Page 52 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

Long History in Brief 53

the Church should cope with the impact
of globalization and of interaction with its
environment in several areas of its life and
witness, proactively and objectively.
Throughout their history, Armenians have
suffered persecution, oppression, massacre,
and martyrdom and have only rarely enjoyed
periods of peace. However, faith in God has
given them the passion to survive and the
stamina to build and rebuild, create and
recreate, and to look forward with hope.
Emperors, sultans, shahs, caliphs, kings,
czars, and dictators, with their powerful poli-
tical, military, economic, ideological, reli-
gious, and cultural weapons, have not been
able to destroy or to assimilate this small
nation and their church. The survival of the
Armenian people and the Armenian Church
is indeed a miracle of history.
The Armenian Church's long journey of
faith has been one of martyrdom in life and
in death. Its journey has been marked by a
spirit of creativity and renewal in the midst
of the upheavals and vicissitudes of its
history. Today, the spiritual pilgrimage of
this ancient Church of world Christendom
continues with renewed faith and vision.