Bishops and Diocesan Leaders Urge to Refrain from Ratifying the Istanbul Convention

The bishops and diocesan leaders of Armenia have issued a statement regarding the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). In recent weeks, the public has widely discussed the objectives, principles, and formulations of the convention, which Armenia signed in January 2018, as well as the advisability of its further ratification.

The Church welcomes every initiative, including legal documents aimed at excluding violence in the family and in other social environments. Any manifestation of violence is condemnable. Regardless of the existing biologically created differences, all people are under the unchanged care of God, as stated in the first universal epistle of the Apostle John: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).

The prevention and fighting against violence, as well as any evil, should be implemented through measures that do not cause new sin and new evil. In this regard, several ideas and concepts contained in the convention are of serious concern and unacceptable.

The definitions and interpretations that define genders beyond the biological two are incompatible with the Church’s moral teachings (Article 4, Part 3 of the Convention; Explanatory Report on the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, Istanbul, 11.05.2011, Article 4, Paragraph 53, Article 60, Paragraph 313). These definitions effectively recognize a person's right to even choose their own “gender.” The Christian Orthodox understanding of human rights and freedoms excludes the distortion or alteration of a person’s God-given identity.

Given the subtext of the “freedom to choose gender” of the convention, there is also serious confusion and interpretation required concerning the demand in the convention for participating states to uproot traditions based on the idea of “the stereotypical division of roles between women and men” in order to “change the social and cultural behaviors of women and men” (Article 12, Part 1 of the Convention).

The convention also contains a specific instruction to introduce educational materials related to the concept of “gender roles free from stereotypes” in all levels of official educational programs (Article 14), without clarifying the content of the terminology for teaching.

The convention’s approaches toward gender stand in contrast to the Church’s unchangeable doctrine regarding the family upon which our national understanding of family is based. According to the Church's teaching, the family can consist of a man and a woman, who become one body and one whole through a marriage sanctified by holy matrimony, as the Holy Scriptures convey (Genesis 2:24, Mark 10:7-8, Ephesians 5:31).

Our people have always honored women, exemplified by the Holy Mother of God, valuing their role and mission in the family, social, and national life. The unity of man and woman in the family, established upon love, mutual respect, and understanding, is one of the main guarantees of the nation’s continuity, the education of individuals, and the formation of responsible citizens of the state.

Therefore, measures to prevent violence in the family and to combat it should be based on the sacredness and sanctity of the family.

Thus, considering that there are serious concerns and concepts in the convention from the perspective of national-spiritual identity and security interests, we urge the responsible bodies of the homeland’s authorities to refrain from ratifying the document.

In favor of strengthening the homeland and building a bright future for our people worldwide, we emphasize the education of the new generation in spiritual, moral, and national values in the family and the national educational system, as well as the responsible operation of mass media for this purpose.

The Church will continue its pastoral mission by providing spiritual care and support to Armenian families in overcoming obstacles in family life and strengthening the sacredness of the family through God-given grace.

It is our prayer that the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ keep our people under His daily care, warm our families with strong and everlasting love, and grant prosperity to our homeland, making fruitful all the efforts dedicated to the progress of our homeland and people.