Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church Research Articles

Politics of Secularism in Ethiopia: Repression or Co-option towards the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church?

Secularism in Ethiopia has not been practiced as stipulated in the 1995 Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE): separation of state and religion. Instead, consecutive regimes, since the introduction of secularism, have employed a tactic of co-option and repression towards the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) to meet their political objectives. This research article addresses the nature and manifestation of government intervention in the EOTC through either co-option and/or repression, with a special emphasis on the post-2018 regime. The study argues de-facto secularism in Ethiopia is far from the essence of separation of state and religion; it is a new version of religion industriously implemented by governments to upgrade the Orthodox Church in a way that fits with the political system. The secular regimes co-opted and repressed the church conditionally at any cost to the institution through a Machiavellian approach. The study also finds that the prosperity-led regime was actively involved in the internal affairs of the church in the early days through co-option in the name of reconciliation with the exile synod. In the later days, via repression, massive killings of orthodox followers, burning of churches, and restrictions on the church's annual ceremony, as in the case of Epiphany and Meskel (Demera), the regime oppressed the church.

Domestic religious pilgrimage in Ethiopia: Validating Ethiopian orthodox Tewahido church monasteries sacredness through the name of Jerusalem and its significance

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christians have a long history of pilgrimage. The Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims' journey to Jerusalem, in particular, was very well known and ancient. However, when Jerusalem was under the control of Muslim leaders, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christian pilgrims used domestic pilgrimage as an alternative to the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The fall of Jerusalem at the hands of Muslim leaders and the recurrent problems of pilgrims while they travelled to the sacred places of Jerusalem were the turning points for the proliferation of holy places in Ethiopia. King Lalibela was a man of great inspiration regarding domestic pilgrimage (the journey to sacred places in Ethiopia). The domestic pilgrimage, initiated by King Lalibela to replace Jerusalem in Ethiopia, reached its climax in medieval Ethiopian history. This study explores how the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) validated and authenticated Ethiopian monasteries and other holy places' sacredness by the name of Jerusalem to develop and encourage domestic pilgrimage. It also shows the significance or implications of domestic pilgrimage in building good social values such as peaceful coexistence, kindness, compassion, and social harmony among diverse communities. By taking Debre-Libanos Monastery (DLM) and Gishen Debre Kerbe (GDK) as the litmus tests, this study shows that religious promises (Qalikidanoch) written in hagiographies and other writings of the EOTC are the main ways for validating and authenticating Ethiopian monasteries sacredness. The religious promises promote and sanctify monasteries and other pilgrims' destinations. It initiates pilgrims to enter the seven-day prayer (Subae) and celebrate the saints’ feasts. The practices and various experiences in the monasteries make pilgrims humble and kind, as well as teach them to develop the values of social harmony and peaceful coexistence. Apart from tourism attractions, therefore, these monasteries have a great possibility of significance for realizing good social values such as national unity, kindness, tolerance, social harmony, and peaceful coexistence. Thus, domestic pilgrimage should be encouraged, as Ethiopia is in the throes of ethnic divisions and the destructive effects ethnicization.

Uncovering the Role of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church in the War between the Tigrian Forces and the Federal Government

Abstract The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) has a long and glorious history in the Ethiopian polity. It was an institution deeply engaged in Ethiopian politics and has long served as a unifying political force. For example, when foreign enemies invaded Ethiopia, the EOTC was tasked with uniting Ethiopians to fight against aggressors. However, in times of internal political crisis, particularly in contemporary Ethiopia, the EOTC’s role is relatively insignificant. Previous studies have not focused on this issue. Through a qualitative research approach, this study takes the post-2020 conflict between Tigrian forces and the federal government as a litmus test for showing the EOTC’s insignificant role in cases of internal political crisis. It shows that, as an institution, the EOTC played an insignificant role in reconciling, condemning, or trying to manage the conflict. Indeed, two challenges prevented the EOTC from doing what it was supposed to do in this conflict: ethnic politics and the EOTC’s top authorities’ submissiveness to the ruling regimes. This article recommends further studies aimed at assessing the invisible role of the EOTC in the Ethiopian polity and its counter-relationships. Conducting additional studies is significant for policymakers in general and the EOTC in particular.

