The Tondrakian Movement: Religious Movements in the Armenian Church from the Fourth to the Tenth Centuries Book

The origin of Christianity in Armenia is a matter of controversy. This is due in part to the fact that there is no literature in the Armenian language dating from the first four centuries and, therefore, there is no contemporary written document concerning the beginning of Christianity in Armenia. This study is a working synthesis of the state of research on religious movements in the Armenian church from the 4th to the 10th centuries. Religious movements have been an integral part of the Armenian church, and their growth is a phenomenon which runs side by side with, such developments as the rise of authority, the growth of canon law and the nature of church-state relations. The movements in the Armenian church played an important role in shaping Armenia's attitude towards Byzantium, Iranian interference in the country's religious life, the spread of Hellenism and the Caliphate.