Statement concerning the current conflict between the Armenian Government and the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenians are one of the oldest peoples in the world, historically inhabiting our ancestral lands in the South Caucasus. We also practice one of the oldest Christian denominations in the world, dating to 301 AD when Armenia became the first state to adopt Christianity as its national religion. Since then, a vast majority – today nearly 97% – of Armenians are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
At the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Armenians were driven from our native lands and slaughtered in a horrific genocide. Those who were not massacred were forced to flee, collectively becoming the Armenian diaspora. As Armenians scattered throughout the world, we turned to our Church as a source of comfort and connection to our homeland. Wherever we lived, Armenian communities became known for building churches and schools to preserve the faith and ethnic heritage that our persecutors had tried to stamp out.
Later, when the Soviet Union fell and a new independent Republic of Armenia began to emerge, the diaspora provided substantial support for the Church to resuscitate itself after decades of Soviet oppression. Today, Armenian Apostolic churches throughout the world – including the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in Lebanon and Patriarchates in Jerusalem and Constantinople – are interconnected, united, and recognize His Holiness Karekin II as the global leader of the church, based in Armenia at the Mother See of Etchmiadzin. An estimated 3 million Armenians live within the Republic of Armenia while the vast majority of the estimated 10 million Armenians live in the diaspora, with over one million living in the US.
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Recently, persistent political discord in Armenia – including increasing conflict between leaders of the Armenian Government and the Armenian Apostolic Church – has reached a boiling point with government-led demands to oust the leader of the Church, despite his due election by the regulations of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Assembly. Several Archbishops have been imprisoned while accused of making political statements, and a prominent Russian-Armenian philanthropist and businessman has been imprisoned for publicly stating support for the church’s position.
Persistent attacks on the Church leadership, and the threatened forcible or mandated removal of its leader, pose direct threats to all Armenians around the world who rely on the Church for spiritual sustenance.
We call for all matters related to church governance to be addressed through the governance structures of the Church, which have functioned now for 18 centuries in accordance with the teachings and traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Church has already called for a synod of bishops on February 17 to 19, to be held in Vienna. Unfortunately, the government has reportedly served legal notices to several bishops denying them the right to leave the country to attend the meeting. The synod would be followed by a gathering of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly to discuss the current challenges and offer a path to renewal consistent with the longstanding traditions and canons of the church.
The self-governance of the Church for continual improvement and reform is of critical importance. It organizes periodic synods – gatherings of its bishops – as well as National Ecclesiastic Assemblies (NEA), which importantly involve laymen and clergy. This entity is the highest governing body of the Church and only this body elects the Catholicos. This Assembly also deliberates and can vote for modifications to the Church’s rules, canons, and practices.
We call for the Armenian Government and the Armenian Church to address any differences in a manner that respects the self-governance rules of the Church, respects the separation of political activities from the mission of the church, and protects the right of Armenians throughout the diaspora to practice their faith without the current ripple effect political interference from the government. For descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors, the memory of that failed mission to exterminate all Armenians and our ensuing long road to revival makes the current events especially painful and threatening. It is the Church that helped the population survive and revive in the period after the Genocide; the Church that helped resurrect the Armenian soul; and the same Church that is needed for a globally dispersed ancient nation to thrive. Even if unintentional, the Armenian government’s approach is risking severing its relationship with the diaspora – something not even the Ottoman Empire or the Soviet Union were able to do.
The Armenian church provides spiritual nourishment to all Armenians, including the vast majority of Armenians who are living outside of Armenia. As such, any attack or interference by an individual, government or any outside entity other than the duly elected delegates of the NEA with the Church’s governance or activities has a direct effect on Armenians through the world. As current citizens of the United States and many other countries, diasporan Armenians are obliged to seek the assistance of our own governments – including political remedies and legal actions if necessary – in protecting our religious rights. These rights include the Armenian Apostolic Church’s reliance on self-governance with established canons and traditions dating back to the earliest days of Christianity.
Armenia stands at a critical crossroads in its history. This is no time for internal divisions between Church and State in Armenia to weaken the global Armenian nation further. It is, indeed, the time to deescalate this internal crisis so that the Armenian State, the Armenian Church and the Armenian diaspora can move forward into a new era of peace and prosperity. We call on all Armenians in the diaspora to raise their collective voices and to demand their right to practice their religion within a self-renewing church free from political interference.
The signatories are descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors and members of the global Armenian Church, and include Noubar Afeyan, Anthony Barsamian, Lord Ara Darzi of Denham, Eric Esrailian, Vahe Gabrache, Vatche Manoukian, Joseph Oughourlian, and Berge Setrakian.
