to eliminate the language and adaptation problems experienced by mosque officials coming from abroad. The process that started with Osnabrück University, Westfälische Wilhelm Münster University and Friedrich-Alexander University has progressed beyond the initial aim of training Islamic religion teachers with the seven universities reached today. In addition to the influence of the German Islamic Conference on the formation of the theoretical infrastructure of this process, the impact of the 2010 recommendation of the Scientific Committee is also known. The originality, scientific impartiality and conformity of Islamic Theology in Germany are the issues that are emphasized in the discussions. As a matter of fact, for this reason, the discussion of the science of of kalām in these centers is of particular importance in the debates. Because kalām is a science that shapes the understanding of religion and offers the opportunity to develop a correct intellectual perspective on religion. It is possible to say that the content of kalām in these centers and the studies carried out will affect the understanding of Islam that will emerge in Europe, especially in Germany, in the next century. For this reason, in our article, the study areas of theology professors in seven Islamic Theology centers and theses which they supervise will be discussed, on the other hand, researches, projects and collaborations that reflect the intellectual perspective of the Islamic Theology center will be highlighted. This article aims not only to criticize the said centers in Germany, but also to determine what kind of mutual contributions they might have with the theological accumulation in Turkey. As a matter of fact, it is obvious that the courses given, the theses managed and the fields of study will shape the future of Islamic theology in Europe, as well as having an impact on Islamic theology in Turkey given that today global scientific interaction is at the highest level. It is not possible to think the issues currently studied in Islamic Theology in Germany independently of the realities and needs of the country in which they flourish. As a matter of fact, although there are historical studies on Islamic theology schools, especially Maturidism, Ash'arism and Mu'taziliism, in different universities, the existence of studies on subjects that can be called "practical theology" draws attention. In addition, due to the fact that Germany creates a multi-religious and multicultural environment, it is seen that a supra-denominational approach is adopted and thus it is aimed to ensure a pluralism that allows different views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for an extensive study on undergraduate students' attitudes towards the kalām course and its teaching process in the faculties of theology and Islamic studies, which are higher religious education institutions. In order to meet this need, a 30-item survey was prepared in a 5-point Likert structure that measures the attitude towards the kalām course. This questionnaire was applied to 1007 randomly selected undergraduate students studying in faculties of theology and Islamic studies in Turkey in the 2021-2022 academic year. In this sample, 69.9% (N=704) of the participants were women, and 30.1% (N=303) were men. In the analyses made with the data obtained, it was seen that the questionnaire had a high incidence of internal consistency; and its suitability for factor extraction was calculated with the Bartlett Sphericity Test and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sample adequacy test. The KMO value was 0.934, and the Chi-square value [X2= 8083,719 p<0.001] was found significant as a result of the Bartlett test. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, it was seen that a 16-item and three-factor scale could be obtained. The factor loadings of the items in the scale, which had a total variance explanation rate of 62.7%, ranged from 0.561 to 0.790. In the first factor of the scale, items measuring the attitude towards the teaching staff, teaching methods and techniques used, and textbooks were collected; in the second factor, the contribution of the course to religious and professional development; and in the last factor, items measuring the individual's interest in the course were collected. The Cronbach Alpha value, which indicates the internal consistency of the scale, was calculated as 0.914. When the discrimination of the scale items was analyzed with the independent sample t-test based on the lower and upper groups, it was determined that the difference between the total scores of these two groups from the scale was significant at the p<0.01 level. A second application was made in the same academic year for the confirmatory factor analysis of the scale. The second sample of 657 people selected by random sampling method consisted of 73.4% (N=482) women and 26.6% (N=175) men. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis performed on this data set, the result of the chi-square test was calculated as Ⅹ²/df = 2.95, and the absolute fit indices GFI = 0.95, AGFI = 0.93. These values show that the scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool with good fit properties. According to the findings obtained from the second application with the scale, the attitudes of the students of the faculty of theology and Islamic studies towards the kalām course and its teaching process are positive. There is a positive and significant correlation between attitudes towards the teaching process, the contribution of the course to religious-professional development, and interest in the course, which are the sub-dimensions of the scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yusuf Ziya Yörükan is a well-known scientist with his studies on disciplines, such as Theology, History of Islamic Sects and Religious Education, during the transition from the last period of the Ottoman Empire to the founding years of the Turkey Republic. From the point of view of Islamic theology (Kalam), it is seen that he focuses, in his works, the re-evaluation of classical sources with a modern perspective and the determination of Islamic beliefs according to the original sources. Yörükan tries to reveal the course of the science of Kalam in its history with an objective approach. Thus, he aims to show both how some social conditions affected the development of Kalam and the relationship of these processes with the Qur'an, which