Foreign intervention and legacies in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church

This paper examines foreign intervention and the legacies remain in the affairs of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC). It discusses the so-called Jesuit missionaries' intervention in the EOTC during the 16th and 17th centuries and some of their legacies. It also explores Italy's intervention in the EOTC in the 19th and 20th centuries and the legacies left in the EOTC. To deal with these issues, this article used a qualitative research approach, including primary and secondary data collection instruments. It shows that contradictory religious teachings, ethnocentrism, and ethnic division, which are evident in the contemporary ecclesiastics of the EOTC, are the legacies of the Jesuit missionaries and Italy in the EOTC. It concludes that the current contradictory and divisive religious teachings in the EOTC were initiated and originated by the Jesuit missionaries, and the ethnocentric tendency and ethnic-based division of top ecclesiastics of the current EOTC are the legacies of Italy. Currently, such divisions are consolidated and celebrated by Ethiopians, including the top authorities of the EOTC, but at least in part, their source is foreign intervention. Thus, the EOTC should disclose the roots of such destructive and divisive legacies to strengthen its unity.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church in the Context of State Reformation

Abstract There was a historical and political intimacy between the Ethiopian Tewahido Orthodox Church (EOTC) and the Ethiopian state until their relationship was profoundly modified after the 1974 Revolution and the secular rupture connected to that. This was followed by political reforms by successive governments, which have had a leveling effect on the religious field. The country's religious minorities—Muslims and Protestants—have been engaged in recognition politics progressively attaining rights on par with the EOTC. This rebalancing is perceived to have come at the expense of the EOTC—from the decoupling of the Ethiopian nation from Orthodoxy, a continuous decline in the number of members of the Church, to a feeling of being persecuted and the siege mentality connected to that. While responding to these external challenges, the EOTC has also experienced internal rifts that pose existential threats not only to maintain its historically constituted hegemony but also continue to exist as a united church. This contribution critically appraises the political journey of the EOTC in the long longue durée and with a relational lens, i.e., from its trajectory from being at the center of the Ethiopian state and an established religion, to the various external and internal challenges the Church has faced in the context of the process of state reformation and how it has sought to regain and maintain its hegemony, or at least negotiate its decline through the deployment of various strategies.

Review on Plant Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of Sacred and Church Forests in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is the richest country in biodiversity particularly by plant species. However, most forest resource aggressively damaged by anthropogenic pressure; it is very sever in highland parts of the country. As a result, numerous forest biodiversity and ecosystem service loss. Wonderful, there is patchy left forest around Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and sacred forest. Religious institution (EOTC) and traditional norms are the main central point for why these forests conserved. Mostly, the place and all available resources particularly plant biodiversity are highly respected by the community because they account as God's commandment and a convent for EOTC and memorabilia for culturati. Sacredness is playing an uncountable role in conserving biodiversity resource particular plant biodiversity and ecosystem service. Both forests might assists as in situ conservation for native plant species. Church with stonewall has high species number than without similar sacred forest has high species number than non-sacred forest. Their ecosystem services are multiple such as environment, social-culture, economic, and combat climate change besides spiritual and religiousness. Likely plays a central role in alleviating poverty by providing fruit and seeds for food and income. However, due to population growth, overgrazing, farmland expansion, settlement, climate change, land use change and modernization some scared and church forests have been worsening. Therefore, to ensure the ecosystem service of forest (Church and sacred) and to control from further damaged it should be safeguarded by the affiliate as well as by other stakeholders particularly the government put a target for such forest conservation. Keywords: Biodiversity, church, ecosystem service, sacred, plant DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/86-03 Publication date: June 30 th 2022

Foreign Political Intervention in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) and Some Legacies

Foreign Political Intervention in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) and Some Legacies

