Comparison of Religion-Referenced Movements in Socio-Political Context: The Example of Evangelism and Gulenism (FETO) Din Referanslı Hareketlerin Sosyo-Politik Bağlamda Karşılaştırması: Evanjelizm ve Gülenizm (FETÖ) Örneği

Religion, social, political, cultural, economic etc. It is functional in many ways. Religion is sometimes the main factor in the construction of a movement/group. Sometimes it functions as the glue of a movement. However, religion is sometimes extremely influential and critical in developing movements. Since religion is an important and highly effective social phenomenon, the function it assumes in the socio-political paradigm of movements fed/powered by religion can gain a vital dimension. Evangelicalism and Gulenism*  (Fetullah Terrorist Organization - FETÖ), which are the subject of the study, are among these movements in which religion is the main factor or reference. Evangelism, which emerged in the Protestant sect in the context of Christianity, and Gulenism, which made Islamic teachings and arguments functional, draw attention to their similar aspects in terms of socio-political attitudes that differ and alienate from the religious tradition they refer to. In this context, it is revealed that both movements have some similarities or parallels in terms of establishment and development course, structuring and national and global scale socio-politics, goals, discourses, activities, and strategies. The study focuses on revealing the püre similarity context of the movements in question within the socio-political framework. The method and point of view of the sociology of religion are used while presenting the findings, data, or arguments for the similarities between evangelism and Gulenism. In this context, documentation, one of the qualitative methods of indirect observation, was preferred. With the indirect observation made on the documents, the documents within the scope of the subject were first scanned, the relevant parts were classified, and then all the data/findings were placed in a systematic framework. These systematic data/findings about the similarities between Gulenism and Evangelicalism have been put forward with an understanding approach, a sociological perspective, and comparative analysis. In addition, religious-referenced movements are limited to the comparison of Gulenism and Evangelicalism and their only similar or parallel features. In the study, In what ways do evangelicalism and Gulenism have similarities or parallels in the socio-political context? What similarities do movements have in terms of establishment, course of development, structuring, and methodological perspective? What kind of similarities or parallels do the movements have in terms of socio-political, discourse, activities, goals, and strategies on a national and global scale? Problematic is analyzed in detail. At this point, the importance of comparative evaluation or analysis of religious movements in the field of sociology of religion and the thought that this perspective will contribute to the relevant literature reveals the originality and importance of the study. As a matter of fact, revealing the differences or similarities of religious movements gives a multidimensional appearance and perspective to the sociology of religious movements/groups and can also correspond to a need in this sense. The study is based on the conclusion that Gulenism and Evangelicalism are similar in many aspects.
* 10 Questions to Understand July 15 Coup Attempt and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization. Ankara: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanlığı Yayınları, 2016. https://www.tccb.gov.tr/assets/dosya/15Temmuz/onsorudafeto_tr_en.pdf