NS804SE – Dr. Sophia Armen Conversation (Audio)

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This is the soundtrack (AUDIO ONLY) of Next Step #804

Watch the Video at https://youtu.be/mxtcG8_7ABg?si=FW03repXAvSeVcNg

Sophia Armen, Ph.D., on Armenian Christian Identity and Activism in the World Today

The Next Step with Fr. Vazken, SE, August 9, 2025

Activism in a world plagued by intolerance, war and even genocide. Here is a must-listen-to interview with Sophia Armen, a fresh voice, who shares her views on identity, activism and global challenges. Sophia Armen is a community organizer and scholar from Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Armen serves as Executive Director of Armenian-American Advancement Network and as Co-Chair of the CA Middle Eastern and North African-American Civil Rights Coalition. She holds a PhD in Ethnic Studies and has been active in a diverse array of community initiatives.

Recorded: 1 August 2025

From Dr. Armen’s website: Dr. Sophia Armen is a Middle Eastern-American feminist organizer, scholar, and writer. She holds a PhD in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, San Diego. Her research “A Peoples’ History of Middle Eastern-Americans, 1890-1930” focuses on the racialization of Middle Eastern peoples in the United States, from the perspectives of organizers and refugees through feminist theory and methodologies. She has been building in the feminist, SWANA, and survivor justice movements in the United States for over 15 years. She is a descendant of genocide survivors from Kharpert, Van, Hadjin and Istanbul. She served as the Co-Chair of The FF.

Shortest Prayer

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Armodoxy for Today: The Shortest Prayer

The simplest prayer is one offered by the Armenian Church. You cannot attend an Armenian Church service without hearing the phrase, Der Voghormia multiple times, which means, “Lord have mercy.” It is the first and foremost prayer for Christians and non Christians. It is a prayer offered humbly and in humility. In saying those words, “Lord have mercy,” there is a denial of self – of ego. Focusing on God’s mercy becomes a model for us to exercise mercy.

A few centuries, while Armenians were being attacked, and even slaughtered by their oppressor, the Armenian Church added a hymn to its sacred Liturgy, named Der Voghormya. Lord have mercy, simple words that lose the self and connect to the Higher Realm. There was a reason why they add this hymn, a reason we find when we repeat those words, Lord have mercy.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Butterflies and Mustard Seeds

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Armodoxy for Today: Butterflies and Mustard Seeds

While Christianity is a religion of action, sometimes it may seem impossible to make an impact, large or small, with our words, deeds and prayers. Disease, cancer and wars are overwhelmingly scary and a single person’s prayer or contribution seems insignificant in bringing relief to the chaos that they create.

Meteorologist Edward Lorenz coined the term, “Butterfly effect” which illustrates how a seemingly insignificant event – like a butterfly flapping its wings – could theoretically influence large scale phenomena, such as the formation of a tornado weeks later. The butterfly effect serves as a powerful reminder that a gentle, almost imperceptible gesture can alter the course of much larger events.

Never get discouraged by the size of the problem. Appreciate the hidden significance of words, choices and deeds. Nothing is ever truly inconsequential. Keep in mind Jesus’ challenge, “If you have faith as a mustard seed – [the smallest of all seeds] – you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Unplanned Modernity?

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Armodoxy for Today: Unplanned Modernity

Planned obsolescence is a strategy used by manufacturers to design products with a deliberately limited lifespan, so that consumers will need to replace them sooner than expected. It started back in the late 1800s with lightbulbs and today, most electronic equipment and gadgets are built to be obsolete within some timeframe.  Usually the consumer is alerted with a message: this device can no longer be updated, leaving you with the only option of purchasing a new model.

Jesus’ message is the opposite of planned obsolescence. Perhaps we may call it unplanned modernity. Jesus’ message is always relevant and new. Because it is not fabricated and in sync and harmony with the universe, it is natural. It is unplanned. Forever modern, forever contemporary, never out of style, never needing any extra upgrades, eternally true. Once acquired, keep it polished, and it will last a lifetime. This has been the formula adopted by the Armenian Church. No reason to consider an upgrade. This is Armodoxy.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Striking Out: Two Ways

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Armodoxy for Today: Striking Out

In the game of baseball, a player may strike out either by swinging the bat and not hitting a pitched ball, or by not swinging on a good pitch. There is a punishment – a strike – on an action and on a non-action, provided there was an opportunity to hit. Yes, a strike is counted on an action that misses its goal as well as on an opportunity missed.

