Evangelicals Demand the Submission of the Armenian Church
NOTES FROM THE OLD COUNTRYNot too long ago, Dr. Jacob Pursley wrote an article on his Substack praising the government of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his work with Christian Churches – despite the fact the PM is actively destroying the historic Christian Church of Armenia to replace it with an easily-controlled amalgamation of Western-aligned religions. His article is a textbook example of the clash of the cosmopolitan I-know-better-than-you elitist class who cannot help but scorn the values of the Old Country. Although his whole piece is subversive (remember, Dr. Pursley is a non-Armenian from Arkansas who only moved to Armenia a few years ago), it’s worth a look to see how those opposed to the Old Country re-direct and obscure for their ends. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes are from Dr. Pursley’s Substack and all parts in bold or with italics are my own emphasis.
Dr. Jacob Pursley
The year was 301, there were no Christian states. Under the spiritual guidance of His Holiness, Saint Gregory the Illuminator, the Armenian King Saint Tiridates III of Armenia converted to Christianity and Armenia officially designated its religion as Christianity. No other nation was Christian before this. Armenia internationally displayed its Christian faith by simply being the first ever to become officially Christian. If this is not an international display, then what is? Simply going to a prayer breakfast in Washington and then hosting one in Yerevan? We displayed our Christian faith with our blood, through martyrs not breakfasts.
Icon of the battle of Avarayr
As neighboring Persia still was pagan, this was no small gesture. Persia turned against Armenia for becoming Christian. Despite heavy persecutions, the Armenian nation-state was determined to obey Christ and be slaughtered like sheep for His sake. Persian pagan ‘priests’ slaughtered Armenian Apostolic Priests when they refused to convert to their religion. This culminated in the battle of Avarayr in the year 451. The Persian army, a world super-power at the time, attacked Armenia. Under the leadership of Saint Vartan Mamigonian, the Armenians – most of whom were not soldiers, but pious peasants – went to battle against professional troops with war elephants. The heavily outnumbered Armenians were slaughtered. The blow to the Persians however was so big that, by the grace of God, Persia gave up its efforts and accepted peace without Armenia converting. If standing up to such an empire in the first ever war for the defense of Christianity in the entire world, isn’t an international display of Christian faith what is? The fact that this is only the start of Dr. Pursley’s article reveals either he is ignorant of this basic Christian history or he thinks it’s not as important as breakfast with his fellow elites.
If martyrdom is too difficult a witness for Christ for his delicate American evangelical ears to hear, then how does he answer the evangelistic efforts of the Armenians? The first Church in Singapore was an Armenian Church and there are some records of Armenians bringing the faith into East Asia in the middle ages. It is said that the Armenian Saint Servatius, a distant relative of John the Baptist and thus a relative of Christ, brought Christianity to the Netherlands. In the 11th century, Armenian bishops were sent to Iceland to aid in its Christianization.
But for Dr. Pursley, all of this is not a “public display of Christian faith” on “an international level” nor are the centuries of being slaughtered for not denying Christ. Eating breakfast is how you really show you have faith. Next time Armenians are slaughtered for their faith like in the Armenian Genocide of 1915, we will tell them they should’ve eaten breakfast with Dr. Pursley evangelical buddies — obviously breakfast triumphs over martyrdom.
Besides historical illiteracy this claim also shows political illiteracy. We can not simply take Left/Right paradigms of America and apply them to Armenia. Is the next step outrage Armenia doesn’t have the 4th of July as its Independence Day?
Throughout all history, small countries always had to keep their powerful neighbors happy otherwise they would get crushed. Armenia is no exception – except when it came to defending their Christian faith against Persia. We are not in Western-Europe nor border America. We are prisoners of our geography. We border Turkey and Azerbaijan who would grab every chance to finish the genocides they started. Without the protection of Russia, Armenia wouldn’t exist. America and Europe did not parachute in and offer military aid, and we should not expect them to do so. The only regional power which conceivably would help Armenia is Iran – surely Dr. Pursley thinks Russia is a better choice for a regional ally, right?
