Հովհան Օձնեցու գործունեության գնահատումը ազգային ինքնության համատեքստում

Abstract

In the article the three episodes of St. Hovhannes Odzneci the III (717-728): a) signing a “treaty” with the Caliph in Damascus, b) creating and editing the Code of Armenia, Church Reforms, c) the theoretical-ideological struggle against Chalcedonianism and the Paulicians have been observed both in the realities of the period and in a wider context of national identity with the aim of discovering manifestations of certain features of Armenian mentality and behavior in the whole process of identity transformation. It is argued that the main goal of the Armenian Catholicos was to create a complete passport of the Armenian Christian identity and outline the boundaries between “Us” and “Them” through theological and dogmatic principles, religious symbols, rituals, ceremonies and so on. Odznetci’s wish was to see the nation consolidated and united, but in order to achieve the goal a Pan-Armenian “ideology” was necessary, instead of trying to alienate the nationality of the “dissidents” or migrate from the homeland, as was the spirit of the time (identifying nationality with religion and belief). Odznetci’s experience shows that, even for a good purpose, the segments of the nation having different ideas about national identity should not be “united” forcefully; that the nation that has self respect and protects its own civilization should have “eternal” interests and visions with respect to its homeland, the prosperity of homeland and the nation, the preservation of national values and cultural identity; and that all public-political and religious institutions and forces should contribute to the implementation of the said ignoring their interests.