Western Diocese Appoints Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian as Director of Institutional Innovation

· October 25, 2024

BURBANK — The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church launched an institutional innovation initiative aimed at reshaping the Diocese to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Leading this project is Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, a scholar who was appointed as the Director of Institutional Innovation on July 1st.

Dr. Tchilingirian has held academic positions at the University of Oxford (2012–2024) and the University of Cambridge (2002–2012) in the UK. Since 2021, he has also served as Associate Professor of Armenian Studies (IMAS) at Inalco in Paris. His expertise spans the sociology of religion, identity, culture, and diaspora studies. He did his PhD at the London School of Economics and has academic degrees in public administration and theology.

“Dr. Tchilingirian’s extensive experience in academia, community leadership, and civic engagement makes him ideally suited to guide our Diocese through this critical period of renewal and transformation,” said the Western Diocese Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.

Archbishop Hovnan underscored the pressing need for institutional innovation and restructuring within both the church and community organizations in the Western United States. “This innovative project signals a new chapter in the Western Diocese’s commitment to deepening the faith and cultural heritage, and service for the Armenian community. This is not an optional endeavor, but a necessary response to contemporary challenges. Building partnerships—whether human, intellectual or financial—and all-round cooperation are essential for ensuring the relevance and sustainability of our institutions in a rapidly changing world.”

An author and researcher, Dr. Tchilingirian has published on issues of identity, culture, and religion, as well as the plight of Christian communities and minorities in the Middle East. He has lectured internationally, while his commentary has appeared in major media outlets such as BBC News, The New York Times, Financial Times, Al-Jazeera, and Fox News. Dr. Tchilingirian has also served as the Director of the Armenian Diaspora Survey (2019-2024), a research project of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation that has surveyed over 12,000 diasporans across 50 communities in 10 countries.

Since Dr. Tchilingirian’s appointment in July, the Diocese has already launched a process of institutional self-assessment, the first prong of the strategy, at both the Diocesan and parish levels.

As a first step, a draft statement on Mission, Vision, Strategy, and Values of the Western Diocese was articulated in late June and distributed for review in early July.

“The draft Mission Statement was send to over 400 individuals in the leadership ecosystem of the Western Diocese, including diocesan and parish council members, clergy, committee heads and others,” explained Dr. Tchilingirian. During the three-month review period, “We received many critical and useful feedback, insights and refinement suggestions,” said Dr. Tchilingirian, adding that “the Mission Statement will be finalized by the end of the year and will serve as the ‘roadmap’ for the Diocese in the coming years.”

Early September saw the launch of the self-assessment of the diocesan staff with weekly meetings and discussions to review, analyze and enhance the diocesan operations. This phase is expected to be concluded by the end of November. The next phase of the self-assessment will be carried out on the local parish levels of the Diocese.

The second component of the Institutional Innovation involves the creation of a new department, which will focus on developing innovative programs and activities to make the Christian faith and Armenian culture vital, more relevant and accessible for the next few generations.

“As we enter a world of exponential change, we must rethink how we bring together talent, knowledge, and resources to better serve our communities,” said Dr. Tchilingirian. “This initiative is about making our faith and culture a living experience that adapts to modern realities while staying rooted in our core values.”