“Erciyes Theology Summit 2022” was organized by the Faculty of Theology with the participation of Presidential Spokesperson Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kalın.

Presidential Spokesperson Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kalın, Governor Gökmen Çiçek, Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Memduh Büyükkılıç, our Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çalış, Rector of Kayseri University Prof. Dr. Kurtuluş Karamustafa, Rector of Nuh Naci Yazgan University Prof. Dr. Kerim Güney, Kayseri Provincial Head of AK Party Şaban Çopuroğlu, Mayors of Districts, academics and students attended the summit held at Erciyes Culture Center.

Making the opening speech of the event after the moment of silence and the National Anthem and Holy Quran Recitation, Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kamil Cihan gave information about the event.

Dean Cihan said: “As it is known, universities not only relay available information to the future generations but also search the problems that concern the society and offer solutions to these problems and present them for the benefit of the society. In this regard, like all other institutions, our universities have been structured to help the order and organization of the modern life.”

Our Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çalış gave information about Erciyes University and said: “Erciyes University is the oldest university in Kayseri, a city of industry, trade, health, culture and education, which hosted many civilizations with its 6000-year history. The Faculty of Theology has a more deep-rooted history than our university. The faculty, which was opened on December 16, 1965 under the name of Higher Islamic Institute, was transformed into the Faculty of Theology in 1982 and was affiliated to Erciyes University. Our University continues its educational activities with its 19 Faculties, 1 School, 2 Vocational Schools, 7 Graduate Schools, 42 Research Centers and with 52,000 students, 3,200 of whom are international students from 117 different countries. Our university succeeded in being the 8th research university among 20 state and 3 private universities determined by the Council of Higher Education in 2021 by raising its success level compared to previous years. It has been one of the 3 state universities entitled to receive a “Full Accreditation” certificate for a period of 5 years at the Higher Education Quality Council Meeting, held on July 14th, 2021, within the scope of University Institutional Accreditation Program, which has been implemented in Turkey for the first time. Developed against Covid-19 by Erciyes University, TURCOVAC has been a source of pride for us. It has been the first example in the history of the Republic of Türkiye to complete the vaccine studies successfully till the end of the Phase-2 at the same university starting from the preclinical study. In our President’s words, Erciyes University, the apple of Kayseri’s eye, endeavors to maximize the students’ research opportunities, especially educational activities with its research- and student-oriented management approach, and to support the students in all kinds of social and cultural activities. In the event, our academics, who are experts in their field on “Modernity, Youth and Religion”, will meet with our students and share their knowledge and experience. I would like to thank Presidential Spokesperson Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kalın for his participation in the event and everyone who contributed to the organization of the summit.”

Mayor of Metropolitan Municipality Dr. Memduh Büyükkılıç talked about the services provided by the municipalities in Kayseri.

Governor Gökmen Çiçek thanked those who contributed to the organization of the event.

After the opening speeches, the opening lecture was given by Presidential Spokesperson Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kalın.

Stating that the achievements of Erciyes University are followed with appreciation, Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kalın said: “I would like to express that I appreciate the great achievements of both Erciyes University and Kayseri, the beautiful city of Anatolia, which opens up to this productive world. Kayseri is generally known as the city of industry and trade, but it is a city that really makes a name for itself in many other fields such as science, culture, art, thought and recently, especially with TURKOVAC. First of all, you should feel lucky to be a student here.”

Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kalın said that Modernity represented a new world vision and an understanding of civilization that emerged with the idea of enlightenment in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.

He continued his words as follows: “Among all other features of modernity, we can determine that its emphasis on rationalism and on the opposition to tradition is important. Rationalism, that is, the basic guide of humans in their journey to the truth should be reason. The thesis that human beings should not refer to anything other than the reason is one of the main starting points of the idea of enlightenment. The second important thesis is the opposition to the tradition, since the enlightenment and western modernity had to break their ties with the tradition, start a new milestone and define all the previous periods as the dark age in order to make a new beginning. The enlightenment defined all the previous periods as the dark age, not because the periods, namely the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, which the western modern thinkers defined as the dark age, were dark, but because the enlightenment had to define itself as a great awakening, the sunrise and as the shining of the truth of mind over all humanity. In fact, this dating poses a separate problem for our history as well. Because when you look at the periods and centuries that correspond to the dark age thesis put forward by historians from the perspective of Euro-centric history, these periods are the peak centuries of Islamic civilization.”

After the lecture, ERU Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çalış presented Presidential Spokesperson Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kalın with a plaque.