March 4, 2012:

The Armenian Tragedy

Some years ago when I was an executive with Religion In American Life with its offices in New York City, I was frequently a guest preacher at the Aremenian Protestant Church in New York City. The Aremenian congregation made me feel very welcome and I attended several of their picnic barbeques. You might be interested to know that the Sunday services had two different sermons, one that was delivered in English by me and another given by an Aremenian preacher in the congregation. Part of the service was conducted in Aremenian, a language I found difficult to learn. By the way, at that time there were a number of Armenian Churches that were part of the United Church of Christ. Sadly, most of them left the denomination in protest because of the decision to affirm full inclusion of homosexuals in the U.C.C., including ordination.

Looking around the church I found Sunday School books for their children describing the Armenian massacres in 1915 when perhaps as many as a million Armenian men, women and children died either by murder or starvation in Eastern Turkey. There is no excuse for such butchery but sadly, to this day, many Turks deny it.

This tragedy came about because at that time some Armenians hoped to establish their own state in Eastern Turkey. Sadly and foolishly some Armenian nationalists allied themselves with Britain and Russia in the First World War. Both Britain and Russia were foiled in their attempt to conquer Turkey and the Turks took a savage revenge on Armenians. Though some escaped into Syria, many did not survive. It should be noted, however, that Armenians living in Western Turkey faced no such threat.

The story of what happened was recounted fairly and honestly in the Sunday School books I read, but what was most impressive to me was the constant reminder that Christians have an obligation to forgive our enemies, even those who may have murdered our relatives and friends. That is still a challenge for all of us.

Love,
Dave