Oxford Armenian Studies Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford - Dr Hratch Tchilingirian, Oriental Institute

Armenian Religion, Society, Politics Seminar

 

This lecture series will explore the contemporary crossroads where religion, society and politics intersect in Armenia and the Diaspora. Nineteenth century sociologists had suggested that rationality and modernisation of society would decrease levels of religiosity and religion would lose social significance. Others declared the "death of God" or predicted that God would be "turned into a cultural artefact" in the "Post-Christian era".  Yet, in recent years, religion has not only "returned", but is increasingly the centre of politics and societal conflicts.  Even as scholarship on the effects of these historic mega-trends on the Armenian Church and society are scarce, the seminar will deal with the impact of the long process of "secularisation" of the Armenian Church starting with the Millet system in the Ottoman Empire and later under Soviet rule. The dual process of "societal secularisation" (global trend) and state-imposed "institutional secularisation" (and to some extent "laicization") of the Armenian Church have had long lasting effects on church-society, church-state and church-politics relations and continue to define contemporary relations. Informed by these historic developments, the lecture series will start with a broad introduction and then delve into particular issues and problems in the religion-society-politics nexus in contemporary Armenia and the Diaspora.

Michaelmas Term 2013

Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, Oriental Institute, Lecture Room 1

22 October

Introduction to the Armenian Church: Past and Present

5 November

The Soviet regime and decline of the Church and religion

19 November

The Soviet regime and the 'secularisation' of the church

3 December

Post-Soviet Social and Political Dislocation and "Return" of Religion

28 January 2014

Church and State Relations

11 February 2014

Church and Society Relations

25 February

Diaspora Politics and the Armenian Church

11 March

Church and Religion in the Diaspora: Middle East, Europe, North America