The Ethiopian Christian fellowship has a long and fascinating history, deeply intertwined with the cultural and political landscape of Ethiopia. This article delves into the origins, development, and unique characteristics of this ancient faith.
Map of Ethiopia showing its regions.
Origins and Early Development
Tradition holds that Ethiopia was first evangelized by St. Matthew and St. Bartholomew in the 1st century CE, and the first Ethiopian convert is thought to have been the eunuch in Jerusalem mentioned in The Acts of the Apostles (8:27-40). John Chrysostom speaks of the "Ethiopians present in Jerusalem" as being able to understand the preaching of Saint Peter described in Acts 2:38. Possible missions of some of the Apostles in the lands now called Ethiopia are also reported as early as the 4th century. Socrates of Constantinople includes Ethiopia in his list as one of the regions preached by Matthew the Apostle, where a specific mention of "Ethiopia south of the Caspian Sea" can be confirmed in some traditions such as the Roman Catholic Church among others.
Ethiopian Church tradition tells that Bartholomew accompanied Matthew in a mission which lasted for at least three months. These missions are depicted in paintings by Francesco Trevisan (1650-1740) and Marco Benefial (1688-1764) in the Church of St. In the 4th century CE, Ethiopia was further Christianized by St. Frumentius and Aedesius, who won the confidence of the king at Aksum and were allowed to evangelize. Early Christianity became the established church of the Ethiopian Axumite Kingdom under king Ezana in the 4th century when priesthood and the sacraments were brought for the first time through Frumentius, known by the local population in Ethiopia as "Selama, Kesaté Birhan" ("Father of Peace, Revealer of Light").
The succeeding king, Ezana, was baptized by Frumentius, and Christianity was made the state religion. Frumentius is also believed to have established the first monastery in Ethiopia, named Dabba Selama after him. In 2016, archaeologists excavated a 4th-century AD basilica (radio-carbon dated) in northeastern Ethiopia at a site called Beta Samati. The discovery of the church and its contents confirm Ethiopian tradition that Christianity arrived at an early date in an area nearly 3,000 miles from Rome.
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Toward the end of the 5th century, nine monks from Syria are said to have brought monasticism to Ethiopia and encouraged the translation of the Scriptures into the Geʿez language. They also engaged in Bible translation. The divine services of the Ethiopian Church are celebrated in Geʽez, which has been the liturgical language of the church at least since the arrival of the Nine Saints, who are believed to have fled persecution by the Byzantine Empire after the Council of Chalcedon (451).
Debre Tsion Abune Aregawi monastery in Ethiopia, traditionally attributed to one of the Nine Saints.
Theological Distinctiveness
The Ethiopian church followed the Coptic (Egyptian) church (now called the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria) in rejecting the Christological decision issued by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE that the human and divine natures of Jesus Christ were equally present in one person without commingling. Opposed to this dyophysitism, or two-nature doctrine, the Coptic and Ethiopian churches held that the human and divine natures were equally present through the mystery of the Incarnation within a single nature. This position-called miaphysitism, or single-nature doctrine-was interpreted by the Roman and Greek churches as a heresy called monophysitism, the belief that Christ had only one nature, which was divine.
The Ethiopian church included into its name the word tewahedo, a Geʿez word meaning “unity” and expressing the church’s miaphysite belief. Tewahedo (Ge'ez: ተዋሕዶ täwaḥədo) is a Geʽez word meaning "united as one." This word refers to the Oriental Orthodox belief in Miaphysitism, meaning one perfectly unified nature of Christ; i.e., a complete union of the divine and human natures into one nature is self-evident to accomplish the divine salvation of mankind, as opposed to the "two natures of Christ" belief commonly held by the Latin and Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and most other Protestant churches.
Like other so-called non-Chalcedonian (also referred to as Oriental Orthodox) churches, it was cut off from dialogue with the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches until the mid-20th century, when many of the Christological disputes that arose from Chalcedon were resolved through ecumenical dialogue.
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The faith and practice of Orthodox Ethiopian Christians include elements from Miaphysite Christianity as it has developed in Ethiopia over the centuries. According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church itself, there are no non-Christian elements in the religion other than those from the Old Testament, or Həggä 'Orät (ሕገ ኦሪት), to which are added those from the New Testament, or Həggä Wongel (ሕገ ወንጌል). A hierarchy of K'ədusan ቅዱሳን (angelic messengers and saints) conveys the prayers of the faithful to God and carries out the divine will, so when Ethiopian Christians are in difficulty, they appeal to them as well as to God.
