Questions to More Questions (On Freedom & Independence part 2/5)
The United States of America celebrates its 250th Anniversary of declaring independence from England on the Fourth of July. For a quarter of a millennium, this country, a nation of states, has wrestled with the concept of freedom and its limits. The Declaration of Independence signed on July 4, 1776 expressed that equality among men was self-evident as an unalienable right given to these men by their Creator.
Which men? All men? Define “men”. Does that include women? Questions that have been asked and answered, and have provoked new questions along the way, have tested and continue to test the boundaries defined in the Declaration and subsequently in the Constitution of the United States. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
This week, we are looking and listening to that voice… today’s one minute for Summertime.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DeclarationPurpose1.jpg5761024Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-06-30 00:10:432026-06-29 18:12:33Something to Say
In times of crisis and uncertainty, people everywhere are searching for truth, love, and wisdom, a path to healing and a taste of heaven on Earth. Epostle was created to help meet that search by reconnecting the modern world with the oldest, purest roots of the Christian faith.
We call it OG Christianity. The term “O.G.” has become a cultural shorthand for the original, the authentic, the real thing. Applied to faith, it points to Christianity as it was first lived and taught, unaltered, undiluted, and alive – Epostle terms O.G. as “Original Gospel”.
To find those roots, we travel back to Mount Ararat, the storied landing place of Noah’s Ark and the heartland of the Armenian people. As the first nation to embrace Christianity, Armenians made a lasting commitment: to preserve the original teachings of Christ, even when it meant standing apart from the powerful institutions of their day. That devotion lives on in their ancient monasteries, ornate khachkars (stone crosses), illuminated manuscripts, sacred rituals, and music.
It is a heritage carried through centuries of hardship, persecution, genocide, and repeated attempts to erase it, and safeguarded by the sacrifice of generations of Armenian monks. You can feel its depth in the haunting sound of the duduk, a voice that seems to open the heart and draw the listener toward the divine.
Now, this once-hidden treasure is awakening for a global audience. Through technology, Epostle shares these teachings far and wide, daily messages, translations into multiple languages, leveraging innovative technology tools and creativity, making ancient wisdom accessible to anyone with a phone, tablet, or computer.
OG Christianity is a portal to timeless truth and a key to your own heart. It’s an invitation to connect with God and to live, as the first Christians did, with love, peace, and hope.
Discover OG Christianity at Epostle, and find the heaven within.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/og_christianity_new_epostle-update.jpg5041200Gregoryhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngGregory2026-06-29 15:44:042026-06-29 15:53:00OG Christianity: Ancient Truths for a Searching World
For years, part of my office decor has been a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence. This is the document that was signed on this day, the fourth of July in 1776, by a group of men who were expressing their dream of freedom and independence. They proclaimed that there were “self-evident” truths, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” And with these words the experiment in democracy, the United States of America, was born.
I find these thoughtful and beautifully crafted words to be sacred, because they express the inner dreams of humankind. In the Declaration of Independence can be heard the cries of the human soul for rights and equalities. Certainly, true religion has and always must advocate for those rights.
Join me this week as we take an Armodoxy dive into freedom and independence, in one minute for summertime.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Copilot_20250703_211503.png1114904Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-06-29 00:10:372026-06-28 21:57:57Declaring with beauty
I had an interesting conversation with a young girl the other day, about the number of fingers on certain drawings. This 10-year-old had come with her mother to volunteer for the food distribution at the shelter. She had brought with her some paints and brushes for the kids there and we began to discuss the intricacies of drawing the human hand. I noted that cartoon characters have four fingers, and she was quick to one better me, by telling me about a character who had three fingers on his hand.
I asked who was the character? She answered, “It’s science fiction. It’s not real, yet.”
Indeed, that “yet” implied hope and faith in the future. That “yet” is what keeps people dreaming, believing, and creating.
We haven’t visited another planet yet. They haven’t discovered the cure, yet.
Our world hasn’t achieved peace, yet. Dream, believe and create. Today’s one-minute for Summertime.
“Out of the mouth of babes hast thou ordained strength,” cites Jesus. (Matthew 21:16)
The shoreline is always safer than the waters that carry the boat beyond the horizon, unless, of course, the shore is susceptible to erosion, tide wave, or the squabble of men in war. Granted, there are safe and dangerous conditions connected to every decision we make.
The Christian is called to a life of productivity, using their talents to the best of their ability. This direction forward can be stifled by fears brought upon by past experiences. Theologian and philosopher Søren Kierkegaard writes, “Life must be understood backward. But it must be lived forward.”
The gentle balance between learning from the past, and living for the day is Jesus’ message, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34) Today’s one minute in Summertime.
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We pray from the Armenian Book of Hours, the morning prayer, We thank You, O Lord our God, who granted us restful sleep in peace. And being awakened, caused us to worship Your awesome and glorified holy name. Grant us to pass the remainder of the day in peace. Living our lives with pure behavior in this world, may we reach the peaceful haven in eternal life. Amen.
