ACTIVITY OF THE ARMENIAN EVANGELICALS IN ARTSAKH
06.09.2012
Expert of the Center for the Armenian Studies, “Noravank” Foundation
Artsakh has been a stage for the activity of the Armenian Evangelicals
for about two hundred years. In both pre-Soviet and post-Soviet
periods the Evangelicals played and still play considerable role
there. The study of the issue has become even more topical taking
into consideration an exceptional role of Artsakh for the Armeniancy
and the challenges its faces.
Basel Evangelical Missionary Society, which obtained a permit of the
Russian authorities to establish centers, schools, printing houses
in the Caucasus in order to spread Christianity among non-Christian
population, played a significant role in the establishment of
Evangelism in Artsakh. This initiative was managed by the European
ministers and the most outstanding among them were Avgust Dietrich
and Felician Zaremba.
The Swiss missionaries established in the center of Artsakh Shushi
in 1823 by the assent of the tsarist authorities. At first they were
involved in the educational activity as well as they established ties
with the spiritual and intellectual circles. The ministers Dietrich
and Haag learned Armenian, the latter learned Karabakh dialect. Here
their companion was Mirza Farukh (Harutyun Galstyan)1.
In 1823 Swiss missionaries bought land property in Shushi in order
to build training school, printing house and other buildings. After
that the missionaries centered their attention on education. In 1827
training school and printing house were open. In that school pupils
studied Armenian, read Gospel, and made translations from Grabar to
Ashkharhabar and visa-versa.
The school played a significant role because its graduates, with
a partial assistance of the missionaries, opened schools in the
city and villages. Two of such schools were in Shushi, five in the
villages; each of them had 20-30 pupils. A historian Leo wrote
about the educational activity of the Protestant missionaries:
“…the European Protestants who pursued religious goals gave
Armenian children a kind of education which, being religious, was a
very beautiful educational novelty. It laid down the foundations of
public education in Karabakh and in this aspect the “lemsin shkol”
(German school) was similar to the Nersesian School in Tiflis, which
founder long before that realized grate meaning of public education
and made the school available for the broad masses”2.
In June 1831 in response to the protests against them, the missionaries
submitted to the Minister of National Education the results of their
activity. In particular, the number of the pupils of the school since
opening had reached 130 people.
It is remarkable that by opening a school the Evangelical missionaries
from Basel planned to involve Armenian graduates in disseminating
Christianity among the Muslims3.
The printing house opened at the same time with the school in Shushi
was remarkable phenomenon. Religious literature was published there.
At the same time Basel Evangelical Missionary Society was publishing
literature in the Armenian in Moscow. Thus in Shushi and in Moscow
the missionaries published 11.679 copies in Armenian, 728 copies
in Persian, 147 copies in Turkish and 100 copies in Hebrew. On
the Armenian books the names of the then catholicos and person who
authorized printing of those books were mentioned4.
>From the very beginning Swiss missionaries stated that their activity
would be directed to the conversion to the Christianity only pagans
and Muslims, as for the Christians they would only spread Bible among
them. But in reality their actions did not only pursued educational
goals or spreading religious literature, but it also resulted in the
situation when Christians began changing their confession.
Without taking into consideration their intention to spread their
activity among non-Christians, the missionaries concentrated their
attention mostly at the Armenians. In 1823 they wrote about it:
“Though we intend initially to spread the Gospel only among the
Armenians and establish schools for them, but our real goal is to
spread a word of God among the Muslims in the near future”5.
Since early 1830s the Armenian clergy’s attitude towards the Protestant
missionaries had become negative. Information was received that two of
… of Sevan adopted Protestantism, which caused great discontent. They
turned to the authorities to stop conversion. This had a negative
effect on the authority of the missionaries, their pupils started to
leave their schools. Russian authorities interfered: in particular
in January 1835 the governor of the Caucasus Rozen sent a message
to the Minister of Home Affairs in which he protected the stance
of the Armenian clergy and supposed that the activity of the Basel
missionaries was no more acceptable.
