The fifth annual Reclaim conference takes place this year in a virtual environment, March 6, 2021, 9 AM-5 PM (PST). With speakers and discussions about faith issues, the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church is once again giving an opportunity for everyone to come together, explore, question, find and embrace their faith in a changing world.
The theme of Reclaim 2021 is “Reclaiming Faith in a Post-Pandemic World.” Now that the COVID-19 virus has defined our life in pre-and post- pandemic terms, the Conference will look at the faith issues that have surfaced in the wake of lock-downs, political upheavals, and lonely-death.
Featured in this year’s Reclaim conference will a presentation by Dr. Hratch Tchilingiran titled, “Entering into the womb of the earth”: a theological reflection on death and life during the pandemic. Says Tchilingirian about his presentation, it is “about finding meaning in death, how we ought to ‘understand’ theologically, the millions of deaths caused by the pandemic.” Dr. Tchilingirian is a scholar, sociologist and activist based in the United Kingdom, where he is currently an Associate of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University, specializing in Middle Eastern and Armenian Studies, with a particular focus on cultural identity politics, homeland-diaspora relations, sociology of religion, and inter-ethnic conflicts in the Middle East and Eurasia.
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, invites church leaders, church members, and especially those who are seeking answers to the problems facing the world today, to participate in this one-day online event. “In a changing world,” says Abp. Derderian, “the relevance of our Christian identity should not be distorted. Humanity has witnessed countless changes throughout history, yet our Christian
Faith shelters our identity against all odds of the changing world.” It is his wish that people attend to listen, question, engage in dialogue, and walk away with the faith-tools that have assured the survival of the Armenian Nation.
Event organizer, Fr. Vazken Movsesian, points to the overwhelming challenges faced by humanity during the past year. “In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world saw racism raise its ugly head, dysfunctional politics divide a country, and we Armenians had to endure a War in Artsakh, which was ignored by the rest of humanity.”
One of the sessions of the Conference will be dedicated to the humanitarian efforts to bring aid and assistance to those displaced in the War. Diran Avakian, coordinator of the Western Diocese assistance efforts to bring relief, will accent the faith-in-action element to those efforts, as he leads one of the panel discussions.
Reclaim 2021 is open to all and will be available in a special Zoom conference format. Registration is required to access the link. The registration is free of charge on a first-come basis. Register at tiny.cc/Reclaim2021
Reclaim is organized by the Western Diocese, In His Shoes, Bridging Generations and the Deacons’ Council. Panel discussions will include deacons from the Eastern Diocese. For more information write info@inhisshoes.org or call (626) 275-AMEN.
RECLAIM 2021 - Reclaiming Faith in a Post-Pandemic World
March 6, 2021
9 AM to 5 PM – Pacific Time
Open to all ages. Deacons, Bridging Generations, Young Adults, ACYO members will particularly benefit from this program. Timed to accommodate people in multiple time-zones.
Zoom link available only by registering tiny.cc/Reclaim2021
