The Mechanisms of Implementing Forced Secularization in Soviet Armenia: The Case of the Armenian Apostolic Church
The Mechanisms of Implementing Forced Secularization in Soviet Armenia: The Case of the Armenian Apostolic Church

Summary/Abstract: As a historical process secularization should not be regarded as a “once-for-all unilateral process”. It carried various patterns and occurred at varied historical periods in the world. But in many societies it had a scattered nature and did not take those radical forms, which the Soviet government implemented in order to eliminate religion. In this paper by illustrating the case of the Armenian Apostolic Church, I describe and explain the effects of forced secularization on the Church and religious practice in Soviet Armenia.I focus mostly on forced secularization, as my goal is to identify the mechanisms of lessening the impact of the Church in the society and the attempts to demolish religion from it.

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