In the 90’s the Turkey had plans of invading Armenia, it was then when the Russians said that any attack on Armenia would be seen as an attack on them and World War III would ensue. This alone stopped the imminent Turkish invasion. Russian troops were on the border of Turkey and Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan worked hard to remove all Russian troops and the protection that comes with it from Armenia. Did the attendees at this prayer breakfast pledge to die for Armenia if they get invaded?
And as far as being anti-God, it took an anti-God Joe Biden to recognize the Armenian Genocide, not a God-fearing Republican. Where were these supposed true Christians before Biden?1 They let geopolitics and funding prevent them from doing what is right. It should interest Dr. Pursley to know, Pashinyan always preferred Biden over Trump, and is only changing his tune now because Biden is gone.
I won’t spend much time defending lobbies in Washington D.C., but the points Dr. Pursley makes against them demonstrate his ignorance or malicious intent. There are two major Armenian lobbies in D.C.: ANCA and Armenian Assemblies of America (AAA), both of whom represent Armenian-Americans.
Since most Armenian-Americans live in areas controlled by Democrats (such as California and Massachusetts), they obviously work more with Democrats. But if they’re so far Left, why is it they’ve praised the two former Right-wing representatives who attended the prayer breakfast?
- ANCA posted praise for Vicky Hartzler and endorsed her in 2018
- ANCA thanked Louie Gohmert for signing a pro-Armenia letter and endorsed him in 2018
- AAA thanked Gohmert for signing the same letter as well
- AAA wrote a brief highlighting Hartzler’s work for Armenians after Congress
There are many other examples of both lobbies thanking or working with politicians who are sworn enemies of the Left. The reason why Dr. Pursley is either ignorant or trying to hide this fact is because it undermines his narrative which is guiding Armenia into the hands of influential evangelicals like him, rather than Armenians.
When Sheikh Ibatullah destroyed 50 Armenian villages, western consuls visited him cordially, not addressing the issue.2 When British consuls were appointed over Armenian regions, they did not end the persecution of Armenians. They renamed the places to Kurdistan and tried to get Kurdish independence.3 Mind you, the Kurds helped the Turks commit the Armenian Genocide in 1915. The Kurds would always persecute, murder, rape and forcefully convert Armenians and Yazidis to Islam, even till the 1970’s. We can go on endless about how Christian western states, including the USA, sacrificed the Truth and Armenia for their geopolitical gains. Russia of course did the same, but only for their own benefit and sometimes by coincidence their benefit sometimes helped Armenia.
Nikol Pashinyan, the great conservative hero of Dr. Pursley, is very liberal. This is proven by him attacking the Armenian Church and getting cozy with big Eva.4 This is not an attack on American Christians, but on the corporatized religious elites Pashinyan is seeking. There is a history of western nations using so-called Christians to subvert Armenia. Not because they think Armenians don’t know the Gospel, but because they want more political control over Armenia. The good-hearted Christian in Texas who has the best intent and supports missionaries in places where the Gospel is oppressed (like Turkey) is a good-faith person. But the missionary who goes to a majority-Christian nation, like Armenia, often does not.
In fact, Pashinyan seems comfortable with any religious group in Armenia except its own Armenian Apostolic Church. In a speech at Washington D.C., he praises the fact Armenia has a pagan, Jewish, and Islamic community. As far as Pashinyan is concerned, he has no problem with heretics so long as they support him and his subversive liberal policies.
The connection between subverting Armenians and our Church and the evangelical missionary is not new. An Armenian named Raffi wrote a series of articles in the 18th century known today as Tajkahayk. He addresses multiple issues within the Armenian community living in the Ottoman Empire, one of which is exactly the Western mindset towards Armenians that Dr. Pursley radiates.
Many Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were thinking that by converting to Protestantism the French, Americans, British would grant them protection.5 That is why Raffi says the majority of those who change from Armenian Orthodoxy are evil.6 Raffi continues to explain a few other common experiences:
Back to Dr. Pursley:
First of all, my view of western Christians is not so low to think that just now they feel invited to pray for us. If any Christian in the west refused to pray for Armenia until now, despite all the genocides we faced, just now started to pray for us? Due to the Armenian Genocide, many Armenians lived in Syria and Iraq and during the advances of Al Qaeda and ISIS we faced severe persecution there too, and still Christians in the west were not praying for us? I simply do not believe this, because if it is true, then his statement is literally satanic. What could drive a deeper wedge between Armenian Christians and the Christians of the west?
