“Tomorrow’s Church is present here today!”
– Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
“Tomorrow’s Church is present here today!” exclaimed Archbishop Hovnan Derderian after a day of presentations and discussion at Reclaim 2025. The 9th Annual Reclaim Conference finished following a day of stimulating talks and discussions about the use of Artificial Intelligence in our lives today. Titled “Reclaiming Reality,” the conference brought together a w
orldwide audience, gathered locally at the Western Diocese, and following over the Epostle network to followers on five continents.
Archbishop Derderian, the Primate of the Western Diocese, was exceptionally pleased with the caliber of speeches and presentations that filled the day with stimulating conversations that bled into the breaks and kept attendees buzzing well after the event.
The Conference began with an orientation by Fr. Vazken Movsesian, director of Epostle.net, the Electronic Ministry of the Western Diocese. In a world where the difference between fact and fiction are blurred because of augmented and virtual realities, how to we decipher the difference between fact and fiction? And within the Church, where Truth is defined by the person of Jesus Christ, where are the places where AI can enhance the mission of our Church?
The presentations were exceptionally well thought prepared in their ability to stimulate the audience to discuss and ponder the issues that are pressing society and the world today. From a variety of different disciplines, the speakers grounded their talks in the reality of the Armenian Church today.
The topics and their presenters were as follows:
- How to Master AI without Losing Your Own Intelligence by George Stepaniants, NSF Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow at the California Institute of Technology
- In What Image? Faith, Truth and Identity Amidst the Rise of Artificial Intelligence by Fr. Mesrop Ash, Parish Priest of St. John Armenian Church, San Francisco
- The Divine Spark: Creativity, AI, and the Soul’s Journey by Gregory Beylerian, Award-winning multi-dimensional artist and Creative Director at Epostle
- Good AI: Better Understand Subjective Reality by Karapet Mkrtchyan, PhD candidate of biomedical sciences at School of Medicine, UC Riverside
- Intelligence: A Path to Knowledge and Spiritual Perfection in Armenian Philosophical Thinking by Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, Director of Institutional Innovation at the Western Diocese
Ticket sales from the event were donated to Western Diocese LA Wildfires Disaster Relief Fund. Dn. Dikran Harutyunian of the Deacons Council made the presentation. Sousanna Pogosyan, of the Basement Tapes Podcast served as MC, and Lusine Takmazian, as chairman of the organizing committee shared her sincere appreciation to all those who contributed to the success of this year’s Reclaim, especially to Circle of Faith group, headed by Heidi Kavoukjian, for providing the lunch at the event.
Archbishop Derderian asked that the momentum continue, in his closing remarks. He saw the conference as a profession of the progressive nature of the Church in the Western Diocese, with Epostle being the digital platform for sharing the Armenian Church’s teachings to the world. The Entire conference with follow up material will be available in an abbreviated format on the Epostle.net website. As the conference concluded there was a quick glance to next year – the 10th anniversary of Reclaim – as being a very special edition. Watch for details coming up.
Photos: Courtesy of Vahe Sargsyan
