In an interview with Hawzah News Agency, Archbishop Grigor Chiftchian, Catholicos of All Armenians of Azerbaijan Province since 2012, said that the concept of awaiting a divinely guided savior is a common and unifying doctrine in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
“The essence of expectation—meaning the belief in a savior—is one and the same in all monotheistic religions,” he said. “When societies lose this belief, they become vulnerable to conflict, wars, destructive rivalries, and even widespread spiritual and psychological disorders. What we witness in today’s world is a clear example of this reality.”
Archbishop Chiftchian drew a sharp distinction between reliance on worldly rulers and hope placed in God, stressing that human governance is inherently fallible.
“The expectations we place on rulers and political leaders are fundamentally different from what we expect from God Almighty,” he noted. “Rulers are prone to error, but what is rooted in divine promise is flawless and incomparable in its impact on society.”
He further cautioned that political systems detached from faith and spiritual accountability are more likely to commit grave mistakes, even within societies shaped by major monotheistic traditions.
“History has shown that whenever leaders and policymakers drift away from faith in God and the belief in the awaited savior, their errors multiply,” he said. “Conversely, when rulers maintain sincere faith and align themselves with the principle of expectation and divine justice, societies become more united, resilient, and prepared for moral responsibility.”
In his concluding remarks, the Armenian archbishop emphasized that preserving hope and faith in the eventual triumph of justice is a core duty shared by all religions.
“The greatest responsibility of believers is never to abandon faith and hope in the coming of the savior,” he said. “The moment a society loses hope, moral decline begins. The central mission of all religions is to safeguard faith and hope—because without them, societies inevitably collapse.”
His remarks come amid growing global debates over morality, governance, and the role of religion in addressing contemporary crises, highlighting the enduring relevance of shared spiritual principles across faith traditions.
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