Rozen substantiated his point of view by the fact that the missionaries
concentrated their attention exclusively at the Armenians which caused
discontent of the Armenians; meanwhile no Muslim was ever converted to
Christianity. For this reason the government decided to prohibit the
missionary activity of the Basel ministers. It was also prohibited to
admit Armenian young people to the missionary schools. As a result,
in 1837 the missionaries selling their property in Shushi left the
city. Leo assesses the activity of the Basel missionaries in Shushi in
the following way: “…the activity of the Basel missionaries in Shushi
was not only of local, but of Armenian and Caucasian significance” 6.
After the Basel missionaries’ departure local Armenian Evangelicals
tried to adjust the community life by themselves. In 1860s there
were 28 Protestant houses in Shushi. Though later their number
increased, the Armenian Protestants in Shushi had not have a church
till 1880s when their number reached 100. In 1865 after graduating
Basel Theological School an Armenian Protestant form Shushi Abraham
Amirkhanyan returned to Shushi and opened a school.
But due to the obstacles put in his way by the local clergy that
school did not work long. In July 1885 in press a discussion of a
judicial process between the Armenian Evangelicals and Apostolics
in Shushi was raised. According to legal case 15 families were the
adherents of the Protestantism, held meetings, but the religious
rites for them were served by the Armenian Apostolic clergy. As a
result the relations between the Apostolic and Evangelical Armenians
had even aggravated and among the latter the idea of separating from
the Armenian Apostolic church became dominant and in order to bring
this idea to life they tuned to the government. In 1889 the Armenian
Protestants in Shushi were divided into two groups – Baptists and
Evangelicals. In 1890 the first Armenian Baptist church was opened in
Shushi. In 1890s immigration of the Armenian Protestants to Baku was
gaining a momentum and this process served as ground for strengthening
of the Armenian Evangelical community in Baku7.
Spreading of Protestantism in Artsakh which was a part of the Russian
Empire was also conditioned by processes which proceeded in the
spiritual life of the whole state. At that time Protestantism and
especially Lutheranism was wide spread all over the Russian Empire.
Thus according to the first all-Russian census in 1897 the number
of the Lutherans was more that 3.5 million (the entire population of
the empire was 125 million people)8.
The events of the first two decades of the 20th century played a
decisive role in the life of the Armenian Evangelicals in Artsakh
either. Sharing a destiny of the whole Armenian nation the Armenian
Evangelicals of Artsakh also went through various trials and as a
result the community life was weakened. It is difficult to speak
about the community activity of the Armenian Evangelicals in Artsakh
in the period from 1920s till the Artsakh movement. On the one hand
the Armenian Evangelicals were a subject of state’s anti-religious
persecutions in the USSR, on the other hand being a part of the Soviet
Azerbaijan the Armenian Evangelicals were victimized on ethnic grounds
(just like the rest of the Armeniancy).
So the activity of the Armenian Protestants re-flourished only
alongside with the Artsakh movement and national-liberation war.
After the beginning if Artsakh movement and war the Armenian
Evangelicals re-started activity in Artsakh. For the NKR which appeared
in difficult situation the Armenian Evangelical organizations were of
big importance, in particular it regards the activity of the Armenian
Missionary Association of America. It includes educational, benevolent,
cultural, health and other spheres.
After the war AMAA took under its wardship 100 families which had 5
or more children in Stepanakert, Shushi, Askeran9.
In 1996 near Karkar river summer camps for children were organized,
which hosted in 1996-1998 2000 children. This camp was built by a
youth volunteer group of the Armenian Churches of the US and Canada.
This is an exemplary phenomenon when a pan-Armenian organization
involves young people from the Diaspora in the revival of Artsakh.
Such initiatives can contribute to both solution of the economic
problems of Artsakh and consolidation of the ties of the Armenians
from Diaspora with Armenia and nationwide unity.
