Christianity is Alive and Well in Armenia
From Christmas through Summer Youth Programs has given me an opportunity to be able to share and fellowship with Christians throughout my community in Armenia to find that there is a diversity of expression of Christian Faith and Worship within Armenia. The strong feelings of many here in Armenia that there is only one True Christian Faith here in Armenia and that everyone else is a part of a Sect. I was reminded that this was actually written into their laws that there is one official Church in Armenia and everyone else is considered to be a Religious Organization. I have found though that despite Armenia being a small Country where most of the people share the same Ethnic Heritage there is still a lot of Diversity of Christian Faith here in Armenia. To cover that up it is natural for the Traditional Armenian Apostolic Church to say that they being the Earliest Christian Nation and one of the oldest Christian Churches that any other Church is a Sect of Christianity (Meaning they are not really sure it is Christian). In America we also have similar feelings about Sects but for us Sects tend to be limited to many of the groups that we feel have distorted main Christian Beliefs through other Writings and Interpretations of Scriptures so we may think of sects as only of Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses as well as some denominations we have strong theological differences with. I have discovered that there are definitely Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses, which I might consider a Sect, here in Armenia. But that there are a lot of Christian groups here that a lot of us in America would say that is just another Denomination of Christians that just believes or worships a little different than I do.
Although I haven't said it much to my Apostolic Christian Friends, my other Christian Armenian Friends like it when I say since their Church is a minority in America that many people may consider their Church a Christian Sect. This is especially true since they have so many old traditions that are different than ours and they don't even Celebrate Christmas when we do. But I find that almost all the Christian Churches in Armenia Celebrate Christmas different than we do. In America it may be hard to understand why a Church hangs on to so many Church Traditions, Worship Ceremonies, and even their original language when Churches of immigrants to America changed their Worship Services and Language a long time ago.
I would like to share with you that there is something to appreciate about a Christian Church that doesn't change with the society around them and doesn't move from one Contemporary Worship Style to another. Although I do like Contemporary Worship Styles, whether in America or Armenia, you will find those that want to hang on the the old traditions and worship styles. Watch this video to see how a little country at this point like Armenia has had such a big part of the Christian Worship within the Holy Land since the 3rd Century.
From Ararat To Zion - Armenian Apostolic Church
Monk Vram Ghazaryan does remind me a lot of an Apostolic Priest I became friends with in St. Paul, Minnesota before joining the Peace Corps. He shared in this Video how Armenian Culture and Armenian Faith is tied together I believe within all the the churches within Armenia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiXrmvaAJao
No matter what Church you are a part of in Armenia considers Armenia a Christian Nation. That is especially true when they remind you of the Armenian Genocide or the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the break-away Republic of Nagorno - Karabakh. Having had to remember the attempt to wipe out the Armenian people by Turkey for the last 100 years there is a definite reminder that no matter what church you are in that they are a Christian Country surrounded by Muslim Countries. There is a feeling that there is no sense of religious freedom, harmony, and security with any of their surrounding countries. That is why they had the war over the break-away Republic of Nagorno - Karabakh. When the Soviet Union broke up and left major groups of Armenians living within the neighboring Muslim Country of Azerbaijan the only sense of security when radical Muslims come in by night and kill Christian Families is to want to separate yourself from your neighboring Muslim neighbors and become a part of your Christian Heritage of the country of Armenia. Even now I was reminded that there is only one Mosque in Armenia and it is more of a Museum than a Muslim Worship Center. In neighboring countries like Turkey Christian Leaders have been threatened, it is not legal to come in as a Missionary, and your life would be in danger if they thought that you were trying to convert people to Christianity. For many Centuries Armenian Christians have been spread throughout the Middle East seeking to co-exist with their Muslim neighbors but when governments become unstable like in Syria then you can have radical Muslims like ISIS come in who what to forcibly convert, drive out, or kill all all Christians in their land. It is no wonder that the way Israel has tried to create a religious homeland in the Middle East that the Armenians have tried to hang on to their homeland in the mountains of Armenia as a safe Christian Homeland for Armenians.
But although Armenian Apostolic Christians like to hang on to the idea that theirs is the only true Church in Armenia they tend to become a little more Ecumenical when it comes to dealing with the other Christian Churches around the world. They find it easier to accept Orthodox and even Catholic Christians as Christians even though they feel their Theology and Church Traditions are better and more true to Christianity. I have found that there is a strong Catholic Ministry in Armenia since the Earthquake through the Armenian Sisters.
But they don't seem to know what to do with the Protestant, Evangelical, and Charismatic Christian movements within their Armenian Christian tradition. Even though the Evangelical Revivals started in the 1800's among Armenians and many of the Charismatic Churches are influenced by Armenian Christians in Russia or America. Through the history of Religious oppression during the Soviet times they tend to have been insulated from the Christian Revival Movements that took place in the last 100 years. Their experience with it in the last 25 years since they have been exposed to the Christianity of the outside world has not given them any cultural acceptance of the differences in Christian Theology and Worship. That may come in time as they learn to accept that in many ways Christian Revivals have brought more personal spiritual commitment to the ministry of the Church. They have had some spiritual renewal within the Church due to the support of outside Christian Groups like World Vision who have helped them to develop material sharing the history and theology of their Apostolic Church which is taught within the school system and now developed as a part of a Christian Education program within the Church. But they do not recognize that much of the social and spiritual support that they receive from programs like World Vision or other clothing and Medical Missions supports comes from Protestant and Evangelical Churches from around the world and not just from Armenian Apostolic Christians.
