Pentecostal and charismatic christianity in ethiopia. A book dealing with history of the oromo and the christian kingdom of ethiopia c. The ethiopian orthodox church began in the 4th century a. Ephraim isaac discussed his book about the history of the ethiopian orthodox tawahido church and also that of christianity as a whole in ethiopia. In later years two other missionaries who survived longer than the others teamed up with krapf to establish christianity in east africa, hence laying the foundation on which subsequent efforts were to be built. Immediately after king ezana converted to christianity, he officially. A bibliography on christianity in ethiopia leiden repository. Ethiopian orthodox christianity and missionary churches. African christianity in ethiopia essay the metropolitan. Article pdf available in verbum et ecclesia 262 october 2005 with 21,029 reads how we measure reads a read is counted each time someone. Early historians were not at all clear about the geographical limitations of ethiopia.
If we consider the issue for a moment, however, we must realize that christianity is actually a near eastern religion. The largest and oldest is the ethiopian orthodox tewahedo church in amharic. A summary of the evidence in favor of the middle of the fourth century as the time when christianity became the official religion of ethiopia must draw attention to the following. Chapter four christianity in sudan and ethiopia william b. Christianity in ethiopia dates to the ancient kingdom of aksum, when the king ezana first adopted the faith. The history of christianity in africa probably began during the earthly ministry of jesus christ, two thousand years ago. Although the ancient, aboriginal population of what is now ethiopia were cushitic language speakers, the culture that came to be identified with ethiopia came from arabia, probably as early as. The christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life, death and resurrection of. What does history say about the first christians of africa. Christianity in ethiopia church history cambridge core. Christianity had come to ethiopia in the fourth century, first from syria and then was further institutionalized through the coptic church of egypt. Yaityopya ortodoks tawahedo betakrestyan an oriental orthodox.
The ethiopian orthodox union church, an autonomous christian church headed by a patriarch and closely related to the coptic church of egypt, was the state church of ethiopia until 1974. Ethiopia, as a christian country, is isolated from the 7th century by the emergence of islam. Aksums geographic location, at the southernmost edge of the hellenized near east, was critical to its conversion and development. They opened a vocational school in wolmera, a town approximately 35 km west of the capital. Although located in the tropics its high altitudes give much of it a temperate climate. The adoption of christianity in ethiopia dates to the fourthcentury reign of the aksumite emperor ezana. You can see the interrelation between thousands years old constructions design is related to the 600. Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the world, with more than 2 billion followers. There are various accounts of the origin of christianity in ethiopia, but most of them have no satisfactory historical basis. The first pentecostal missionaries with a longterm presence in ethiopia were the finnish couple annaliisa and sanfrid mattson who arrived in addis ababa in 1951.
Most ethiopians are christian, and the country has one of the oldest christian histories on earth, though islam predominates among certain ethnic groups along the sudanese and somalian borders. It is hoped nevertheless that this work will spur scholars and other people interested to further take up the exploration and study of christianity in ethiopia, as one of the most fascinating and challenging subjects in the field. Church historians say that during the early 300s, a christian traveler from tyre located within the present boundaries of lebanon named frumentius was taken captive in the kingdom of aksum, located in northern ethiopia and eritrea. The theme of christianity in ethiopia is broadly conceived, so that also titles on ethiopian philosophy and world views are included. A history, 15701860 by mohammed hassen pdf, epub ebook d0wnl0ad this study deals mainly with the history of the oromo of the area the gibe region. They provide information about early decorated gospel books and late antique art in the eastern mediterranean im a period for which we previously lacked such evidence. The first ethiopian orthodox church zion mariam is african oldest church. Christianity in ethiopia lafayette college, easton, pa. The paper gives an analysis of one part of my ongoing ph. Origen refers to the apostle matthew as a missionary to the ethiopians, an. Kalu ah, land of rustling wings, beyond the rivers of kush.
The eotc is one of the oldest christian churches in the world, and as a result ethiopia was known as the oldest christian kingdom in spite of the fact that there are also other faiths in ethiopia other than christianity. The orthodox tewahedo church was part of the coptic orthodox church until 1959. Ethiopian ancient architecture and the ethiopian history. Ethiopia has the worlds secondlargest orthodox population approximately 36 million people and a christian history that dates to the fourth century.
