Window Quarterly
Vol. 4, No. 3, 1994
Copyright 1994

[Permission is granted to use, print, reproduce this article 
provided the following acknowledgment is given:  From 
Window Quarterly 4, 3 (1994); ACRAG c. 1994. 

***

GOOD IDEA, BUT THANKS... 
The Challenge of Non-Armenians to the Armenian Church 
Hierarchy

by Hratch Tchilingirian

When Armenians in the Diaspora hear that a non-Armenian 
wishes to become a member of the Armenian Church, the 
first question they ask is: "Is s/he married to an Armenian?" 
If the answer is no, the next question is, "Why does s/he want 
to become a member of the Armenian Church?" The surprise 
is increased when the non-Armenian - who is not married to 
an Armenian - expresses interest in becoming an ordained 
priest in the Armenian Church.  The initial response of 
Armenians to this is flatter and a sense of validation that 
their church is so attractive, that even an "objective non-
Armenian" is attracted to her.  But soon this reassuring 
feeling turns into concern.  Why would a non-Armenian want 
to become a priest in the Armenian Church? Does he speak 
Armenian? Does he know Armenian history?  Is he familiar 
with Armenian culture and customs? Would he be able to 
find a parish who would accept him?  Does he have a hidden 
agenda? Or what...?
	
In principle, most of our hierarchs are not against accepting 
non-Armenians into the ranks of Armenian Church.  
However, in practice, they are hesitant - even though they 
would not admit it publicly.   When faced with such 
prospects, the hierarchs - who have the responsibility for 
such decisions - either procrastinate the matter or delay a 
decision to such extent that the prospective candidate gets 
the message: "The answer is no, but  we don't want to say it 
explicitly."
	
I know at least of three individuals (there have been many 
others) who have found themselves in such predicament: a 
Ph.D. from Cambridge University and a former Anglican 
priest; a young professional, former Baptist, who has 
converted into the Armenian Church; and a former Roman 
Catholic seminarian from Puerto Rico.  I have had many 
hours of conversation with all three of these individuals.  The 
truth of the matter is that the Armenian Church has not 
articulated a position on the matter and has not faced such a 
challenge before (at least in recent memory).
	
The issue (or problem) of admitting non-Armenians into the 
Armenian Church as ordained clergy, re-obviates the fact that 
the Armenian Church does not have an evangelistic mission, 
not only to non-Armenians, but to Armenians themselves.  
The apostolic mission of the church commissions her to 
preach the Gospel "to all nations," but the fact remains that 
today, for numerous unspecified reasons (and excuses), the 
Armenian Church has failed to preach the Gospel to its own 
people. (Notwithstanding,  the abstract, simplistic and 
seemingly religious sermons or church publications, which 
are at best a mere lip service or more correctly, hypocritical). 
	
The Armenian Church prides itself for preserving the nation, 
but never prides itself for teaching the Gospel to Armenians, 
(that's the Protestants' job). What do we mean when we say 
"the Armenian Church throughout the centuries preserved the 
nation?" The hierarchy, so far, has not been able to articulate 
a meaningful explanation of this "phenomenon." For 
example, what are some of the concrete things that the 
church did to preserve the "Armenianness" of Armenians? 
Was it really the church who preserved the nation or was it 
something else?  
	
The reality in the Diaspora is before us. Second and third 
generation Armenians do not speak Armenian or do not 
associate with the Armenian Church or community at large.  
If the number of church members (dues paying) is an 
indication, then the church leadership (i.e., hierarchs, clergy, 
laity) has done a bad job, because over the last five years the 
numbers have been progressively decreasing.  If the number 
of Armenians attending Sunday worship service is another 
indicator, then again, the church has done a bad job. (Thank 
God for Hokehankists). 
	
Since the independence of Armenia, we have been hearing, 
over and over again - by high ranking clergymen and lay 
leaders - that now the church can concentrate on its "true 
mission," i.e., taking care of the spiritual needs of 
Armenians.  However, its been over three years since the 
independence of Armenia and there has been no sign of the 
church carrying out its "true mission."  Maybe next year....
	
It is ironic that non-Armenians--with their interest, zeal and 
appreciation of the Armenian Church's rich religious and 
spiritual wealth--are challenging us to think about the real 
mission of the Armenian Church to Armenians.  
	
Today, the Armenian Church is not called to preserve--the 
Armenian Church is called to renew, to re-create, to edify .  
The church is not here to stay--the church is here to walk in 
the march of history.  The church is not called to repeat old 
rituals for their own sake, but the church is called to pray, 
with a prophetic voice.  This is the real challenge of non-
Armenians to the Armenian Church and its hierarchy. 

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