Page 213 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

214 The Armenian Church

and interests? Although the Church must
not become involved in politics or partisan
activities, it must take positions on issues
pertaining to the secular domain and must
root those positions in biblical values and
principles, while seeking the highest interests
of the people. The challenge facing the
Church is the following: How can it resist
attempts to reduce it to a mere national
institution, either under state control in
Armenia or under the influence of political
parties in the diaspora, and, at the same time,
accompany the people in their crises and
struggle for social justice. This concern calls
for serious consideration.
The third area is the authority in the
Church. From the beginning, the Armenian
Church has opted to give authority to the
people, an approach that is compatible with
the ecclesiological principle that the church
is the community of people. This principle
has been developed and expressed through
conciliar structures and processes. Today,
church administration, particularly in the
diaspora, is mostly in the hands of the laity;
the clergy deal mainly with liturgical, theo-
logical, and pastoral matters. Because there
are ambiguities concerning the locus, nature,
and practice of authority in the Church, it
is critically important to consider the fol-
lowing points:
1) Separating clergy and laity from each