Christ invites us to action. To “ask, seek and knock (Matthew 7:7), Jesus tells us, as well as to “Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the suffering” (Matthew 25). The opportunities to swing are many in our life, with despair and disease being pitched at us daily.

A Christian is called to action – to swing – by using his or her talents – those blessing that are uniquely his or hers.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

The Verbs of Jesus

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Armodoxy for Today: Verbs of Jesus

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus say, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

Christianity is a religion of action, we know, and the direction to that action is given to us by Christ himself. Ask, seek and knock are all verbs, words of action.

Isaac Newton put forth the third law of motion, to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. For Newton this was a law about energy and heat flow, although the law easily describes the dynamics at play in Jesus’ statement. And although Newton did not make that connection, it doesn’t escape us the Sir Isaac was a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, author and theologian.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Actions to Love

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Armodoxy for Today, one minute for Summertime: Actions to Love

Christianity is a religion of action. Over and over again, Christ teaches that we are to use the talents God has given us to bring goodness to lives – ours, as well as the lives of others. It is in doing that we discover responsibility. Hence, life has value and meaning when we act, when we share the gifts God showers on us, with others.

Jesus’ singular commandment was to love. And to avoid an misunderstanding, Jesus demonstrates the action of love with His life. “Love one another as I have loved you,” he says (John 13:34). Jesus’ love is a sacrificial love. We’re called to that same standard, to love by giving of ourselves.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Don’t don’t, Do

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Armodoxy for Today, one minute for Summertime: Don’t don’t, Do

I received a well-intentioned informational video the other day from a church, in which the narrator explained, while a model visually demonstrated the dos and don’ts of church attendance. This was the latest incarnation of a list outlining church etiquette that has been floating around as long as I can remember: Don’t cross your legs, don’t chew gum, don’t wear sleeveless shirts or blouses, and about 20 other rules. Sadly, only one item on the list was “do” and even sadder was that it pointed to women having to wear head coverings.

In their good intentions to keep the sanctuary space sacred, often these lists are skewed to the “don’t” side, giving the impression that Christianity is about curtailing and restricting actions. A quick glance at the Bible reveals that the Old Testament contains 613 laws and regulations. Moses brought it down to a manageable size with the 10 Commandments. Jesus summarized with the word “Love.” Not a prohibition but a direct order to “do,” to Love.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

Sensational and the Mundane

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Armodoxy for Today, one minute for Summertime: Peter and the Tent

At the Transfiguration event, recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus is shining the Christ Light. * As I shared over the past few days, this is the Light that transcends a source, such as the sun, star or even reflective light such as the moon. The event is singular in nature, it is extra-ordinary, extra-sensational, mystical and supernatural.

Peter, who is a witness to this event, asks Jesus if he would like a tent constructed for himself, Moses and Elijah. In the face of this extraordinary, mystical, supernatural event, Peter is preoccupied with the mundane. Sure, the gesture is a most hospitable one, but it deprives him of fully engaging in this singular event.

The action, or inaction, of Peter serves as a reminder of our own worldliness. Often we become consumed with the mundane while the true beauty and extraordinary events of life pass us by.

Today’s one minute for Summertime.

*Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–13, Luke 9:28–36, 2 Peter 1:16–18

Fulfilling the Law & Prophets

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Armodoxy for Today, one minute for Summertime: Fulfilling the Law and Prophets

At the Transfiguration, Jesus is surrounded by two Old Testament characters, Moses and Elijah. They represent the Law and the Prophets respectively. God’s voice is heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” *

In the Armenian Church tradition, Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, a pronouncement which is made every Sunday at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy in every Armenian Church. Indeed, the Kingdom of God is at hand. It is enacted.

God gave the Law, He gave the prophets, but He so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. (John 3:16)

Today’s one minute for Summertme.

*Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–13, Luke 9:28–36, 2 Peter 1:16–18