Page 168 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

Educational Role 169

worked hard to integrate Christianity into the
fabric of society. They based education on the
core values of Christian faith, and, through
their efforts, Christian education and Ar-
menian education came to complement and
strengthen each other. The Armenian Church
focused its efforts on imbuing Armenian men
and women with moral and spiritual values
and with the spirit of love and dedication
towards their homeland. Achieving this goal
became the cardinal responsibility of the
Church. Through the theological, pastoral,
spiritual, and moral writings of the church
fathers, conciliar teachings, diaconal acti-
vities, and evangelistic witness, the Church,
first in Armenia, then in Cilicia, and finally,
in the diaspora, vigorously insisted on the
decisive importance of education. As a major
priority of its missionary outreach, the
Church became deeply involved through a
variety of programs and activities in the
spiritual, moral, and national formation of its
people. This integrated and holistic approach
to education has remained fundamental for
the Armenian Church.

Monasteries: centers of education
Besides playing a highly remarkable part
in developing theological thinking, en-
hancing the spirituality of the Church, and
enriching Armenian culture, the monasteries
became thriving centers of education and