Page 141 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

142 The Armenian Church

created both the Golden and Silver Ages of
Armenian history. Until the 15th Century,
Armenian culture was dominated by reli-
gion. Culture was an indispensable and effi-
cient instrument of preserving and articu-
lating the Christian faith. However, the
emergence of secularism, as a result of the
western renaissance, along with interaction
with other cultures, had a strong influence
on the development of Armenian culture,
particularly in Cilicia. Due to its pluralistic
environment, in Cilicia Armenian culture
became more receptive to both eastern and
western cultural norms, patterns, and trends.
After the fall of the Armenian Kingdom of
Cilicia, when the Armenian Church remained
the only national institution and when the
preservation of the nation's unity and iden-
tity acquired a top priority for the Church,
the consolidation of culture was given a high
importance.

The translation of the Bible
and church fathers
Language was a decisive factor in the Ar-
menianization of the Christian faith. The in-
vention of national script launched a distinc-
tively Armenian Christian culture, and it
became its driving force. The translation
of the Bible was the first priority for the
Church. This sacred task and extremely