In Memory of Khoren Arisian (November 24, 1932 – January 14, 2021)

We our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Dr. Khoren Arisian, who died on Jan 14, 2021 at the age of 88.

Khoren was born on November 24, 1932 in Boston, MA to Khoren and Florence Arisian. His father’s experiences as a survivor of the Armenian pogrom, greatly influenced Khoren’s lifetime work for justice. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Tufts University, MA in 1954 with an Associate’s degree in History, following which he received a Certificate in Religion and Philosophy from Manchester College, Oxford University, England (1955). He earned his Bachelor of Divinity from Crane Theological School, Tufts University in 1957 and was a Merrill Fellow at the Harvard Divinity School (1966). In 1989, Starr King School for the Ministry, CA granted him an honorary doctorate degree.

Rev. Dr. Arisian was ordained on September 9, 1958 by the First Unitarian (now UU Society) of Iowa City, Coralville, IA where he carried out his ministry from 1958 to 1964. Prior to his ordination, he served the UU Society of Amherst, MA as a student minister (1956-1957). Following his ministry in Iowa, he served at the UU Church of Sarasota, FL (1964-1966). In 1979, he accepted a call from the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, MN and ministered for eighteen years. On June 1, 1997, the Minneapolis congregation conferred him the title of Minister Emeritus.

Within the UUA denomination, Rev. Dr. Arisian served as a member of the UU Denominational Grants Panel (1981-1984); and as a Chair of the UU Social Concerns Grants Panel (1984-1987). He was Coordinator for the UU Theological and Historical Traditions of the Meadville Lombard Theological School (August 1980), and Associate Faculty for Starr King School for the Ministry.

Throughout his career, Rev. Dr. Arisian was devoted to advancing religious humanism. He helped found the North American Committee for Humanism and the Humanist Institute (New York City), where he functioned as Associate Dean and sat on the Board of Governors. He became a Leader of the Boston Ethical Society from 1966 to 1968 after which he served as a Leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture (1968-1979). He was director and co-founder of the Ethical Culture School of Adult Education, NY, and an associate editor of The Humanist (1969-1977). In 2000, he returned to the NY Society for Ethical Culture, this time as Senior Leader. Upon his final retirement in 2005, he became Senior Leader Emeritus.

Rev. Dr. Arisian co-chaired the Humanist and Ethical Union Congress held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1970. He was a member of various organizations including: The Council on Foreign Relations, Minneapolis, MN; Minnesota Civil Liberties Union; The Citizens League of Minneapolis; and Chaplaincy Task Force for the New York Board of Corrections. In addition, he assisted in establishing the New York Society for Prison Reform Task Force, a social service and advocacy organization helping prisoners and their families successfully restructure their lives during and after incarceration. In the early 2000s, he created the New York Ethical Culture’s Advocacy Forums, an outreach to the greater New York public, co-sponsored with The Nation, Demos, Amnesty International and the ACLU. The Forums offered huge audiences informative discussions from the likes of Al Gore, Paul Krugman, Cornel West, Toni Morrison, and many more.

Rev. Arisian’s pulpit addresses were broadcasted over WQXR, the radio station of The New York Times. He had over 100 articles written on religious philosophy, humanism, and social ethics. Some of his writings are: “Unitarian Humanism,” Faith and Freedom (Autumn 1963); “The Intellectual Evolution of Unitarian Universalism: A Critical Portrait,” Crane Review (Fall 1963); “The Clown, Magnus, and Selma, Alabama,” Journal of the Liberal Ministry (Fall 1965); “Autonomous Living in a Democracy,” UU World (October 1, 1973); “Emerson: The Quest for Wholeness,” Religious Humanism (Summer, 1988). Knopf published his forward-thinking book, The New Wedding, Creating Your Own Marriage Ceremony in 1973.

Khoren enjoyed classical music, literature, films, fine dining, lively conversation, and loved a good laugh. He was well-travelled and returned repeatedly to Greece for his intellectual and spiritual rejuvenation.

Khoren is survived by his loving family: his wife Leigh McKay; his sons Christopher Arisian and Derek Arisian (Silvia Arisian); his stepdaughters Megan Elliott (Eddie Elliott) and Amy McDaid (Richie McDaid); his grandchildren Sofia, Serena, Veronica, GianLuca Arisian, Natasha and Aidan Arisian, Levi Elliott, and Finn McDaid; and his brother Rodney Arisian.