is the primary source. From his point of view, Abu Hanifa and Imam Maturidi are among the leading actors in this development process. Therefore, Yörükan devotes a significant part of his studies to the introduction of the Hanafi-Maturidi system. As a historian and educator, he primarily deals with the History of Kalam and Sects in his works, does not touch upon the classical theological debates in order to leave behind the conflicts among Muslims, but only briefly mentions them. Yörükan has made significant contributions to the development of modern religious education in Turkey, especially with his contemporary sociology and philosophy background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are several factors that affect the formation of people's beliefs. In this study, some of the old cultural traces seen in the religious lives of the Muslim people living in Anatolia were discussed and evaluated in terms of creed. The article mainly focuses on the cultural elements that the Turks had before becoming Muslim and the Christian effects that were mostly observed during the visits to the grave, which left a profound effect on the religious life of the Anatolian people. In this context, the importance of the subject was emphasized by mentioning issues such as the shamans who had important position in the life of the pre-Islamic Turks, some names who had a wide impact on the society with their religious understanding and life after the adoption of the religion of Islam, some rituals performed after the dead, rain prayer and sacrifice. The importance of the subject is obvious in terms of the accurate analysis of the beliefs and religious lives of the people of geography. In the article, by making quotations from current researches, the vitality of the subject was emphasized and the issues that could not be found together with the belief of monotheism were tried to be drawn attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article discusses the Department of Kalam, its foundation, academic structuring, philosophy, and contribution to religious thought at the national and international level since the establishment of Ankara University Faculty of Divinity, The process regarding the field of Kalam since the establishment of Ankara University Faculty of Divinity in 1949 has been studied over two historical periods. The first is the period from its being taught as a course under the Chair of the History of Islam and Sects during the establishment of the Faculty of Divinity to 1974 when it turned into an independent chair, and the second is the process from 1974 to the present. Higher religious education was continued in the Faculty of Theology, established under the Istanbul Dārulfunūn, which was constructed in the western style instead of the madrasahs that were closed in accordance with the Law of Unification of Education (Tawhid Tadrisāt) adopted on March 3, 1924,The faculty in question was closed in 1933 due to the shortage of students. Until Ankara University Faculty of Theology, which started its teaching activities in November 1949, was opened, there was no higher religious education for 16 years in Turkey. During this time, the need for experts trained in the field of religion emerged. In order to meet this need, Ankara University Faculty of Theology was opened. In the newly opened faculty, it is aimed to train theologians with versatile knowledge and perspective by teaching philosophy, psychology, sociology, foreign languages, as well as teaching disciplines related to the field of theology. One of the chairs in the faculty's academic structure opened for this purpose was the chair of History of Islam and Sects. In Ankara University Faculty of Theology, where the academic structuring was organized according to the chair system, the science of Kalam was taught as a course within the Chair of the History of Islam and Sects until 1974. Within this chair, the teachings of Principles of Islam, the history of Islamic sects, and Kalam lessons were carried out. The first instructor of the chair was Prof. Yusuf ZiyaYörükân. Although there were changes in the academic staff during the process, one of the important names that contributed to the field of kalam until 1974 was Muhammad Tavît al-Tanji. These scholars not only made significant contributions to the field of Kalam in terms of method and content with their own studies but also taught scholars to work in this field after them.The doctoral advisor of HüseyinAtay, who is the founder of the Kalam Chair/Department, is M. Tavît al-Tancî. In 1974, when HüseyinAtay became a professor, the Kalam course was separated from the Chair of Islam and Sects and gained the status of an independent chair. HüseyinAtay is the architect of the transformation of Kalam from a lecture to a chair. As a result of Atay's efforts, being a theologian in Turkey has turned into an identity rather than being a member of an academic discipline, In the studies carried out by Yörükän, Tancî, Atay and the academicians taught by them in Ankara University Faculty of Theology Department of Kalam, the emphasis on the Quran and reason, the importance of critical thinking in the field of theology, the human-centered theological thought, the effort to find solutions to current problems, the researches on Mu'tazila and Maturidism, the study and translation activities that are carried out to bring the classical theology to the present day come to the fore, In the essence of academic studies conducted within this framework, the importance of correctly determining the distinction between the divine and human in the analysis of religious thought is emphasized, In addition, it is aimed to give a perspective on the meaning and value of human life, In the Department of Kalam, where the human-centered understanding of kalam is systematically dealt with on the basis of individual, responsibility, and morality, the science of kalam is structured not only as a system of thought consisting of abstract fictions but a discipline that has the function of developing and gaining a perspective on what is happening around us and in the World. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Felsefelogos is the property of Felsefelogos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the Faculty of Theology / Kilis 7 Aralik Universitesi Ilahiyat Fakultesi Dergisi is the property of Kilis 7 Aralik Universitesi Ilahiyat Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)