Why Did Christianity Survive In Ethiopia

Stevan Rakic

HIS 375

Fall 2014

How and why did Christianity survive in Ethiopia when much of Africa converted to Islam?

Islam came to Africa in the 7th century and spread rapidly in a very short period of time overtaking Christianity as the major religion in many countries. A 2002 estimate from the Encyclopedia Britannica places about 45% of the African population as being Muslim with the number growing every day. What was it then that made Ethiopia so special that it was able to retain Christianity when it was one of the first countries exposed to Islam? The answer is quite complex and spans a time from early Judaism to modern beliefs held by the people of Ethiopia with a majority still being Oriental Orthodox, the Christianity that first

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means ‘queen of the Ethiopians’). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”… As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’ And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.” However modern historians agree that this conversion was most likely not an Ethiopian, rather a man from a kingdom near Ethiopia. Frank Snowden points out that the Greeks and Romans were not aware of the ethnicity, and the main point of the Biblical story was to show Christianity as being open to anyone. “The distinguishing mark of an Ethiopian was the color of his skin. Though not unaware of other physical characteristics of the Ethiopians, the Greeks and Romans

To go along with its kingship, deep rooted faith, religious artifacts, and sense of purpose in the religion, Ethiopia is also home to some of the most unique religious centers that the world has ever seen. These not only served as homes to spirituality but also have fortified strongholds that resisted outside influences. Under the rule of King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, the construction of a set of underground churches began construction. “The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are exceptionally fine examples of a long-established Ethiopian building tradition. Monolithic churches are to be found all over the north and the center of the country. Some of the oldest of such churches are to be found in Tigray, where some are believed to date from around the 6th or 7th centuries. King Lalibela is believed to have commissioned these structures with the purpose of creating a holy and symbolic place which considerably influenced Ethiopian religious beliefs.” The churches in Lalibela were structured to look like Jerusalem and there are many stories to go along with its construction. The architectural influences is a mix of Ethiopian design with hints of old Byzantine art found only in regions of Africa were the two cultures mixed. It was designed to be a paradise on earth, and stories tell of even divine help in its