The clerics have kept alive the myth of a christian empire whose origins go back to axum and even to king solomons israel. Ah, land of rustling wings, beyond the rivers of kush. For a long time it was practiced by the people, but still. Summary and statistical report of the 2007 population and housing census results pdf. In ethiopia, christianity was introduced first to the royal court, and the gradually was spread to the common people. The story begins at a time when the medieval christian kingdom of. Ethiopia s eastern christianity has remained intensively inspired by thbible and the concept of ancient e hebrew. Of much greater importance to the history of the whole area of the horn of africa was the rapid expansion of the territorial limits of the christian kingdom, and the. Interestingly, the representatives of mission societies working in af rica usually gave the impression that the european and north american. Christian history ethiopia evangelism global church history international.
Holy trinity cathedral, an ethiopian orthodox church building in addis ababa. Ethiopia is a predominantly christian country and the majority of christians are orthodox tewahedo christians, who belong to the ethiopian orthodox tewahedo church. Features of the ethiopian orthodox church and the clergy is a topic designed to give a historical overview of the church, ecclesiastical establishment and the process undertaken to develop orthodox christianity within the country. Can anyone in this vast world tell us where can we obtain a copy of the ethiopian bible. Pentecostal and charismatic movements are fairly young phenomenon in ethiopia. The one who stops to help him is a samaritan, a person from samaria considered a foreigner and an. This was a great historical event in ethiopian history because after ezana embraced christianity, the latter faith became official religion of ethiopia and the first ethiopian church was established and for the last one thousand and seven hundred years, the church occupied a center stage position in the annals of ethiopian history.
This translation dates back to the fifth century, and possibly the fourth century, when christianity first became established in ethiopia. To be sure, the book doesnt conclusively assert that ethiopia was the first nation to adopt christianity as its state religion. Church historians say that during the early 300s, a christian traveler from tyre located within the present boundaries of lebanon named frumentius was taken captive in the kingdom of. Pentecostal and charismatic christianity has become an increasingly noticeable phe nomenon in. Orthodox christians are highly religious in ethiopia. The main religions in ethiopia are christianity, islam, judaism and paganism. This video gives good explanation about the history of ethiopia and its ancient architecture. The kingdom was located along major international trade routes through the red sea between india and the roman empire. Ethiopia and the horn of africa directly from arabia, and from the very dawn of islam. Why has this essential knowledge been hidden from us. Originally thought to have been in the orient, eventually the search for prester johns mythical kingdom focused on africa and particularly, the christian empire in. Please email with instructions as to the steps which i need to take to obtain an.
Christianity began in ethiopia when two syrian christians frumentius and aedissius came to aksum and started to tell people about jesus christ and the christian faith. When the typical american thinks of christianity, he or she usually visualizes a religion of western europe and the new world. Brief history of pentecostalism in ethiopia european. Historical, political, religious, and sociocultural aspects 8 1.
Ethiopian missionaries sent to convert the himyarites. Christianity in this country is divided into several groups. Candace, however, was a name used chiefly in nubia and ancient ethiopia, and not to be found among the queens of ethiopia proper. Early african christianity regrettably, some scholars of african culture and religion have acquired a persistent habit of assuming that christianity began in africa only a couple of centuries ago. Chapter pdf available january 2014 with 2,800 reads how we measure reads a. Yaityopya ortodoks tawahedo betakrestyan an oriental orthodox church centered in ethiopia. Christianity emerged in ethiopia in the mid4th century, possibly earlier, and gained an important role in ethiopian life that was maintained until today. A historical introduction to a largely unexplored movement. Worlds first illustrated christian bible discovered at ethiopian monastery. Ethiopia is a nation with a long, venerable and complex history. History of northern ethiopia and the establishment of the italian colony or eritrea. A history of early twentieth century ethiopia, richard pankhurst, 1997.
Politics and religion in ethiopia a thesis presented to. One tradition, found in the royal chronicles and other native works, claims that the apostle thomas was responsible for the introduction of christianity into ethiopia. Pentecostal and charismatic christianity has become an increasingly noticeable phenomenon in ethiopia, which coincides with the significant rise of protestantism in the past two decades. The new testament of the bible mentions several events in which africans were witnesses to the life of christ and the ministry of the apostles. Of these, the largest and oldest is the ethiopian orthodox tewahedo church in amharic. It is not at the center, like the holy landor even a major player like egypt, syria and babylon. Christian history provides quality articles about the history of the christian church and is the official site of christian history magazine. Ethiopia has its own form of christianity, the ethiopian orthodox church, also referred to as tewahedo.
