The Church, and the Armenian Church

All Christians share certain basic beliefs. We believe God exists. God has a Son. The Son took flesh, becoming man. He walked amongst us. He taught and performed phenomenal miracles. He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of the Messiah. He endured tremendous suffering. He humbly offered up His life as a redeeming sacrifice for our lives. He was crucified and rose again on the third day. He ascended into heaven. He sits at the right hand of our Heavenly Father. He is to come again with the glory of the Father to take His faithful unto himself to be with Him forever in paradise. We who confess these beliefs, and follow the teachings of Christ, are body and member of the 'one church.'

By following Jesus we enter into a communion with the living God of all creation. This communion brings about a fullness within us, and amongst us, that is far beyond the physical joys of this world. As the church, we recognize that telling the world who Jesus is, and what Jesus did, is a joyous and an awesome honor. Having found our fullness in Christ, we enthusiastically commit ourselves to taking an active role in preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming His message of salvation so that others may come to know Him as well. For we realize that the revelation we have received is not only for ourselves, our immediate families, and our close friends, but also for all people. We work together as one body to continue His mission of inviting others into His heavenly kingdom. This is the work of the 'one church.'

Yet even as a diamond is multi-faceted, each church tradition preserves distinct perspectives of God. As Armenian Christians we understand that in addition to receiving the gospel, we have received unique prayers and writings passed down to us through the ages. Indeed God has revealed Himself to the Armenian nation in a particular way. Appreciating God’s distinctive revelation to the Armenian people in and through the Armenian Church and Armenian history not only enriches our spiritual lives, it also transforms us into a people who can share the Light of God with the world in a special way.

As Armenian Christians we have a calling to lift up what God has given to all of us in Christ, and also that which God has uniquely given to us as Armenians. We are called to make the effort to sacrifice a bit of effort, so that we might come to understand the richness of our unique Armenian Christian heritage; and pass on this richness to the world and to a generation yet unborn.

May God grant you the Spirit to desire, to seek to comprehend, and to come to appreciate the unique gifts you have as an Armenian Christian. And may he give you the wisdom to recognize that preserving and proclaiming His particular blessings to the Armenian people brings greater glory to God, by showing Him in a unique and beautiful light.

Fr. Tavit

May 2013