The Armenian Church

[Anonymouse]

Do you feel the Armenian Church should institute reforms on its language to change from grapar to ashkarabar? I personally would like it to make it easier to understand, not because I'm a hardcore church goer, but to be culturally closer.

[Che_Ka]

This is an issue that troubles me. I'd love to keep it krapar, for tradition's sake. But I think to thwart the inevitability of assimilation in the Diaspora, the Church *MUST* do something -- for its own survival.

I wouldn't be against changing to ashkharhapar.

But I think by the end of the next decade or two, the debate isn't going to be krapar vs. ashkharhapar, but Armenian vs. English.

Already some Diocese churches have English translations (along with ashkharhapar Armenian) up on a screen during church services. At least this is true for the Van Nuys church. And the Armenian Evangelical Church on Cahuenga in Universal City conducts everything in English.

It's a sad state of affairs, but it's something that the Church must face. It is reality.

[Anonymouse]

This is an issue that troubles me. I'd love to keep it krapar, for tradition's sake. But I think to thwart the inevitability of assimilation in the Diaspora, the Church *MUST* do something -- for its own survival.

I wouldn't be against changing to ashkharhapar.

But I think by the end of the next decade or two, the debate isn't going to be krapar vs. ashkharhapar, but Armenian vs. English.

Already some Diocese churches have English translations (along with ashkharhapar Armenian) up on a screen during church services. At least this is true for the Van Nuys church. And the Armenian Evangelical Church on Cahuenga in Universal City conducts everything in English.

It's a sad state of affairs, but it's something that the Church must face. It is reality.

Yes, sadly, this reform should have come a long time ago, but leave it to the Armenian myopia to again not foresee the future.

[TomServo]

I voted yes; either English or understandable Armenian would be fine. Preferably Armenian.

[nunechka]

we dont change things just because some people forgot to learn our armenian "code" language... SHEESH! (kabob) people...

LOL!!!

personally i think we should learn the Grapar... AND! we should allow for it to be written in Ashkharar, so that others who didnt have the opportunity to learn it, can still understand it...

tom- YES they should translate it into english, but i think they should do it so maybe these stupid americans can read it and learn something about what REAL Christianity IS!...

[Anonymouse]

Nunechka you're such a perjudiced little protoplasmic organism. Every post you do not hesitate to slander American culture as if its some abomination. Granted I am critical of American foreign policy cowboy nuts who want nuke Eye Raq, but I also hate the stupid "Omg American culture is evil, capitalism is evil, cultural imperialism, they suck" crowd.

As far as the question, it was about grapar being reformed to ashkharapar, nothing about English.

[TomServo]

So it's no, then?

[Red Brigade]

I voted no.I believe Grabar should be maintained , it is a heritage for the Armenian Culture.Grabar is the original Armenian and it has a long tradition behind it.If every time that a nation was conquering us we changed our Grabar of the Churches , then we would never know what is the real Armenian pronouncing and spelling today.

*By the way its Grabar.There is no such thing as Grapar.

[Anonymouse]

I voted no.I believe Grabar should be maintained , it is a heritage for the Armenian Culture.Grabar is the original Armenian and it has a long tradition behind it.If every time that a nation was conquering us we changed our Grabar of the Churches , then we would never know what is the real Armenian pronouncing and spelling today.

*By the way its Grabar.There is no such thing as Grapar.

If you want to maintain it I suggest teaching it at schools and studies, but if you want to maintain it in the Church then you are alienating a whole generation of Armenians who are already ambivalent. Only when it is too late will Armenian myopia understand things.

[Che_Ka]

I don't think it's such a horrible or unprecedented thing. The Roman Catholic Church used Latin in every church across the globe until the 1960s. Then, they allowed each church to use its local language.

*By the way its Grabar.There is no such thing as Grapar.

Right. Next...