Christianity in ethiopia dates to the ancient kingdom of aksum, when the king ezana first. Origen refers to the apostle matthew as a missionary to the ethiopians, an association which rufinus also gives. African christianity in ethiopia heilbrunn timeline of art history. Christianity spread as a popular religion across northern africa, reaching into what is now ethiopia and other regions along the red sea. Christianity was introduced to ethiopia in the 4th century, and the ethiopian orthodox church called tewahdo in ethiopia is one of the oldest organized christian bodies in the world. Brief historical synopsis of the ethiopian orthodox tewahedo church.
There is actually no trustworthy record of christianity in this country in the first century. In the words of an outstanding student of symbolism. Before the ethiopian king ezana whose kingdom was then called aksum embraced christianity for himself and decreed it for his kingdom c. Church unearthed in ethiopia rewrites the history of. According to the story, queen makeda, who took the ethiopian throne in the 10th century, b. Christianity high and drill their auditors to believe in their moral and religious superiority. The church has long enjoyed a dominant role in the culture and politics of ethiopia, having served as the official religion of the ruling elite until the demise of the monarchy in 1974.
There are a minority of christians who are roman catholic or protestant. An interesting sideeffect of ethiopian christianity was the way it intersected with a belief that had long prevailed in europe of the existence of a christian kingdom in the far east, whose monarch was known as prester john. A historical introduction to a largely unexplored movement jorg haustein abstract. He also writes a treatise on the theological errors of the ethiopian church, armed with which he persuades the king, susenyos, to abandon his monophysite heresy and to declare that christ has two natures. Page 1 of 5 african christianity african christianity when i was a seminary student during the late fifties and early sixties, i had the opportunity to attend mission conferences in the toronto area. Christianity was introduced to the country in the 4th century and thus axum is known to be center of religion and civilization. The ethiopic form of the tau is an exact prototype of the conventional christian cross. However, between the 14th and 17th centuries a series of northern european reforms led to what is now called the protestant reformation culminating in a mass exodus. Ethiopia s cultural heritage will help to increase visitor revenue and understanding of the extraordinary history of this country. Ten years later, under strong local pressure, the king reverts to ethiopia s traditional version of christianity.
Many pass him by without giving him help, including respected members of his own community. Selected chapters from a history of christianity by kenneth scott latourette vol. Some years later frumentius travelled to alexandria to inform athanasius of the development of christianity in the axumite palace, who ordained him bishop. Ethiopia the center for early african christianity.
Protestantism a brief overview of the history of protestant christianity during the middle ages the roman catholic church held a virtual monopoly of faith in western europe. The history of ethiopia was a continuous struggle of the christian polity against muslim and pagan tribes, either warding off their attacks or striving to expand the ethiopian domain over them. Church unearthed in ethiopia rewrites the history of christianity. Church unearthed in ethiopia rewrites the history of christianity in africa archaeologists now can more closely date when the religion spread to the aksumite empire. Christianity in ethiopia tion about a matter of church government at that time any more than, later, it was willing to accept papal direction about theological matters.
Ethiopian bible is the oldest and complete bible on earth. Frumentius and aedissius influenced king ezana, who ruled aksum in the early part of the fourth century, and successfully converted him to christianity. Christianity in ethiopia dates to the 1st century ad, and this long tradition makes ethiopia unique amongst subsaharan african countries. These traditions have probably resulted, for the most part, from a confusion of terms.
References to christianity in ethiopia in general works on the history of christianity in africa were not included. Orthodox christians are highly religious in ethiopia pew. Frumentius sought out christian roman merchants, was converted, and later became the first bishop of aksum. Pdf pentecostal and charismatic christianity in ethiopia. European university, christian dogma, and exegetical rules and methods had therefore their roots in ancient african christian life. Other articles where history of ethiopia is discussed. Ethiopian bible is oldest and most complete on earth. A history, 15701860 by mohammed hassen the oromo of ethiopia. Within ethiopia there are also large populations of muslims. Thus the carbon14 dates make it closer in date to when the translation was done.