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chrisse
Guest
Yes it was. 
The Ethiopian Church is very old as well. Does anyone know about their history?
The Ethiopian Church is very old as well. Does anyone know about their history?
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Hesychios
Guest
Briefly, Judaism preceded Christianity in the region. It seems to have been First Temple Judaism, probably brought by a Hebrew community which fled from the Babylonians through Egypt and migrated along the Nile. This profoundly influenced the Christian church to follow, and accounts for the fact that they believe they possess the original temple Ark.
In the third or fourth century AD some Syrian Christians arrived at Axum, the old capital, and began the process of converting the king and court to Christianity. As this was East Africa, the Pope at Alexandria was responsible for the region and so they adopted the Coptic Alexandrian liturgical tradition instead of the Antiochian tradition.
There was once a string of Coptic-tradition churches leading up the Nile from Egypt to Abyssinia. The Islamic conquest suppressed the smaller churches which died out completely after persecution following the Crusades. This left the Abyssinian church quite isolated. Many Ethiopians became Muslims in that time, they still have a large presence.
Since then they have had plenty of time to develop and embellish their own traditions. In terms of sheer numerical size this would be the largest of the non-Chalcedonian churches.
There was a brief period when this church was taken into the Roman Catholic communion by Portuguese Jesuits. However something went terribly wrong and they were expelled later, their books were burned. If it had lasted this would have been the largest Eastern Catholic church by far. The Ge’ez Catholic church today is not from that period, but a result of later missions focused on the native Christians.
In the third or fourth century AD some Syrian Christians arrived at Axum, the old capital, and began the process of converting the king and court to Christianity. As this was East Africa, the Pope at Alexandria was responsible for the region and so they adopted the Coptic Alexandrian liturgical tradition instead of the Antiochian tradition.
There was once a string of Coptic-tradition churches leading up the Nile from Egypt to Abyssinia. The Islamic conquest suppressed the smaller churches which died out completely after persecution following the Crusades. This left the Abyssinian church quite isolated. Many Ethiopians became Muslims in that time, they still have a large presence.
Since then they have had plenty of time to develop and embellish their own traditions. In terms of sheer numerical size this would be the largest of the non-Chalcedonian churches.
There was a brief period when this church was taken into the Roman Catholic communion by Portuguese Jesuits. However something went terribly wrong and they were expelled later, their books were burned. If it had lasted this would have been the largest Eastern Catholic church by far. The Ge’ez Catholic church today is not from that period, but a result of later missions focused on the native Christians.
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chrisse
Guest
Thanks. I hope they too will be in communion with us.
I’ve also read that the muslims couldn’t conquer Ethiopia - the Ethiopian tactics were too clever for them. However, the Ethiopians knew they couldn’t withstand continual attacks so they entered into an agreement with the islamic hordes whereby they traded slaves with them.
What a decision to have to make for your people’s survival.
I’ve also read that the muslims couldn’t conquer Ethiopia - the Ethiopian tactics were too clever for them. However, the Ethiopians knew they couldn’t withstand continual attacks so they entered into an agreement with the islamic hordes whereby they traded slaves with them.
What a decision to have to make for your people’s survival.
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Patrick1982
Guest
This is by far my favorite story concerning the Ethiopians and Islam… from another msg board.Thanks. I hope they too will be in communion with us.
I’ve also read that the muslims couldn’t conquer Ethiopia - the Ethiopian tactics were too clever for them. However, the Ethiopians knew they couldn’t withstand continual attacks so they entered into an agreement with the islamic hordes whereby they traded slaves with them.
What a decision to have to make for your people’s survival.
"There is a story that the caliph/sultan in Egypt ordered a mosque built in the port of Ethiopia. The populace tore it down. The sultan rebuilt it, and the people tore it down. The sultan then ordered the emperor of Ethiopia to rebuild it, and to protect it. The Ethiopian emperor balked at that, saying “it is obvious the people don’t want or need a mosque. The Egyptian ruler then threatened that if the emperor didn’t rebuild the mosque and guard it, that Cairo would tear down every Church in Egypt. “You just do that,” the Emperor replied, “and I will go to Mecca [the Quran records the invasion of Mecca by the Ethiopians the year Muhammad was born] and whatever stone I leave standing, surely I will give you twice its weight in gold.” The mosque was not rebuilt”
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