I guess before the USA (or England, or even western European civilization) existed, when Armenians were going to Church, reading our Bibles, fasting, doing charity, being killed for our faith we were not Christian enough. The superiority complex of this Dr. Pursley is only surpassed by the ubermensch of the atheist Nietzsche.
Again, this is not an attack on all western Christians but the type of Christians like Dr. Pursley. We have had many goodhearted western Christians, including the village where I lived there was a western Christian who welcomed us all and helped everyone. The Armenians and Syriacs there honor her every year even after her passing. For she was seen as a motherly type helping and aiding everyone who fled from persecution. Dr. Pursley should look to her example of a proper Christian rather than a politician like Nikol Pashinyan.
To quote James Welldon, an Anglican Bishop:What was most noticeable at the RAPB was the Prime Minister of Armenia’s two prayers. He concluded both of his speeches in prayers, and prayed from memory both Psalm 29, and Psalm 31. This was the first time in history that a world leader has ever quoted entire chapters from the Bible.
This is a bizarre claim. In history? Are we going to forget centuries of Christian rulers, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, Armenian Kingdoms, multiple European Kingdoms and many more were fully Christian. Forget Armenian history, does Dr. Pursley know any Christian history after 1776?
Even if it were true, so what? The devil can quote scripture, there are American ‘pastors’ who quote scripture to prove Jesus sinned, same-sex marriage is okay, and abortion is allowed. I can list plenty of American Protestants, such as Brandan Robertson, who use Scripture against Dr. Pursley’s worldview. But what clergy member in the Armenian Apostolic Church publically supports gay marriage and abortion? Quoting scripture merely does nothing when it is not understood and acted upon within the fullness of faith. Dr. Pursley should take a page from the Church’s book on Apostolic succession and Orthodox teachings.
Screenshots taken from Dr. Pursley’s original post
Since when do Christians need the approval of the Jewish community? Our prayer should be that they see Jesus as the Son of God and their prophesied Messiah – not that they support our prayer breakfasts. If a community who denies Christ as Lord is willing to pray with you, doesn’t that imply you’re willing to not emphasize Christ’s messiahship to keep them as your allies?
Dr. Pursley then goes on post an interview by American commentator Tucker Carlson.
Notice how when smearing Robert Amsterdam (whom he mistakenly misnames as Robert Patterson), Dr. Pursley refers to him as a “liberal, leftist, Jewish lawyer”. Funny how Dr. Pursley is comfortable weaponizing Mr. Amsterdam’s Jewish ethnicity against him because he defends Dr. Pursley’s enemies. Perhaps Mr. Amsterdam should’ve been at the prayer breakfast like the “good” members Jewish community did for Dr. Pursley.
Dr. Pursley talks a big game about being a Christian conservative, but when the conservative commentator Tucker Carlson gives a platform to the nephew of a Christian imprisoned by the Armenian government, Dr. Pursley doesn’t address any claims. Without proof, he smears Carlson and his guests as liars. He fails to name a single lie, let alone provide evidence for why their claims are lies.Russian backed groups. They are being used as instruments of propaganda.
Again, Dr. Pursley doesn’t name a single group, nor prove they’re Russian-backed. He’s no different than the Leftist TV commentators calling Trump or anyone who opposes endless aid to Zelensky in Ukraine “Russian-backed.”
Aside from the absurdity of his statement, it’s also riddled with lies. He says “only three clergy are in jail” but there are actually twelve priests, a bishop, and two archbishops in jail – and that’s not including civilians who have spoken out in defense of the Church. In a country of less than 3 million people – nearly all of whom adhere to the Armenian Orthodox Church – to lock-up any single bishop (much less three bishops plus at least 12 priests so far!) for speaking out is a textbook act of persecution.
