In the history of Ethiopia, Christianity was first introduced into the royal court around the 4th century, gradually spreading among the common people from there. Unlike the spread of Christianity in the Greco-Roman world, which remained confined to the lower levels for three centuries, the introduction of Christianity as a state religion marked a significant turning point in Ethiopian history during the 13th to 15th centuries.
Christianity in Ethiopia is not merely a religious phenomenon but something that plays an integral role in all aspects of national life. The church has served as the repository of the cultural, political and social life of the people, profoundly influencing the essence of Habesha identity.
Ethiopian culture is deeply rooted in the marriage of history and the collective memory of its people, closely tied to the church and its state affirmation. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church’s teachings and activities have shaped the country’s religiosity since its establishment. The culture is closely associated with the Creator-creation relationship, which is celebrated in the Ethiopian Qene philosophy.
Qene employs the Samna-worq (wax and gold) way of thinking, a special wisdom that allows one to perceive profound truths (gold) through a metaphorical eyeglass (wax). This method of understanding the mystery of the Creator through creation is central to Ethiopian thought. Samna-worq refers to poetic figures with dual meanings, known as HiberKal.
The leaders of the country historically played a significant role in shaping the culture, moral values, and thinking patterns by merging church and state affairs. This process produced a culture and tradition deeply associated with the divine. Traditional schools also played a crucial role in forming societal values and shared memory, fostering a religiously dominated culture that revered both creation and the Creator.
The influence of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church on the cultural, societal, moral, spiritual, economic and political life of the country underscores the deeply religious nature of Ethiopian society. The church’s teachings, practices and values have significantly shaped the shared memories and history of the Ethiopian people, forming the foundation of the nation’s culture.
Our history and culture have a significant influence on the way we live, the way we interpret things such as the Bible and the way we engage with other cultures. Our Anabaptist tradition that we inherited from the missionaries, at some point colluded with the existing culture and tradition. This collusion also created a big gap between the two churches—Anabaptist and Orthodox— and led to persecution of Anabaptists, as well as evangelicals.
Yet embracing our culture, our tradition that is founded in the Creator and creation relationships, has to be maintained along with our Anabaptist identity. Such peculiarity is partly the greatest contribution we can bring to the global church. I think it’s high time that the current and coming generations embrace our Anabaptist beliefs and the tradition that is our peculiarity. And it’s also high time for the global church to be able to accept our peculiar tradition and embrace us as part of the global Anabaptist family.
Tigist Tesfaye Gelagle lives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and serves as secretary of the Mennonite World Conference Deacons Commission. She is also the founder and director of The Spark Valley, an educational NGO.
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