AKTIVITETI KULTUROR DHE MISIONAR I SHOQËRISË BIBLIKE PËR TË HUAJT GJATË SUNDIMIT TË SULLTAN ABDULAZIZIT
CULTURAL ACTIVITY AND MISSIONARAY BIBLE SOCIETY OF IMMIGRATION DURING THE REIGN OF SULTAN ABDULAZIZ

Summary/Abstract: The conclusion of the Crimean War (1856), brought on one side less Russian interference in the internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire, but on the other hand, will also come to the increasing political, economic and cultural influence of the western countries. Consequently, at the beginning of this confrontation, in the Istanbul , will be established a branch of the British Foreign Bible Society, which initially will be focused on the distribution of the Holy Scriptures to the allies sailors, but with the strengthening of the British political influence , their goal will start to be also the Muslim population of the empire. Although the number of converts to Protestant was limited, their translations into languages spoken by different ethnic groups of empire, played an important role in the revival and strengthening of national sentiment of the Christian nations of the Ottoman Empire. Translation of Holy Scriptures into Ottoman and Albanian languages had the same impact on the cultural and political elites of Muslim populations, especially between the Albanian and the Turkish elite, whom as well started to cultivate the Europeans national values. It is important to note that the activity of the British Foreign Bible Society was very good organized, by disclosing its goals even to the foreign higher state dignitaries, as it was the case with Ottoman Sultan and the Russian Tsar. Thus, during the official visit of the Sultan Abdulaziz to the United Kingdom, chairman of the British Foreign Bible Society, ser Earl from Shaftsbury, gave to the Sultan a New Testament translated into the Ottoman language. In the letter sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Ottoman Empire to the British Foreign Bible Society was expressed the Sultan gratitude for their emancipating work done in the Ottoman Empire and as result of this also was the protection that they enjoys by Ottoman state.

• Details
• Contents