IDEOLOGICAL VIOLENCE TOWARDS THE ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX TEWAHIDO CHURCH IN THE POST-1960s

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) is one of the religious institutions in Ethiopia. EOTC has faced some challenges, which have created both physical and epistemic violence on it. This study analyses the two historical events that the EOTC and its believers faced with epistemic and physical violence. It argues that Ethiopian elites and intellectuals used ideologies and new experiences inappropriately to analyse the existed contexts in these two historical events, which in consequence created violence on the EOTC and its believers. Investigating these historical events that made violence on the EOTC is very important as the EOTC and the believers have been facing with violence so far. Through thematic analysis, this study concludes that considering the EOTC as the past feudal regimes’ tool that oppresses some ethnic groups in Ethiopia; and viewing the EOTC as an Amhara’s institution have been continuing. The study integrates how elite’s inappropriate use of ideologies or new experiences for analysing the existed contexts, which caused violence on EOTC and its believers.

Paul’s view of the law in Romans and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church’s (EOTC) use of the law as həgga ləbbunā, “həgga Orit” and “həgga wangle”

The EOTC’s view of the law of God as Həgga Ləbbunā (the law of heart), “Həgga Orit” (the law of Moses) and “Həgga Wangel” (the law of gospel) could be related to Paul’s view of the law in Romans as the law of Conscience, Torah and the law of the Spirit of life. The three expressions of the EOTC’s view of the law can be mapped with Paul’s view of the law as unwritten law of God (2:14–16), Torah (2:17–29) and the law of the Spirit of life (8:2–4) in Romans. The EOTC’s view of the law as “Həgga Ləbbunā” could shed light to better understand Paul’s view of the law as unwritten law given to all humanity (Rom. 2:12–14). Besides, “Həgga Orit” helps to better understand the law of Moses given to Israel with its universal implication because the Ethiopic tradition claims that Ethiopians have received the Torah through the Queen of Sheba. Further, “Həgga Wangel” helps to better understand the continuity between the Torah and the Gospel because the Ethiopic tradition understands that the law of Gospel is a continuation of the Mosaic law rather than making an antithesis of law and Gospel. Therefore, the EOTC’s view of the law contributes to better understand Paul’s view of the law as an alternative reading from the tradition of Ethiopic perspective.

Tree Community Composition and Dispersal Syndrome Vary with Human Disturbance in Sacred Church Forests in Ethiopia

Research Highlights: Variations in species composition across church forests in northern Ethiopia were driven more by variations in human disturbance and community forest management than forest size. The degree of human disturbance acted as an environmental filter that selected for weedy, exotic, and wind-dispersed species regardless of forest size. Background and Objectives: Forest fragmentation can profoundly influence the long-term persistence of forests on the landscape. Habitat fragmentation can increase edge effects and limit dispersal between forest patches. In the South Gondar Administrative Zone in northern Ethiopia, many of the remaining forests are small sacred church forests governed by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. Materials and Methods: We examined the drivers of woody plant species composition across 46 church forests in this region, including the influence of elevation, forest size, distance between forests, human disturbance, the presence of a wall, and the importance of local/individual community forest management at the Woreda level. We also examined how dispersal syndromes are influenced by increasing distance between forests and the extent of human disturbance within forests. Results: We found that elevational zone, distance between forests, the degree of human disturbance and Woreda had the greatest effect on species composition. Forest size and the presence of a wall were not significant drivers of species composition in these forests. Conclusions: We propose connecting forests through corridors or scattered trees to increase dispersal between forests, and greater on-the-ground protection efforts to restrict people and cattle from leaving the main trails within sacred forests

“Holding Living Bodies in Graveyards”: The Violence of Keeping Ethiopian Manuscripts in Western Institutions

“Holding Living Bodies in Graveyards”: The Violence of Keeping Ethiopian Manuscripts in Western Institutions

An Ethiopian Reading of the Bible: Biblical Interpretation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, written by Keon-Sang An

