Turkey is the Biblical Holy Land of Asia Minor. It was the center stage where faith first flourished and spread. It provided both the earlier Jewish settlers and the later Christians a safer land to survive. Many Biblical (Old and New Testament) events took place in Asia Minor. Two-thirds of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament were either written to or from Asia Minor. The lack of awareness of this fact stems from the use of different names for the same place in different ancient and modern languages, Hittite, Lydian, Lycian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, or Turkish.
- Antioch, a city located in southern Turkey, was where the believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).
- The three great apostles—Paul, Peter, and John— are linked with churches in Asia Minor, which is modern Turkey.
- The Garden of Eden is believed to have been in Eastern Turkey; the Tigris and Euphrates have their headwaters in Turkey.
- Abraham lived in Turkey (and perhaps was born here).
- St. Paul was born and lived much of his life in Turkey.
- St. John lived in Ephesus.
- All seven Ecumenical Councils were held in Turkey.
