In the year 300 A.D. there were two Empire’s surrounding the small but autonomous country of Armenia. The Roman Empire to the West and the Sassanian Persians to the East. King Trdat of Armenia walked a careful line of appeasing both super powers. He had looked to his gods for guidance but now even religion became a political issue. The Roman Emperor Dioclecian demanded that Christian refugees seeking asylum from His persecution be sent back to Roman boarders. The Persians demanded that King Trdat would worship their Zoastrian gods and not allow these Christians to worship either. Both super powers put pressure on Armenia which, had up to this point, had been fairly religiously tolerant. The challenge for the King was that a number of his court officials had embraced this Jesus Christ. Church legend has it that Bartholomew and Thaddeus, both disciples of Jesus, had ministered in the region containing important trade routs in centuries earlier.

Then, as legend has it, King Trdat was struck with a disease which made him more like a beast. Some noticed this disease had only struck him after sending the Christian witness Grigor to the “Pit of Oblivion” years earlier. The King’s sister had a vision that this man Grigor could heal him, but was he alive after years of abandonment? Grigor had survived because of a widow who had thrown bread and water into the pit for Grigor to sustain himself. As the story goes Grigor emerged from the pit, prayed for the King, who experienced healing. The result was the conversion of the King of Armenia, and the edict of Christianity becoming the state religion. The first “Christian Nation” was birthed. Grigor would eventually become their first Bishop. Churches replaced pagan temples. Theological development grew and delegates were sent to Nicea to form the doctrine we still use today, the “Nicean Creed”.

No matter if we affirm the “legendary” nature of this story as fact, fiction, or a little bit of both. The reality is the Armenian government was profoundly affected by Christianity. The Roman Empire would soon be overtaken by another Christian ruler, Constantine. Thus began the history of the intersection of Christianity and politics. This is a complicated history which speaks even to our current moment. What we can learn from this, as we will see this Sunday with Philip witnessing to a government official from Ethiopia, is that God moves through the lives of all peoples in all spaces. People in the political, cultural, and economic spheres of influence. If we are in these positions or not, we should be careful to remember that we first belong to God, not just a nation or a brand. In His eyes there is no political, national, or geographical boundaries. He rules over all! Also, God is in charge of governments and no position of power is outside of His ability to claim, redeem, and use for His purposes. Christians who find themselves in positions of power, no matter how much power, should be reminded that they are there to first honor God in their hearts and lives. He is our first allegiance. Then we are to seek the best for His creatures and His creation. This is what glorifies God and tells the world that Christianity is not just true but good and beautiful.

Rev. Ben Melli