The Ethiopian Orthodox church is Trinitarian, maintaining the Orthodox teaching, formalised at the council of Nicea, that God is united in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Ethiopian Orthodox priest in Addis Ababa.
Medieval Period and Isolation
In the 7th century the conquests of the Muslim Arabs cut off the Ethiopian church from contact with most of its Christian neighbours. The church absorbed various syncretic beliefs in the following centuries, but contact with the outside Christian world was maintained through the Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem.
Beginning in the 12th century, the patriarch of Alexandria appointed the Ethiopian archbishop, known as the abuna (Arabic: “our father”), who was always an Egyptian Coptic monk; this created a rivalry with the native itshage (abbot general) of the strong Ethiopian monastic community. Attempts to shake Egyptian Coptic control were made from time to time, but it was not until 1929 that a compromise was effected: an Egyptian monk was again appointed abuna, but four Ethiopian bishops were also consecrated as his auxiliaries. A native Ethiopian abuna, Basil, was finally appointed in 1950, and in 1959 an autonomous Ethiopian patriarchate was established, although the church continued to recognize the honorary primacy of the Coptic patriarch.
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During the Middle Ages, the Ethiopian Church also witnessed the rise of influential monastic movements that challenged established religious and political norms. There are many monolithic (rock-hewn) churches in Ethiopia, most famously eleven churches at Lalibela. When Jerusalem fell in the 12th century, Lalibela’s churches were constructed to establish the New Jerusalem in Ethiopia.
Besides these, two main types of architecture are found-one basilican, the other native. In both forms, the sanctuary is square and stands clear in the centre, and the arrangements are based on Jewish tradition. Walls and ceilings are adorned with frescoes. A courtyard, circular or rectangular, surrounds the body of the church. Modern Ethiopian churches may incorporate the basilican or native designs.
Jesuit Influence and Its Aftermath
The period of Jesuit influence, which broke the connection with Egypt, began a new chapter in church history. In 1507, Mateus, or Matthew, an Armenian, had been sent as an Ethiopian envoy to Portugal. In 1520, an embassy under Dom Rodrigo de Lima landed in Ethiopia. Later, Ignatius Loyola wished to take up the task of conversion, but was forbidden to do so. Instead, the pope sent out João Nunes Barreto as patriarch of the East Indies, with Andrés de Oviedo as bishop; and from Goa envoys went to Ethiopia, followed by Oviedo himself, to secure the king's adherence to Rome. After repeated failures some measure of success was achieved under Emperor Susenyos I, but not until 1624 did the Emperor make formal submission to the pope.
Susenyos made Roman Catholicism the official state religion but was met with heavy resistance by his subjects and by the authorities of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and eventually had to abdicate in 1632 in favour of his son, Fasilides, who promptly restored Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. When the son of Soseneyous, Fassiledes, came to the throne after his father’s death, he looked at the suffering of the people, and forced the Portuguese to leave the country.
Fasilides Bath in Gondar, Ethiopia, named after Emperor Fasilides.
Modern Era
Largely the work of Abu Rumi over ten years in Cairo, this version, with some changes, held sway until Emperor Haile Selassie ordered a new translation which appeared in 1960/1. The 19th century witnessed the publication of an Amharic translation of the Bible. Haile Selassie also played a prominent role in further reforms of the church, which included encouraging the distribution of Abu Rumi's translation throughout Ethiopia, as well as his promotion of improved education of clergy, a significant step in the Emperor's effort being the founding of the Theological College of the Holy Trinity Church in December 1944.
The Coptic and Ethiopian churches reached an agreement on 13 July 1948, that led to autocephaly for the Ethiopian Church. This promotion was completed when Coptic Orthodox Pope Joseph II consecrated an Ethiopian-born Archbishop, Abuna Basilios, 14 January 1951. Five bishops were immediately consecrated by the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa, empowered to elect a new patriarch for their church, and the successor to Qerellos IV would have the power to consecrate new bishops. Basilios died in 1970, and was succeeded that year by Tewophilos.
With the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was disestablished as the state church. The new Marxist government began nationalizing property (including land) owned by the church. Tewophilos was arrested in 1976 by the Marxist Derg military junta, and secretly executed in 1979. The government ordered the church to elect a new Patriarch, and Takla Haymanot was enthroned. The Coptic Orthodox Church refused to recognize the election and enthronement of Tekle Haymanot on the grounds that the Synod of the Ethiopian Church had not removed Tewophilos and that the government had not publicly acknowledged his death, and he was thus still the legitimate Patriarch of Ethiopia. Formal relations between the two churches were halted, although they remained in communion with each other.
