Oxford Armenian Studies: Lecture Seminars on 28 November and 3 December‏

Oxford Armenian Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford

Oxford 

Armenian Studies Seminar

Thursday, 28 November (Week 7), Oriental Institute, Lecture Room 1; 5-6:30pm

"A Glance at the History of the Armenian Biblical Canon - The Book of Ben Sira (Sirach)"

Rev Garegin Hambardzumyan (PhD Candidate, St Stephen’s House, Oxford)

Christian faith is based upon a canon of texts considered to be Holy Scripture. How did this canon come into existence? How did it shape the canon of the Armenian Bible that we have in modern times? These and some more puzzling issues related to the canon list of the Armenian Bible have always been a central subject of discourse amongst scholars in the field. Prior to 1666, when the Armenian Bible was first published, the Armenian manuscripts of the Bible were classified into two categories as regards the inclusion of the Deutero-canonical (Erkrordakanon) books. Those directly translated from Old Syriac did not contain Deuterocanonical writings as they were influenced by the Original Hebrew canon which had only 22 books in the Old Testament. However, the majority of the extant MSS do contain them, as they were translated from the Greek Septuagint (the first Greek translation produced in the 2nd century B.C.E.).  Rev. Hambardzumyan’s lecture will be focused on the Armenian translations of the Bible in general and on the Book of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus in particular.  Fr. Garegin Hambardzumyan is a member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia. He is currently based in Oxford at St Stephen’s House, whilst simultaneously working on his doctoral dissertation.

For further details please contact seminar convenor: Prof. Theo van Lint, theo.vanlint@orinst.ox.ac.uk

Armenian Religion, Society, Politics Seminar 

Tuesday, 3 December (Week 8) Oriental Institute, Lecture Room 1; 6:30-8:00 pm

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

Dr Hratch Tchilingirian (Oriental Institute)

This is the fourth lecture of the seminar on "Armenian Religion, Society, Politics" offered by Dr. Hratch Tchiligirian. The transition from decades of “ungodliness” under Communism to “knowledge of God” in a newly independent country appeared to be more complex, problematic and difficult. Neither the society nor the religious establishment were prepared to accept the unexpected realities of freedom and liberty. This session will present some of the key dimensions of this process. Starting with a brief presentation of the glasnost and perestroika period for context, it will then focus on the critical issues since Armenia’s independence.