An Ethiopian Reading of the Bible Biblical Interpretation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church

Ethiopian church forests: a socio-religious conservation model under change

ABSTRACTFor centuries, the core religious values of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church communities have ensured the protection of church forests. Despite this strong and longstanding tradition, however, communities are now facing a host of new challenges and opportunities. Our interdisciplinary research highlights ways in which the ecological status of church forests may be threatened due to new practices as well as the changing economic status of church forest communities. We find that the adaptability of these communities to changes associated with modernity might, inadvertently, be a key factor in ecological degradation. But their adaptability might also offer a window of opportunity for agents of forest conservation. Based primarily on ethnography, this article presents Ethiopian church forests as dynamic socio-religious spaces, explores the types of changes affecting the communities and their forests, and considers ways in which the church forest conservation model is evolving.

Accidental Environmentalists

Abstract In the highlands of Ethiopia, the only remaining stands of native forest are around churches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. Though hailed as community-conserved areas by environmentalists, we argue that the conservation of such forest is not intentional, but rather an indirect result of the religious norms, beliefs and practices surrounding the sites. In actuality, the religiosity surrounding church forests maintains the purity of the most holy space in the center of the shrine, the tabot, a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, which ensures that the church is a legitimate and effective portal to the divine. An underlying cultural logic of purity and pollution structures the spatial organization of the site outward into a series of concentric circles of diminishing purity and shapes the social order into an elegant hierarchy. This article seeks to understand the norms, beliefs and practices of this sacred geography in its social and religious context, arguing that ignorance of or inattention to these can undermine the conservation goals that have brought these forests, along with so many other sacred natural sites, to the attention of environmentalists around the world.

Tourism Development Potentials of St. Yared Heritages in Aksum: Assessment to Intervention 2018

Title: ‘Tourism Development Potentials of St. Yared Heritages: the case of Aksum town Tigray is the cradle of Ethiopia’s civilization resulted from plenty of contributions among which St. Yared is an exemplary. The contribution of St. Yared for Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church in one hand and for Ethiopian tourism industry on the other hand can be said tremendous. This study is entitled ‘Tourism Development Potentials of St. Yared Heritages: the case of Aksum town. Aksum is the most historic place of Ethiopia endowed with incredible world heritages. The main objective of this study is to assess the tourism development potentials of St. Yared heritages in Aksum town. To achieve this objective the study has employed qualitative research method, and employed both primary and secondary sources as data instruments. In the study interview, field observation and photos used as primary sources while document analysis as secondary sources. The main findings of the study show that the tangible and intangible heritages associated with Saint Yared are the music compositions, together with the precise distinctness of chants and hymns performances of St. Yared, the music instruments he was used like kebero (drum), begena, masinko, kirar washint (flute) and Tisnasil (sistrum) etc, the main books, his history in church education and contribution to the present in general, the way of life of his colleagues in church education and other treasures are among the main tourism resources of St. Yared works. Though Saint Yared and his works have enormous tourism potentials still not yet used much for tourism development. The saint resources in Aksum should developed into tourism products and it is an opportunity for product diversification in the town, increases length of tourist stay in the tow

Values Expressed through African Symbols: An Ethiopian Theological Reflection

For sixteen centuries, Christian faith has been interacting with Ethiopian culture. This setting offers rich resources for theological vocabulary insofar as it is embedded in African images and symbols, poems, hymns, and chants. Since the material world holds an important place in Ethiopian religious expressions, four dominant symbols found in nature—fire, water, soil, and oil—deserve particular attention. The reflections given in this article are predominantly drawn from study of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. We show that various values are discernable in the four symbols mentioned here, as well as in the cross, the central Christian symbol.