On July 14, 1998 timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the
AMAA, new office was opened in Artsakh, and in this connection the
executive director of the AMAA Movses Chanpazian said: “It is destined
to become a center of Christian service, Christian presence, a symbol
of the part of the Armeniancy of the Diaspora which is rallied round
the AMA and want to state by this that Artsakh is Armenian and it
will stay Armenian, and there should be investments made in Artsakh”10.
By the efforts of the Association water supply of the village Kichan
in Martakert region was adjusted. In 1999 the first aid post of the
village was opened. The AMAA carries out eager benevolent activity in
Shushi either. In 2003 the repair works of the water supply of Khachen
village in the Askeran region were finished11. Due to the efforts
of the AMAA painting, singing, musical, crafts circles are opened;
additional Armenian and foreign languages classes are organized
in schools. The association contributed to publishing text-books,
distributed a lot of Christian literature.
The activity of the president of the AMAA Movses Chanpazian was
of great importance. In 2000 the president of NKR Arkadi Ghukasyan
while speaking about him said: “…His support to the families of the
deceased soldiers, needy families is invaluable. He made contribution
to the solution of the problems our health system faced”12. In 2005
it has been 10 years since the AMAA started its activity in the
NKR and in this connection the delegation of the AMAA met the then
president of the NKR Arkadi Ghukasyan. In his letter devoted to the
90th anniversary of the AMAA the prime-minister of NKR A. Harutyunyan
wrote to the representative of the AMAA in the Republic of Armenia
and NKR Rene Leonian: “…I highly appreciate general activity of the
Armenian Missionary Association of America and cordially congratulate
this organization with its 90th anniversary. We can see the results of
their activity in Artsakh either, and our compatriots are also grateful
for that. We are looking forward for even more active cooperation
between your organization and government of the NKR directed to the
solution of a number of urgent issues”13.
In September 2011 a meeting between the president of the NKR Bako
Sahakyan and AMAA mission took place at which they discussed their
achievements and future projects. And November Bako Sahakyan visited
the headquarters of the AMAA in New Jersey where he met the executive
director of the AMAA Levon Filian and other representatives of the
organization. The Head of the Artsakh Dioceses of the Armenian
Apostolic Church Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan participated in
that meeting too. At the meeting of the NKR authorities and AMAA
representatives projects carried out in Artsakh were discussed;
president Sahakyan particularly mentioned contribution of the
association to the formation of the pre-school education network
in Karabakh14.
It should be mentioned that besides the AMAA French “Hope for Armenia”
organization is also working in Artsakh.
Today there are 13 Armenian Evangelical structures in Artsakh. The only
Armenian Evangelical Church is situated in Stepanakert15. There are
AMAA offices in Stepanakert, Shushi and Askeran. The most numerous
among these structures are kindergartens which are situated in
Stepanakert, Shushi, Askeran, Hadrut, and Martakert. Besides, there are
two camps in Shushi and Stepanakert and Armenian Evangelical library in
Shushi16. It is obvious that the centers of the Armenian Evangelicals
in Atrsakh are Shushi and Stepanakert. It has its explanation as
Stepanakert is the capital of NKR as well as the biggest population
center of Artsakh and Shushi has always been of exceptional historical,
political, strategic, cultural, spiritual significance not only for
Artsakh but for the entire Armeniancy.
Besides Shushi and Stepanakert there are Armenian Evangelical
structures in Askeran, Hadrut and Martakert. The total number of the
Armenian Evangelicals in the NKR is approximately 200 people.
Such a geographic coverage seems to be quite reasonable and sufficient
at first sight but what strikes one’s eyes is that Martuni region,
which is second, after Stepanakert, tensely populated center, is not
included. Besides the Armenian Evangelicals do not have structures
in such vital for Artsakh and entire Armeniancy regions as Shahumyan
and Kashatagh.
The fact that the activity of Armenian Evangelical structures is
mostly directed to the solution of educational, social, economic
issues of Artsakh should be hailed. It means that their activity
is mainly directed to the solution of nationwide issues. It becomes
obvious that working within the national field and not pointing out
confessional differences is of primary importance. This fact may
have very positive effect for making the relations between Armenian
Apostolic and Armenian Evangelical Churches in Artsakh even closer.
