S. C. R. No. 3 As Introduced

As Introduced

129th General Assembly

Regular Session

2011-2012

S. C. R. No. 3

Senators Schiavoni, Seitz

Cosponsors: Senators Smith, Sawyer

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To urge the Government of Turkey to respect the 1
rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical 2
Patriarchate. 3

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, The Ecumenical Patriarchate, located in Istanbul, 4
Turkey, is the spiritual home of the world's second largest 5
Christian church; and 6

       WHEREAS, Within the two-thousand-year-old Sacred See of the 7
Ecumenical Patriarchate, the New Testament was codified and the 8
Nicene Creed was created; and 9

       WHEREAS, The Sacred See is led by Ecumenical Patriarch 10
Bartholomew, one of the world's preeminent spiritual leaders and 11
peacemakers representing 300 million Orthodox Christians 12
worldwide; and 13

       WHEREAS, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has a record of 14
reaching out and working for peace and reconciliation among all 15
faiths and has fostered an interfaith dialogue among Christians, 16
Jews, and Muslims; and 17

       WHEREAS, Following the attacks on our nation on September 11, 18
2001, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gathered a group of 19
international religious leaders to produce the first joint 20
statement with Muslim leaders that condemned these attacks as 21
"anti-religious"; and 22

       WHEREAS, The Ecumenical Patriarchate cosponsored the 23
Conference on Peace and Tolerance in Istanbul, which issued the 24
Bosporus Declaration that stated that "A crime committed in the 25
name of religion is a crime against religion"; and 26

       WHEREAS, Since 1453 the continuing presence of the Ecumenical 27
Patriarchate in Turkey has been a living testament to religious 28
coexistence; and 29

       WHEREAS, This religious coexistence is in jeopardy because 30
the Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the rights and 31
religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and 32

       WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has failed to recognize the 33
Ecumenical Patriarchate's international status; and 34

       WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has limited to Turkish 35
nationals the candidates available to hold the office of 36
Ecumenical Patriarch; and 37

       WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has confiscated 75% of the 38
Ecumenical Patriarchate's properties and has placed a 42% 39
retroactive tax on the Balukli Hospital of Istanbul, which is 40
operated by the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and 41

       WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has reneged on its 42
agreement to reopen the Theological School at Halki, which the 43
Government of Turkey closed in 1971, thus impeding training for 44
the Orthodox clergy in Turkey; and 45

       WHEREAS, The European Union, a group of nations with a common 46
goal of promoting peace and the well-being of its peoples, has 47
agreed to open accession negotiations with Turkey; and 48

       WHEREAS, Under the terms of the draft European Union 49
Constitution, current and prospective member nations should have 50
the goal of eliminating discrimination based upon grounds such as 51
sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, 52
language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, 53
national minority membership, property, birth, disability, age, or 54
sexual orientation; and 55

       WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey's current treatment of the 56
Ecumenical Patriarchate is inconsistent with the membership 57
conditions and goals of the European Union; and 58

       WHEREAS, Orthodox Christians in this state and throughout the 59
United States stand to lose their spiritual leader because of the 60
continued actions of the Government of Turkey; now therefore be it 61

       RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 129th General Assembly 62
of the State of Ohio, in adopting this resolution, urge the 63
Government of Turkey to uphold and safeguard religious and human 64
rights without compromise, grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate 65
appropriate international recognition and ecclesiastic succession, 66
grant the Ecumenical Patriarch the right to train clergy of all 67
nationalities, and respect the property and human rights of the 68
Ecumenical Patriarchate; and be it further 69

       RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 70
the President of the United States, the United States Ambassador 71
to the Republic of Turkey, the Ambassador of the Republic of 72
Turkey to the United States, and the Ohio Congressional 73
delegation. 74

WHEREAS, The Ecumenical Patriarchate, located in Istanbul,	4
Turkey, is the spiritual home of the world's second largest	5
Christian church; and	6

WHEREAS, Within the two-thousand-year-old Sacred See of the	7
Ecumenical Patriarchate, the New Testament was codified and the	8
Nicene Creed was created; and	9

WHEREAS, The Sacred See is led by Ecumenical Patriarch	10
Bartholomew, one of the world's preeminent spiritual leaders and	11
peacemakers representing 300 million Orthodox Christians	12
worldwide; and	13

WHEREAS, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has a record of	14
reaching out and working for peace and reconciliation among all	15
faiths and has fostered an interfaith dialogue among Christians,	16
Jews, and Muslims; and	17

WHEREAS, Following the attacks on our nation on September 11,	18
2001, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gathered a group of	19
international religious leaders to produce the first joint	20
statement with Muslim leaders that condemned these attacks as	21
"anti-religious"; and	22

WHEREAS, The Ecumenical Patriarchate cosponsored the	23
Conference on Peace and Tolerance in Istanbul, which issued the	24
Bosporus Declaration that stated that "A crime committed in the	25
name of religion is a crime against religion"; and	26

WHEREAS, Since 1453 the continuing presence of the Ecumenical	27
Patriarchate in Turkey has been a living testament to religious	28
coexistence; and	29

WHEREAS, This religious coexistence is in jeopardy because	30
the Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the rights and	31
religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and	32

WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has failed to recognize the	33
Ecumenical Patriarchate's international status; and	34

WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has limited to Turkish	35
nationals the candidates available to hold the office of	36
Ecumenical Patriarch; and	37

WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has confiscated 75% of the	38
Ecumenical Patriarchate's properties and has placed a 42%	39
retroactive tax on the Balukli Hospital of Istanbul, which is	40
operated by the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and	41

WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey has reneged on its	42
agreement to reopen the Theological School at Halki, which the	43
Government of Turkey closed in 1971, thus impeding training for	44
the Orthodox clergy in Turkey; and	45

WHEREAS, The European Union, a group of nations with a common	46
goal of promoting peace and the well-being of its peoples, has	47
agreed to open accession negotiations with Turkey; and	48

WHEREAS, Under the terms of the draft European Union	49
Constitution, current and prospective member nations should have	50
the goal of eliminating discrimination based upon grounds such as	51
sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features,	52
language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion,	53
national minority membership, property, birth, disability, age, or	54
sexual orientation; and	55

WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey's current treatment of the	56
Ecumenical Patriarchate is inconsistent with the membership	57
conditions and goals of the European Union; and	58

WHEREAS, Orthodox Christians in this state and throughout the	59
United States stand to lose their spiritual leader because of the	60
continued actions of the Government of Turkey; now therefore be it	61

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 129th General Assembly	62
of the State of Ohio, in adopting this resolution, urge the	63
Government of Turkey to uphold and safeguard religious and human	64
rights without compromise, grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate	65
appropriate international recognition and ecclesiastic succession,	66
grant the Ecumenical Patriarch the right to train clergy of all	67
nationalities, and respect the property and human rights of the	68
Ecumenical Patriarchate; and be it further	69

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to	70
the President of the United States, the United States Ambassador	71
to the Republic of Turkey, the Ambassador of the Republic of	72
Turkey to the United States, and the Ohio Congressional	73
delegation.	74