Saturday, April 16, 2005

Why I Am Not an Armenian

A movie came out recently entitled My Son Shall Be Armenian. It’s the gripping true story of one man’s journey to go to any length to ensure that his oldest boy will not succumb to the temptation to become a 5-point Calvinist.

Ok, I’m joking. The movie is real; my description isn’t. But I do it tongue-and-cheek to illustrate a common mispronunciation. After all, the Armenians are “a nation or ethnic group, originating in the Caucasus and eastern Asia Minor.” The Arminians, on the other hand, are Christians who believe in libertarian free will and believe that divine election is based upon divine foreknowledge.

So while some Armenians may be Arminian, and some Arminians may be Armenian, just because you are an Armenian doesn’t make you an Arminian and just because you are an Arminian doesn’t make you an Armenian. So don’t call Arminians Armenians and don’t call Armenians Arminians.

This has been a public service announcement from Between Two Worlds.