Following the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, and the coming to power of the EPRDF government, Merkorios abdicated under public pressure. The church then elected a new Patriarch, Paulos, in 1992 who was recognized by the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria. Several bishops also went into exile and formed a break-away alternate synod. The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church was granted autocephaly from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on 28 September 1993 following ratification by Coptic church Patriarch Shenouda III, but the two remain in full communion.
On 25 July 2018, delegates from the Patriarchate in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and those in the United States, declared reunification in Washington, D.C. On 7 May 2021, a group of Tigrayan priests and bishops announced the secession of the regional clergy from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) to establish the Tigrayan Orthodox Tewahedo Church (TOTC). On 22 January 2023, an attempt to overthrow Abune Mathias was failed following a secret formation of new 26-made bishop Synod led by Abune Sawiros in Oromia Region diocese, such as in Haro Beale Wold Church in Woliso, and nine bishops of diocese outside the region.
After not apologising for the illegal ordination, three Archbishops were excommunicated by the Holy Synod on 26 January. On 31 January 2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed convened a discussion surrounding the incident where he responded that he was ready to resolve the conflict. On 4 February, three people were reportedly killed in Shashemene by the Oromia Special Forces. According Tewahedo Media Center (TMC), two Orthodox youth were killed and four others were injured by the Oromo Special Forces.
The Ethiopian Christian Fellowship Church (ECFC)
FWI was created under the auspices of the Ethiopian Christian Fellowship Church (ECFC). ECFC is the first Ethiopian Evangelical Church established in North America by a handful of Ethiopian students and immigrants who left their country during the communist regime (in the 1970’s (E.C) to escape from severe political and religious persecutions. Since its establishment, ECFC has experienced a dynamic transformation. One of the major transformations is that after series teachings on Christian responsibility by the church and intense discussions between the members about the role of the church at that particular period of time, both the leadership and the members of the church unanimously decided to expand the scope of the vision of the church to include helping the needy, particularly in the unreached and marginalized areas of Ethiopia.
To this end, ECFC commissioned a committee to identify the most effective program that would facilitate the realization of the organization’s vision. After consulting with lawyers and experts in sustainable rural development programs, the committee forwarded its recommendation to the church's Board of Elders for the establishment of an independent nonprofit corporation to undertake development program on a behalf of the ECFC. The church’s Board of Elders in its turn presented the committee’s recommendation to the General Assembly on June 4, 2003, and received approval to create an entity that will make it possible for ECFC to fully participate in community development effort in Ethiopia.
As a result, Faithful Works International, Incorporated (FWI,Inc) was established as a Nonprofit Religious Corporation in the county of Los Angeles on October 12, 2004. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors that includes seven members.
History of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Contemporary Presence
The Amhara and Tigray peoples of the northern and central highlands have historically been the principal adherents of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, and the church’s religious forms and beliefs have been the dominant element in Amhara culture. Under the Amhara-dominated Ethiopian monarchy, the Ethiopian Orthodox church was declared to be the state church of the country, and it was a bulwark of the regime of Emperor Haile Selassie I. Upon the abolition of the monarchy and the institution of socialism in the country beginning in 1974, the church was disestablished. Its patriarch was executed, and the church was divested of its extensive landholdings.
The church was placed on a footing of equality with Islam and other religions in the country, but it nevertheless remained Ethiopia’s most influential religious body.
Religious Composition in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church remains the largest religious body in Ethiopia, with a significant number of adherents. Other Christian denominations, as well as Islam, also have a notable presence.
| Religion | Percentage of Population |
|---|---|
| Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church | 43.5% |
| Protestant Christianity | 18.5% |
| Islam | 33.9% |
| Catholicism | 0.7% |
| Other | 3.4% |
Data from the 2007 Ethiopian census.
In addition to standard holy days, most Christians observe many saints' days. Inda Abba Hadera holy water in Inda SillasiePriests intervene and perform exorcisms on behalf of those believed to be afflicted by demons or buda. The divine services of the Ethiopian Church are celebrated in Geʽez. The Greek Septuagint was the version of the Old Testament originally translated into Ge'ez, but later revisions show clear evidence of the use of Hebrew, Syriac and Arabic sources. The first translation into a modern vernacular was done in the 19th century by a man usually known as Abu Rumi (died 1819).
