Զինծառայողների հոգևոր դաստիարակության կարևորությունը / The importance of spiritual education of military personnel

Abstract

Spiritual element is a necessary component in the education of the military personnel. Without spirituality, it is difficult to educate a person in the qualities of self-sacrifice, discipline, sense of responsibility and honor, which are necessary for the defender of the Motherland. The Army not only teaches a military profession and creates physical fitness, but also educates high spiritual and moral qualities based on patriotism, which is impossible without the participation of the Holy Church. Realizing the importance of spiritual education of servicemen in the Armenian Army, the spiritual leadership or military chaplaincy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia was established in 1997. Its mission is to teach soldiers Holy Bible and tenets of Christian faith, according to the creed of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, as well as to educate them with Christian moral principles and patriotic spirit of selfless service to the interests of the state and nation. Faith helps a person to maintain discipline, to overcome fears and call of the self-preservation instinct in case of danger, and first of all during military actions. Certainly, spiritual, moral and ideological education among military personnel automatically raises the level of discipline, psychological stability, morale, conscious fulfillment of one’s duty of the Motherland Defender, their fighting ability and professionalism.