Most recent news | Released Monday, April 17, 2006
Diocesan Legate Bishop Vicken Aykazian participates in Christian Churches Together in the U.S.
ARMENIAN CHURCH JOINS IN NEW ECUMENICAL ORGANIZATION
A new ecumenical organization was born in Atlanta, GA, during a meeting from March 28 to 31, 2006. And the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) was there to help this "new born baby" make it on its own.
The new group, Christian Churches Together, brings together more than 60 churches, which claim to represent 120 million American Christians. It is the first-ever group to combine Evangelicals, mainline Protestants, racial and ethnic Protestants, Roman Catholic, and the various Orthodox and Eastern churches.
The official formation of the group follows years of discussion amongst the members.
"Its mission is to enable churches and Christian organizations to grow closer together in Christ in order to send out Christian witness in the world," said Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer of the Eastern Diocese, who represented the Armenian Church at the gathering. "From its beginning, Christian Churches Together has given a priority to prayer and worship in order to build a relationship of trust and to be discerning challenges that need to be addressed in society for more faithful Christian witnesses."
The first focus of the new organization will be combating poverty in the United States. During their meeting, the religious leaders engaged in a Biblical reflection on poverty and spoke with "those who have experienced poverty first-hand as well as those with academic experience," Bishop Aykazian said.
The vision of Christian Churches Together in the U.S. began with a diverse group of Christian leaders, who gathered in the fall of 2001 and expressed a longing for an extended Christian conversation in America. During the movement to create this new ecumenical organization, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, was asked to participate from the beginning. He appointed Bishop Aykazian to represent the Armenian Church in the ongoing discussion.
"I am very happy Bishop Akyazian has been following this organization's formation," the Primate said. "Bringing all the churches together is a wonderful opportunity to create one voice for all Christian churches as we tackle important issues in society."
Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer of the Eastern Diocese, far right, takes part in a panel discussion during the meeting March 28 to 31, 2006, during which a new ecumenical organization, Christian Churches Together in the United States, was founded.
Leaders from various Christian churches, including the Armenian Church, gather in Atlanta, GA, from March 28 to 31, 2006, for discussions leading to the formation of a new ecumenical organization, Christian Churches Together in the United States.