Abstract
The ancient Ethiopian Christian empire was an emergent and notable power in Eastern Africa and influenced its surrounding regions. It was itself influenced both religiously and politically. The ancient Christian narrative of North Africa has been deduced against a Roman imperial background. Whilst the preceding is congruent with the historical political dynamics, a consideration of the autonomy and uniqueness of ancient African Christianity and its regional influence is also relevant. This implied a revisionist approach to literature which was achieved through document analysis. A review of the continual independent interaction of ancient African Christianity with Roman or Byzantine imperial orthodoxy reflected on the multi-factorial self-definitive development within African Christianity. Against the background of ecclesiastical polities and socio-ethnical dynamics, the relationship of Africa or Ethiopia with Byzantine orthodoxy provides a strong argument for an organic African orthodoxy. The Constantinian era ushered a new phase of imperial orthodoxy and imperial-ecclesiastical ties that became formative for an imperial policy; these were definitive of Byzantine orthodoxy and were reflected in Roman and Vandal Africa and also in the Ethiopian Christian empire. This consequently characterised the orthodox Christianity post 325 CE/Nicaea; introspection regarding the extent of its influence formed the basis of this study. A study of the Ethiopian empire in its immediate Judaic-Arabian environment enhances the understanding regarding the ethnically politically defined Christianity that characterised it. Correspondingly, the review of Ethiopian Christianity’s interaction with Byzantine orthodoxy and definitive features of ancient North African Christianity helped clear the ground for an organic orthodoxy. An establishment regarding a cooperative Ethiopian–Byzantine geopolitical policy, as opposed to theological divergence, helped change the narrative of African orthodoxy.
Highlights
The 4th century witnessed the emergence of a religio-political outfit in the form of Constantinian Christianity (Leithart 2010:177)
Whilst the Constantinian imperial Christianity is notably significant for the creation of a regional influence and a culture of imperial clerical ties, this does not represent the entire Christian narrative (Alexander & Smither 2015:169–170), with regard to North Africa and the imperial Kingdom of Ethiopia
The manner in which the council served as a religio-political solution was notable
Summary
The 4th century witnessed the emergence of a religio-political outfit in the form of Constantinian Christianity (Leithart 2010:177). The reversal of Vandal patronage of Homoian Christianity by Byzantine emperors further affirmed their connection with Nicene orthodoxy; this was resisted by sections that did not fall under their domain (Wilhite 2017:292, 294). The exile of Nicene bishops, the acquisition of Nicene churches and their transfer to Homoian Vandal counterparts were avenged with the re-assumption of Roman power in Africa by Byzantine rulers These actions were legislated against all who were not part of the Nicene party by the emperor Justinian, whether Jews, Arians or Donatists. As an African church conformity to Chalcedon was the norm, yet for reasons unlike those of the emperor Justinian who denounced the council as an imperial political score, the Ethiopians formed their anti-Nestorian party along theological lines. This does not complete the picture of the Byzantine and Ethiopian religious cooperation
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