Message of Fr. Vazken Movsesian, parish priest of St. Andrew Armenian Church, Cupertino, from the Nakhagoch Newsletter. Electronic version archived on: SAIN-- St. Andrew Information Network -------------------------------------- c. 1988 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org -------------------------------------- FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY AND TODAY Fact, Fiction and FantasyÉ. Just as the election of 1988 may be confusing for American, trying to find out who believes what, so is the Armenian Church for many Armenians. Sometimes the term "Ethnic-Church" is ascribed to the Church. What are we here for? There is a fine line between fact, fiction and fantasy, and it is important that it be draw. Some definitions are necessary for any good discussion of our Armenian Church. And like so many other aspects of our Church, we must go back a few centuries in order to find the roots. Bear with me, pleaseÉ After our Lord's victorious resurrection and ascension, the Holy Apostles went to all corners of the earth to preach the Gospel and establish the Holy Church. Two of them find their way to Armenia and Armenia has it's first converts during the middle of the first century. Fact: The Armenian Church is established by Jesus Christ through the Holy Apostles. In Armenia, the Church exists underground, until the conversion of Dirtad at the beginning of the fourth century when Christianity becomes the state religion of Armenia. (You see, school prayer was a welcome addition to the party platforms of the day.) The Armenian Church at that time would worship in the Armenian language but there was no alphabet, consequently the Bible was read in Greek. St. Mesrob invents the Armenian alphabet and along with the others translates the Bible into Armenian during the first half of the fifth century. Fact: The Armenian alphabet is created for the needs of the Church, so that the Armenian people could know Jesus Christ in their own language. Subsequently, we see that after the translation of the Bible, Armenia experiences it's "Golden Age." It prospers in the arts thanks to this newly found alphabet. We now take a intentional giant leep to the 20th century. Here we are, recovering some 70+ years after the devistation of the Genocide. Through the grace of God we are once again on our feet and attempting to continue the Apostolic mission of the Church by bringing the Gospel message to the people. Let us begin to prayÉ "But wait!" we cry, "We don't understand the language!" Enter a common Fiction: The Armenian Church gains it's identity by the language it uses. This is ampliphied by Fantasy : God is Armenian! The truth of the matter is that God does speak Armenian, as He also speaks every other language and can use other modes of communications beyond human understanding. Secondly, the language that we use in the Church is ancient Armenian, hence very few, if any, understand the word's of the liturgy unless they are following the translation in the book. Fact: To know the Armenian language does not proclude that you will understand the Liturgy. What Sts. Mesrob, Sahag and the Holy translator's did during the early centuries, was create a means by which the Armenian people could better understand Christ's message. They gave the people a vehicle to move ahead. Today in the Armenian Church that language has become a barrier. It prevents people from coming to Christ in the paths of orthodoxy. Sure the music is beautiful, the words are like "angels talking," but what's happening in Church? You can't tell without a scorecare (the little blue Divine Liturgy books). So what to do? The Primate ordains some American-born priests who "understand" this way of life, who can better "communicate" with the people. "Look Ma, now we have an English speaking Der Hayr." But the language of the liturgy has not changed. Twentieth century ears are asked to listen to 4th and 5th century words. And so, gradually the English speaking Der Hayr no longer is calling upon his training in theology, rather, he become the guardian of ethnicity and the nation. The Church, this Holy institution which has been ordained by the creator of the universe for the work of saving souls, is now reduced to a museam -- she says something about our past, is beautiful to look at, but don't touch!!! Fiction: The Armenian Church is just another organization. Fantasy: The mission of the Armenian Church is to propogate the Armenian Culture. Preservation of Armenian Culture is not the purpose of the Armenian Church, rather it is a by-product of it's work. Let me explainÉ The English speaking members of the congregation believe in the work but cannot commit the time to something they don't understand, while the Armenian speaking feel slighted when ethnic survival is not the focus of the message. Fiction: You're talking heresy when you want to do away with the language. Fact #4: True heresy is keeping people away from the Truth. This is what is happening. True heresy in the eyes of the Orthodox Church is what is promoted by groups such as the Jehovah's Witness, the Mormons, the T.V. Evangelists. True heresy, is to allow your people to fall by the wayside in their struggle for Truth. Unfortunately, many have this concept of the Armenian Church, that is just another Armenian organization. "I can't belong to the Armenian Church because I am a member of too many other organizations." The Armenian Church is in reality a Universal Church. It is not bound by any ethnic boundries. It uses the title Armenian Church but in Fact (#5) it is One, Holy, Universal and Orthodox. The primary role of the Church is to carry the Gospel message to the people and therefore, a priest is not ordained to be the guardian of the Armenian heritage, but the worker of God. Because of this fact alone, we cannot place the Church in the category of any other organization. It is Divinely established, and it's mission is unique. -------------------------------------- c. 1988 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org --------------------------------------