I have found that despite the feelings that the Apostolic Faith is the original and only truly Armenian Church that Christianity is alive and well within Armenia. Within my small town of Stepanavan I am finding that there are a variety of Christian Churches. Here is the Evangelical Church of Stepanavan that I have found a strong tradition of Christian Ministry within the Community.
No matter what Church you are a part of in Armenia considers Armenia a Christian Nation. That is especially true when they remind you of the Armenian Genocide or the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the break-away Republic of Nagorno - Karabakh. Having had to remember the attempt to wipe out the Armenian people by Turkey for the last 100 years there is a definite reminder that no matter what church you are in that they are a Christian Country surrounded by Muslim Countries. There is a feeling that there is no sense of religious freedom, harmony, and security with any of their surrounding countries. That is why they had the war over the break-away Republic of Nagorno - Karabakh. When the Soviet Union broke up and left major groups of Armenians living within the neighboring Muslim Country of Azerbaijan the only sense of security when radical Muslims come in by night and kill Christian Families is to want to separate yourself from your neighboring Muslim neighbors and become a part of your Christian Heritage of the country of Armenia. Even now I was reminded that there is only one Mosque in Armenia and it is more of a Museum than a Muslim Worship Center. In neighboring countries like Turkey Christian Leaders have been threatened, it is not legal to come in as a Missionary, and your life would be in danger if they thought that you were trying to convert people to Christianity. For many Centuries Armenian Christians have been spread throughout the Middle East seeking to co-exist with their Muslim neighbors but when governments become unstable like in Syria then you can have radical Muslims like ISIS come in who what to forcibly convert, drive out, or kill all all Christians in their land. It is no wonder that the way Israel has tried to create a religious homeland in the Middle East that the Armenians have tried to hang on to their homeland in the mountains of Armenia as a safe Christian Homeland for Armenians.
But although Armenian Apostolic Christians like to hang on to the idea that theirs is the only true Church in Armenia they tend to become a little more Ecumenical when it comes to dealing with the other Christian Churches around the world. They find it easier to accept Orthodox and even Catholic Christians as Christians even though they feel their Theology and Church Traditions are better and more true to Christianity. I have found that there is a strong Catholic Ministry in Armenia since the Earthquake through the Armenian Sisters.
But they don't seem to know what to do with the Protestant, Evangelical, and Charismatic Christian movements within their Armenian Christian tradition. Even though the Evangelical Revivals started in the 1800's among Armenians and many of the Charismatic Churches are influenced by Armenian Christians in Russia or America. Through the history of Religious oppression during the Soviet times they tend to have been insulated from the Christian Revival Movements that took place in the last 100 years. Their experience with it in the last 25 years since they have been exposed to the Christianity of the outside world has not given them any cultural acceptance of the differences in Christian Theology and Worship. That may come in time as they learn to accept that in many ways Christian Revivals have brought more personal spiritual commitment to the ministry of the Church. They have had some spiritual renewal within the Church due to the support of outside Christian Groups like World Vision who have helped them to develop material sharing the history and theology of their Apostolic Church which is taught within the school system and now developed as a part of a Christian Education program within the Church. But they do not recognize that much of the social and spiritual support that they receive from programs like World Vision or other clothing and Medical Missions supports comes from Protestant and Evangelical Churches from around the world and not just from Armenian Apostolic Christians.
I have found that despite the feelings that the Apostolic Faith is the original and only truly Armenian Church that Christianity is alive and well within Armenia. Within my small town of Stepanavan I am finding that there are a variety of Christian Churches. Here is the Evangelical Church of Stepanavan that I have found a strong tradition of Christian Ministry within the Community.
In some ways I find it not much different than the Evangelical Churches that I grew up with in America. Their worship and ministries are very similar to the many Evangelical Churches Churches I attended in America with similar worship styles and traditions.
I have also found Charismatic Churches like the Word Of Life Church.
Or even more Pentecostal Churches coming from Russia like the New Generation Church.
Within Armenia there are many Growing Christian Ministries leading to a revival of Christianity within all of the Churches within Armenia.
Young Life
Youth With A Mission Armenia
Youth With A Mission Armenia
Although I have been reminded by some of my Peace Corps Volunteers that we are not here to change peoples Religious Faith I find that they are more afraid of people seeking to change their Religious beliefs and lifestyles. I would prefer to encourage people to grow in their Spiritual Faith and
Commitment to God in whatever faith they are brought up in even among my
Jewish friends in the Peace Corps. I do find in Armenia a strong religious heritage and a strong sense of a Christian culture where I can find Christian Fellowship no matter what Church I have attended. Sure it helps that I can't speak Armenian so we don't have to disagree over our Theological differences. And there are some churches that I feel more comfortable worshiping in than others. But Christianity is alive and well in Armenia. In some ways being a Christian nation surrounded by non-Christian nations has given them a long history of being identified as a Christian nation. Recently I have been in discussion with some people as to which is a more Christian nation Armenia or America. That is a subject that would take too long to discuss in this blog. But ever since I began pre-service Training here I have had a desire to share with Armenians one of my favorite Christian Patriotic Songs. Since they have borrowed a lot of our other Christian Music I don't think it would be unpatriotic or unchristian to share this song with them
God Bless Armenia
Land That I Love
Stand Beside Her
And Guide Her
With A Light That Is Bright From Above
From The Mountains To The Valleys
From Lake Sevan To Yerevan
God Bless Armenia My Home Sweet Home
God Bless Armenia My Home Sweet Home
Land That I Love
Stand Beside Her
And Guide Her
With A Light That Is Bright From Above
From The Mountains To The Valleys
From Lake Sevan To Yerevan
God Bless Armenia My Home Sweet Home
God Bless Armenia My Home Sweet Home
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