Holy Hills Role in Biodiversity Conservation and Mountain Management: Implication of Multi-Purpose Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church in Sustainable Mountain Conservation

Ethiopia had practiced Judaism before Christianity. This church is unique in the continent of Africa and glob in holding judo-Christian sect. In the church tradition forests are considered as shelter of the earth crust which provides enormous scenery to the world. Most of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and monasteries are built on hills, mountains and high places which are covered with densely forests. This practice and tradition was comes from Eden, the place had all the best and choicest trees and plant, God a tender Father, provide not only for Adam’s needs, but also his pleasure. The church on the earth signifies the new heaven, the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, Adam. Therefore, gardening was the first kind of employment on record in which man was engaged. Though trees and plants produced the necessary flower and fruits by the will of God, dressing and keeping are necessary to maintain in their perfection. The greenery in Eden is the underlying principles on which Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church dwell to conserve nature. Existing literatures on the nature conservation role of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church is not the detail. Therefore, published articles and Holy Scriptures were reviewed and presented in a more coherent manner. The main objective of the paper is to explore past and present work on sacred grove role in general, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church in particular in mountain ecology management and biodiversity conservation. The result shows that unreplaceable role of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church in conserving forest and mountain biodiversity in Ethiopia by indicating large scale forests and ecosystem is currently under the custodianship of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido church and its role on carbon emission reduction in the changing world. Therefore, recognizing the indigenous knowledge in biodiversity and mountain conservation and customizing the best practice from it would help global efforts on remnant resource conservation. It is a win-win scenario for diversity management and mountain conservation policy formulation effort too.

Ethiopian Church Forests: A Hybrid Model of Protection

Protection of forests because of their association with religious traditions is a worldwide phenomenon. These sacred forests play a key role in maintaining ecosystem services in regions affected by land system change. In the northern highlands of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church controls the majority of the surviving native forest. However, the reasons why communities value the forests and the ways they use and manage them are not well understood. We use data and analysis from an interdisciplinary project and ethnographic research, in particular, to explain how Ethiopian church forests function. Church forests represent an unusual form of community-based protection that integrates locally controlled common property with external institutional arrangements: this hybrid system is highly effective at protecting the forest while maintaining cultural practices. Our results inform theoretical debates about models of tropical forest protection and question assumptions about church forests being the product of a nature conservation imperative.

Stone walls and sacred forest conservation in Ethiopia

Many tropical forests worldwide are protected due to their sacredness to religious communities. In the south Gondar region of Ethiopia, most of the remaining native forests are tiny fragments (5.42 ha ± 0.34) surrounded by pasture and agriculture that are protected because they encompass churches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC). A small number of communities have erected stone walls around the perimeter of the forests to demarcate the boundary, and/or protect the interior of the forest. We evaluated the effectiveness of these walls at protecting ecological conditions by examining tree and seedling communities among sacred forests with and without walls in Montane and Upper Montane sites. We found the wall to be an effective conservation tool as regeneration potential was higher in forests with a wall. The density and species richness of seedlings were significantly higher in forests with a wall and these effects were more pronounced in Upper Montane forests. Forests with a wall also had seedlings of many native tree species that were not found in forests without walls. As expected, there were few differences in tree communities in forests with and without a wall. Although rare on the landscape, the presence of a stone wall around these forests was effective at protecting the seedling community because it likely reduced access to the forests by grazers and directed human visitors to trails. The use of a stone wall may protect seedling communities in other sacred forest fragments, particularly for those that are small, isolated, surrounded by agriculture, and have a depleted seed bank.

Ethiopian Contextualization: The Tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church

Our study of contextualization must be basically descriptive, that is, to observe and describe how the gospel is understood and shapes practices in the context of a people. Especially we have to take into consideration different global church traditions in our discussion of contextualization. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (eotc) provides a compelling historical example of contextualization. It has developed its own unique tradition by weaving together elements from different sources of both internal and external traditions through dynamic interaction with other traditions. These include Ethiopian primal, Hebraic-Jewish, apostolic, Syriac and Egyptian Coptic. Ethiopian nationalism has functioned as the guiding principle underlying Ethiopian contextualization. The eotc will continue to display how a church with a long history and tradition copes with new challenging situations and establishes its distinctive tradition in a dynamic interaction of its local and global orientations.