Dr. Pursley failed to mention when he says there are “around 850 priests, 80 bishops” he means globally – not just within the Republic of Armenia. The Republic of Armenia has 10 dioceses (or regions for a bishop to administer). To imprison three, is to imprison over 30% of the country’s spiritual leadership.9 To claim “there is absolutely no religious persecution” is a ridiculous bold-faced lie.
But it’s not only clergy. The government is also imprisoning lawyers who defend the clergy and a business leader sympathetic to the Church (who also conveniently runs industries Pashinyan wants to nationalize).
Dr. Pursley then continues his article by citing a few interviews which would supposedly debunk Carlson’s claims, but utterly fails to do so. The first interview is just former Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler trying to dodge a reporter’s questions on Pashinyan’s imprisonment of clergy because she doesn’t know the facts of it. Dr. Pursley should take notes from her.
The second interview is longer, but the gist of it is that the guest complains the imprisoned clergy were critical of Pashinyan and were forming an opposition to him. Is Dr. Pursley agreeing that the Church isn’t allowed to oppose its government? If that’s the case, the Church did everything right during the Soviet occupation. Moreover, no pastor in America should be allowed to express disapproval of any politician – since any sort of opposition to the government by the Church should be met with imprisonment as the holy Pashinyan has done. Other interviews are cited, but none of them directly address any claim made by Carlson or his guests.
Perhaps one area of agreement I have with Dr. Pursley is I would love to see an end to abortion in Armenia, and he seems to think that because there were calls to end abortion at this prayer breakfast that it’s on the way. I wish he realized the Armenian Church was (and is) the only institution in Armenia with the moral authority to call for the practice to end. The biggest reason why the Church hasn’t made louder calls to end this practice is because they learned from the Soviet era not to get involved with politics, else they would get totally dissolved. Rather than strengthen the boldness of the Church to speak out against evil, Dr. Pursley is empowering their persecutors, making the costs for speaking out higher.
The evangelical anti-abortion model abysmally failed in America. Even with the ending of Roe v. Wade, more children are aborted per year than before. Yet the good Scripture-quoting Pashinyan has never voiced opposition to abortion. The closest he has come to it is concerns that it disproportionately affects Armenia’s future female demographic – not that it murders an innocent child.
But why is the Armenian Church so important? Isn’t it true that if everyone just believes the Gospel, who cares what Church administration is there? Shouldn’t the Church be willing to throw out any leader if they show displays of corruption? Of course the Church should pursue purity, but the institution of the Armenian Church isn’t arbitrary.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has an internal structure dating back all the way to the Apostles and Christ. We have the laity10, then above them is the priesthood. They are subject to the authority of the Bishop. As Saint Ignatius of Antioch (a disciple of John the Evangelist, who wrote the Gospel of John in the Bible) says: ‘See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop […]’11 The Bishop is under the authority of his Synod which is headed by the Patriarch. In the Armenian Church, the Patriarch is His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II. But even with this governing structure, the Church is still guided by internal rules called the Canon or Canon Law.
Unlike Roman Catholics, the Armenian Patriarch is not infallible, and the Supreme Spiritual Council is the highest ruling body of the Church – not the Catholicos. It consists of the Patriarch, Bishops, and even laity (which even some Protestant Churches cannot claim to have on their highest authorities). We address Church matters in accordance with the Canon – not by the whims of the Prime Minister or Evangelicals in the West. Truly I say to you, anyone who is genuine and loves the Church will work within the Canon of the Church which was established by Christ and is guarded by Him. Anyone working outside of its bounds makes illegitimate decisions which none of the faithful can trust.
Pray for our Church, but be also charitable. Don’t expect perfection from humans in the Church. We had no nation for centuries, and only through the Church were we able to remain Armenian Christians, read our language, learn our prayers and our history. Without it, we would all assimilate into Muslim Turks. As Bertrand Bareilles writes:
Dr. Pursley is being used as a tool of globalists and is giving cover to an increasingly authoritarian and anti-Church liberal regime. I sincerely beg Dr. Pursley to repent from this wickedness and instead be a voice for the persecuted – rather than a wine buddy of the oppressor.
