Ethiopian Orthodox bishops

[twf]

It is my understanding that the Coptic Pope consecrated and sent a single Egyptian bishop to pastor the entire Ethiopian Church from the 4th century through to 1959 when, for the first time in history, an Ethiopian episcopate was established. Why was the very ancient Ethiopian Church treated as basically a “mission”, dependent Church for so long? Was there some prejudice on the part of the Copts? Did the Ethiopians, long before 1959, request their own bishops?

 

[Greenfields]

Not too sure,but I think at this time there is a government elected bishop and troubles from what I’ve heard .I need to be able to confirm that though

 

[SyroMalankara]

It is my understanding that the Coptic Pope consecrated and sent a single Egyptian bishop to pastor the entire Ethiopian Church from the 4th century through to 1959 when, for the first time in history, an Ethiopian episcopate was established. Why was the very ancient Ethiopian Church treated as basically a “mission”, dependent Church for so long? Was there some prejudice on the part of the Copts? Did the Ethiopians, long before 1959, request their own bishops?

The Ethiopian Church had it’s own bishops. It was autonomous with it’s bishops participating in the Coptic Synod. As to why – well, autocephaly or independence in Orthodoxy, Eastern or Oriental - tends to take it’s time, there’s usually some accompanying political involvement, or severe need before a full break, and even then there may be hostility before it’s fully accepted. (see Malankara Orthodox - Syrian Orthodox Malankara, for examples)

 

[twf]

The Ethiopian Church had it’s own bishops. It was autonomous with it’s bishops participating in the Coptic Synod. As to why – well, autocephaly or independence in Orthodoxy, Eastern or Oriental - tends to take it’s time, there’s usually some accompanying political involvement, or severe need before a full break, and even then there may be hostility before it’s fully accepted. (see Malankara Orthodox - Syrian Orthodox Malankara, for examples)

Could you elaborate? When did they get their own episcopate? I’ve always been under the impression that Alexandria would send them a single Egyptian bishop to rule over all Ethiopia… that’s why you hear about mass ordinations of deacons, etc.

 

[PluniaZ]

Autocephaly and “first among equals” episcopacy are modern innovations. Traditionally, all the churches of the world - Latin, Greek, Syriac, Copt, Persian, Ethiopian, etc. were strictly hierarchical, following the order of Pope > Patriarch > Metropolitan > bishop.

Democracy and egalitarianism in recent centuries have led many ancient churches to try to flatten the structure of their church, most notably when all the eastern European countries gained independence from the Ottoman Empire and rebelled against the Patriarch of Constantinople in the 19th century.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Could you elaborate? When did they get their own episcopate? I’ve always been under the impression that Alexandria would send them a single Egyptian bishop to rule over all Ethiopia… that’s why you hear about mass ordinations of deacons, etc.

ethiopianorthodox.org/english/ethiopian/hierarchy.html

The Ethiopian hierarchy it traced to the Church of Alexandria. St. Frumentius, a Christian from Syria, as the first missionary to Ethiopia and as closely attached to the Aksumite court during the middle if the fourth century, was consecrated by Patriarch Athanasius of Alexandria as the first bishop (ABUNA) of the Ethiopian Church. Thereafter, the hierarchical head of this Church was always sent from Egypt until recent times.

In the years following the Muslim invasion and persecution, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Ethiopian Church had to pass through a period of crisis which seriously affected the hierarchy. Even before this time, the Jesuits had been working to bring the Ethiopian Church under the jurisdiction of Rome, although with no success. After these disturbances, the hierarchy was fully restored in 1881, when four Egyptian bishop were sent to Ethiopia; on the death of the last of them, the Church pleaded with the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria for the consecration of men of Ethiopian nationality as bishops for this Church. As a result, five Ethiopian bishops were consecrated in 1928. The recognition of the autonomy of the Church of Ethiopia was marked by the consecration of five other Ethiopian bishops in 1948 (one of whom, the late Abuna Basilios, was made Archbishop in 1951) and was sealed by the installation of Abuna Basilios as the first Patriarch of Ethiopia in 1959 by the Patriarch of Alexandria.

Today the Ethiopian Church is an autocephalous Church in every respect, and it holds that its doctrine and hierarchy belong to the living tradition which has been transmitted to posterity since Apostolic times.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Autocephaly and “first among equals” episcopacy are modern innovations. Traditionally, all the churches of the world - Latin, Greek, Syriac, Copt, Persian, Ethiopian, etc. were strictly hierarchical, following the order of Pope > Patriarch > Metropolitan > bishop.

Democracy and egalitarianism in recent centuries have led many ancient churches to try to flatten the structure of their church, most notably when all the eastern European countries gained independence from the Ottoman Empire and rebelled against the Patriarch of Constantinople in the 19th century.

Not exactly accurate, as bishops, no matter rank have been removed by their Synods, whether justly or unjustly.