After Bishop Hanna Aydin’s recent statements in Berlin, a hot debate has blossomed up within the Assyrian community about the interference of church leaders in politics. Our studio guests Dr. Gabriel Oussi and Simon Poli discuss and analyze the situation. The program begins with a speech in January 2009 in Berlin by Bishop Hanna Aydin, where he strongly criticized Turkey for the confiscation of the monastery of Mor Gabriel lands. Tih was during the greatest manifestation ever made by the Assyrians in Europe. Then we will hear his words in March 2018 where he shows his exaggerated pride of the Turkish flag and calls the visiting minister “Our Father, Brother and Ruler.” Simon Poli regards this subservience as an insult to all Assyrian martyrs.
The conclusion of the guests is:
there is a structural error within the Syrian Orthodox Church that produces such church leaders whom are “talking first and thinking later”.
Church leaders have to endure criticism because they commit themselves to representing the people.
Church and politics must be divorced even in the Assyrian Nation.
The Church members, who fund the church through their tax bill or otherwise, must take their responsibility and require priests to adhere to the spiritual and leave politics to the politicians.
The Church’s highest leadership must claim responsibility for the clergy making such mistakes.