Christopher Columbus, explorer of the West, advises, “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
The ocean is vast, mysterious and seemingly unending. The shore is solid, familiar with no waves to push you up or pull you down. In other words, it’s a safe place. Frankly, it’s not a bad place to be, unless you wish to explore, to go beyond the familiar.
To grab opportunity, pushing off the shore is not only necessary but the rule of law. When exiled from their homes, either in 1915 or in 2023, Armenians made the sign of the cross, lost the shore, fought the waves and arrived at their destination.
Happy sailing. Today’s one minute for Summertime.
A prayer from Bishop Nikolaj Velimirovic to the Asdvadzadzin
Waves of passion disturb my spirit, great sadness and anguish have overwhelmed my soul. Embalm my soul with Thy Son’s peace, O Most Holy One, and by His Grace drive away every doubt and despair. Calm the storm of my sins that, like a fiery worm, burn me, and quench its flame. Fill my heart with joy, O Most Pure One, and disperse the fog of my iniquities before me. Amen.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/the-bow-of-a-ship-with-the-horizon-in-the-distance.jpg10241024Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-06-24 00:10:492026-06-22 10:22:01Exploring beyond the Horizon
Saints come in all shapes and sizes. That might sound like an odd way to bring attention to the elite class of the Church, but each saint has a unique story that helps us in our Christian journey through life.
Andrew was the first-called disciple of Christ, in Armenian he’s referred to as Nakhagoch which literally means, the first to accept the call [of Jesus]. Throughout Scripture we read that he invited others to follow, most notably is his older brother, Peter, who went on to be the Apostle to, and the first Bishop of Rome.
Being the first takes a special and deep courage which is connected to inner strength but also to a commitment and belief that what you are following is absolutely and positively the correct path.
Andrew had that commitment and that confidence within, which made him the great Apostle of Christ. Today’s one minute for Summertime.
Praying from the Book of Hours of the Armenian Church, With your Light, O Christ, we have all been enlightened, and in Your Holy Cross, O Savior, we take refuge. By the intercession of the Holy Apostle Andrew, hear us, O God our Savior, grant us peace, and show us Your mercy, Good Lord. Amen.
Cover photo: St. Andrew at Ghazanchetzotz Monastery, 2014 Fr. Vazken
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1min-Andrew-e1700191222856.jpg8301113Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-06-23 00:10:332026-06-22 10:20:12Courage at the Beginning
A chiasmus is a literary form as old as recorded civilization. It is defined as a reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases. For instance, sayings such as, “Say what you mean, and mean what you say” or on the lighter side, “Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.”
St. Augustine appealed to the chiasmus form when he said, “The measure of love is to love without measure.”
Loving without measure is one of the hallmarks of Christianity. Love without limits allows us to understand all the other teachings of Jesus, such as charity, forgiveness or humility, as the challenge to be Christ-like.
The measure of love is to love without measure. Today’s one minute for Summertime.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/watermellon-723-e1750218587501.jpg1125754Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-06-22 00:08:062026-06-22 00:05:06Chiastic form in Christianity
In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the day with the most hours of sunlight. Daylight hours have increased since the Winter Solstice in December, the day which enjoys the sun the least.
In the Armenian Church, much has been written and said about the Winter Solstice because the date of Christmas was changed from January 6 to December 25 in the West, to bump the holidays surrounding the solstice celebrations, thus facilitating the spread of Christianity.
With no such conflicts of date or celebrations, the Summer Solstice gives us an opportunity to focus on light itself.
A few years back, I found myself in a village in Rwanda working with genocide survivors. We conducted informal interviews with them, became familiar with their daily activities and then, as the sun went down, people wound down, and soon, it was 7:00 PM. It was dark outside. People were in their homes, preparing for their night’s slumber. There was no sound throughout the village. I thought it odd that people would be preparing to sleep at this early hour. And then it occurred to me, that without electricity, without the artificial lighting that the electricity provides, for all intents and purposes the day was over with the sun set.
In a world without electricity, you can only imagine how welcomed the longer days are. It meant more time for families and community building, more time for productive living, for gatherings, therefore, more time to share and celebrate, that is, to express love.
Light is the facilitator of life. Light maximizes the potential for life. With this understanding, listen, then, to the words of Christ:
“Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him… A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 11 & 12)
Some of the great treasures of our Faith are found in the simplest phenomena of nature.
We end with a prayer by the 13th century saint Nersess Shnorhali, I confess with faith and worship you, O Indivisible Light, unified Holy Trinity and one Godhead; creator of light and dispeller of darkness, dispel from my soul the darkness of sin and ignorance, and enlighten my mind at this moment, so that I may pray to you according to your will, and receive from you the fulfillment of my requests. Have mercy upon your creatures, and on me. Amen.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DALL·E-2024-06-19-19.04.34-digital-art-of-people-walking-toward-a-sunrise-over-Mount-Ararat.png10241024Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-06-19 00:10:442026-06-18 22:19:32Solstice of Light
