Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Ethiopia: the Messages of Religions
האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים המרכז לחקר האסלאם ע“ש נחמיה לבציון The Nehemia Levtzion Center for Islamic Studies The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Ethiopia: The Messages of Religions Haggai Erlich The Fifth Annual Levtzion Lecture Jerusalem 2013 Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Ethiopia: The Messages of Religions Haggai Erlich Tel Aviv University The Nehemia Levtzion Center for Islamic Studies The Institute for Asian and African Studies The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 2013 Copyright © Haggai Erlich 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Levtzion Center and the author The Fifth Annual Levtzion Lecture was delivered at the Hebrew University, 30 April 2009 Abstract This paper provides a succinct overview of the relationships between Ethiopia – a land in which Christianity first encountered Islam, and where Judaism was already present – and the Middle East, the cradle of these religions. The paper focuses on the dialectic between historic political and strategic needs, interests and concrete options on one hand, and the reservoir of abstract notions bequeathed by these ancient religions, on the other. The main thesis is that Islam, Christianity and Judaism, far from providing monolithic messages, harbored a wide range of prescriptions for moderates and fanatics alike. Analyzing the multi- facetted legacies by which Ethiopians and their Middle Eastern neighbors conceptualized each other, the paper discusses several modern political developments and demonstrates how they were inspired by these religious interpretations and proclivities.
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