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Re: Atheism and being Armenian
Religiosity or spirituality per se is not a requirement for being a good Armenian. However, religious institutions and concepts have been vital in the shaping of the Armenian ethos from antiquity to the present day. Support for or participation with this religious institution does not require the individual to hold any belief in the supernatural and it does not require the individual to be spiritual in any sense.
The reason for my conclusion is because I believe the Armenian Apostolic Church, despite being the world's oldest Christian institution, is first and foremost a national and cultural institution more so than a religious institution. This sounds like a paradox until we analyze what the church has actually done and continues to do. Its a national institution because its main role throughout its history has been to preserve Armenian nationhood by gathering our political organization when Armenia was under foreign occupation or even when Armenians built up their diaspora communities. It provided us with tiny cloisters of national sovereignty in foreign and hostile lands. It is the main platform for our secular political strength, especially in the diaspora.
The Armenian Apostolic church is also a cultural institution because is preserves our cultural relics such as our language (Grapar), history, ancient pre-Christian customs, artistic symbols and motifs, architecture, sentiments, etc. The church is the largest and most capable institution we have that connects us to our very distant ancestors such as the Urartians, Mitanni, Hurrians, and others. Even Armenian schools across the world have their foundations in the Armenian church- This was true in pre-Communist Armenia and continues to be true in virtually all diaspora communities. The church perpetuates our cultural and national aspirations which maintains Armenian culture as a living, breathing entity in constant evolution.
It also functions as a place where the local Armenian community, no matter where it is, can muster its secular political organization. Our church does not force its congregation to believe in specific interpretations of scripture. Armenian priests don't attempt to convert people like many other Christian sects do. Our church is first and foremost a national, cultural and political institution, but those who want to go deeper into the actual theology are also free to pursue that knowledge. The pragmatic and secular appeal of the church is just as important, if not more so, than its religious appeal. For these reasons the church is an extremely dynamic entity which has wide appeal to both believers and non-believers (like myself).
So to go back to your original question- Not only do I believe that one can be Armenian and atheist, I also believe one can work with and through the Armenian Church while maintaining a lack of belief. Rejecting religion is one thing, but rejecting the Armenian Apostolic Church is something completely different. Thats my take.
Originally posted by Jinx
The reason for my conclusion is because I believe the Armenian Apostolic Church, despite being the world's oldest Christian institution, is first and foremost a national and cultural institution more so than a religious institution. This sounds like a paradox until we analyze what the church has actually done and continues to do. Its a national institution because its main role throughout its history has been to preserve Armenian nationhood by gathering our political organization when Armenia was under foreign occupation or even when Armenians built up their diaspora communities. It provided us with tiny cloisters of national sovereignty in foreign and hostile lands. It is the main platform for our secular political strength, especially in the diaspora.
The Armenian Apostolic church is also a cultural institution because is preserves our cultural relics such as our language (Grapar), history, ancient pre-Christian customs, artistic symbols and motifs, architecture, sentiments, etc. The church is the largest and most capable institution we have that connects us to our very distant ancestors such as the Urartians, Mitanni, Hurrians, and others. Even Armenian schools across the world have their foundations in the Armenian church- This was true in pre-Communist Armenia and continues to be true in virtually all diaspora communities. The church perpetuates our cultural and national aspirations which maintains Armenian culture as a living, breathing entity in constant evolution.
It also functions as a place where the local Armenian community, no matter where it is, can muster its secular political organization. Our church does not force its congregation to believe in specific interpretations of scripture. Armenian priests don't attempt to convert people like many other Christian sects do. Our church is first and foremost a national, cultural and political institution, but those who want to go deeper into the actual theology are also free to pursue that knowledge. The pragmatic and secular appeal of the church is just as important, if not more so, than its religious appeal. For these reasons the church is an extremely dynamic entity which has wide appeal to both believers and non-believers (like myself).
So to go back to your original question- Not only do I believe that one can be Armenian and atheist, I also believe one can work with and through the Armenian Church while maintaining a lack of belief. Rejecting religion is one thing, but rejecting the Armenian Apostolic Church is something completely different. Thats my take.
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