Clergymen Who Became Leaders of Countries and Political Movements

Turning to the Internet also reminded me of my personal experience as a youth in Cyprus. In the 1950s, Greek Cypriots wanted to liberate the island from British rule. The movement was led by Archbishop Makarios III of Cyprus. Head of the Autonomous Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus.
The British exiled him from the island. He was then brought back, by the British government who negotiated with him and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dr. Denktash, for the independence of Cyprus.
Archbishop Makarios was later elected the first president of Cyprus. He ruled from 1960 to 1977 while maintaining his religious position as Archbishop of Cyprus.
He is widely regarded as the founding father or ‘ethnarch’ of the Republic of Cyprus, leading its transition from British colonial rule to independence.
Then I thought of Martin Luther King Jr. American Baptist preacher who became one of the most prominent political leaders of the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.
True to his religious calling, Martin Luther King Jr. advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States using nonviolent resistance and nonviolent civil disobedience.
Two religious leaders who made significant beneficial changes for humanity through political action.
But then I remembered South African Anglican Archbishop and theologian Desmond Tutu. He was arrested by the police, jailed for a night and fined. After his arrest, he remained both as Archbishop and political activist continuing as a leader of the anti-apartheid movement until its abolition. For that, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
And then there was Cardinal Jaime Sin, Archbishop of Manila and the most influential leader of the political and popular opposition to President Ferdinand Marcos.
The people of Tibet have been fighting for their rights for decades. The leader of their political “struggle” is a religious figure, the Dalai Lama.
The former president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, was a Catholic priest.
How can one ignore the fact that the founder of Islam, Prophet Muhammad was also a military leader? And the Heads of Governments in Iran are Ayatollahs.
I was really surprised at the long list of religious people that can be found in recent history, who have championed political movements and causes benefiting their countries and in many cases the whole of humanity. Closer to our home though.
We can refer to Ghevont ‘Yerets’, who accompanied ‘Katch’ Vartan Mamigonian to the battlefield. And Catholicos KevorK V, who refused to leave Etchmiadzin and ordered the ringing of the church bells, gathering the hidden will of the people to achieve the independence of Armenia in 1918, when the civil leaders had given up hope.
So, what is the issue?
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