Thus, the Armenian Evangelicals in Artsakh, being an integral part
of the Armeniancy, spread eager activity in the NKR. Here not only
local but also organizations from the RA and Diaspora are involved
which contributes to strengthening of Armenia (RA, NKR) – Diaspora
relations. The activity of the Armenian Evangelicals contributes to
the strengthening of Artsakh which receives high appraisal of the NKR
authorities. In order to make the activity of the local Evangelical
organizations even more efficient and make it to serve for the global
nationwide strategic issues of the Armeniancy it is of vital importance
to set cooperation with the Armenian Apostolic Church and particularly
with the Artsakh Dioceses.
1Õ~BÕ¡Õ¦Õ¡O~@ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Ô±., Ô¼O~GÕ¸Õ¶ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Õ~L.Õ~F.,
Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¡Õ½Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶ÕµÕ¡ÕµO~A Ô±Õ¾Õ¥Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¥Õ¯Õ¥Õ²Õ¥O~AÕ”
(Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¡Õ½Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶-Ô¿Õ¸Õ¾Õ¯Õ¡Õ½), ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶, 1999, Õ§Õ” 81O~I
2Ô¼Õ§O…, Õ~JÕ¡Õ¿Õ´Õ¸O~BÕ©Õ”O~BÕ¶ Õ~BÕ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¢Õ¡Õ²Õ” Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¸O~A
Õ©Õ¥Õ´Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ°Õ¸Õ£Õ¥O~BÕ¸O~@ Õ¤ÕºO~@Õ¸O~AÕ” (1838-1913),
Ô¹Õ”O~FÕ¬Õ”Õ¦, 1914, Õ§Õ” 90:
3Ô±Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¬Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶ Ô¿.Õ~J., Õ…Õ¸O~BÕ·Õ¡O~@Õ±Õ¡Õ¶ Õ~@Õ¡Õµ
Ô±O~BÕ¥Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡O~A Õ¥O~B Ô±O~BÕ¥Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶
Õ¥Õ¯Õ¥Õ²Õ¥O~AO~BÕ¸Õµ, Õ-O~@Õ¥Õ¦Õ¶Õ¸, 1952, Õ§Õ” 182O~I
4Ô¼Õ§O…, mentioned work., p. 92-93:
5Ibid, p. 88-89:
6Ibid, p. 89:
7Õ~BÕ¡Õ¦Õ¡O~@ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Ô±., Ô¼O~GÕ¸Õ¶ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Õ~L.Õ~F., mentioned work.,
p. 88-95O~I
8Ð~_еÑ~@ваÑ~O вÑ~AеобÑ~IаÑ~O пеÑ~@епиÑ~AÑ~L
наÑ~AеДениÑ~O РоÑ~AÑ~AийÑ~Aкой Ð~XмпеÑ~@ии 1897г.
РаÑ~AпÑ~@едеДение наÑ~AеДениÑ~O по
веÑ~@оиÑ~AповеданиÑ~Oм и Ñ~@егионам,
9See ”Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¡Õ½Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶ÕµÕ¡ÕµO~A Ô±Õ¾Õ¥Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶
ԵկեղեO~AՔ”, ԵO~@O~Gան, 1997, N 1, էՔ 23:
10Ibid, 1999, N 2, p. 15:
11Ibid, 2003, N 3, p. 23:
12Ibid, 2000, N 4, p. 17:
13Ibid, 2008, N 3, p. 6:
14See “AMAA news”, 2011, N 4, p. 17.
15The Armenian Evangelical church in Stepanakert was founded in 2003.
At first the number of the local Evangelicals was 60 and according
to the 2011 number it was 124. There is a Sunday school within the
church. Ibid, 2006, N 1, p. 9.
16See AMAA Directory 2012: Armenian Evangelical Churches,
Institutions, Organizations, Pastors and Christian Workers Worldwide,
p. 13. for website.pdf
“Globus” analytical journal, #8, 2012
Return
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From: A. Papazian
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