DOCSLIB.ORG

The Impact of Jesuit Interlude During the Seventeenth Century Ethiopia: Risks and Uncertainities

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Impact of Jesuit Interlude During the Seventeenth Century Ethiopia: Risks and Uncertainities International Journal of Development in Social Sciences and Humanities http://www.ijdssh.com (IJDSSH) 2020, Vol. No. 9, Issue 1, Jan-Jun e-ISSN: 2455-5142; p-ISSN: 2455-7730 THE IMPACT OF JESUIT INTERLUDE DURING THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ETHIOPIA: RISKS AND UNCERTAINITIES Bitwoded Admasu Dagnaw Assistant Professor of Civics and Ethical Studies Dean of Students, University of Gondar, Maraki Campus College of Social Sciences and the Humanities University of Gondar Received:15th January, 2020; Accepted:24th January, 2020; Published:28th February,2020 ABSTRACT The notion of Ethiopia as the land of Prester John inspired the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The Ethiopian orthodox church theologian initial contacts with the Jesuits led to the critical period for the 17th century practice and development of alien religious dissemination and conversion in Ethiopia in the 16th to the mid-17th centuries under the pretext of difficult military support relationship between Roman Catholic and Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. The Jesuits were entrusted with the anticipated conversion of the Ethiopian Orthodox within the realm of Prester John from the Monophysite spiritual sphere. In 1520 the first Portuguese delegation reached Ethiopia which became sympathy to a most fascinating encounter between incomprable religions and cultures. The Ethiopian monarchial authority, this time, was under pressure to hamper state disintegration against the wat of Ahmed Gragn. In fact, the Portuguese armed co-operation with the Ethiopian monarchy paved the way for the Portuguese deliberate interests in their regional competition with the Ottoman Turks for control of the trade routes in the Red Sea and the North-Western quarter of the Indian Ocean. However, the Portuguese in collaboration with the Pope in Rome and the Jesuits had an additional intention of establishing an extensive mission in Ethiopia to encourage the people to change from their Orthodox faith to Catholicism. Initially, a Jesuit undertaking led by Father Andrés D. Oviedo first entered the country in 1557 to have started the conversion process. This research aims to assess the challenges and risks posed on the state and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Ethiopia by the Catholic Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century. As a result to understand the impacts of the missionaries the study used qualitative research methodology. As for the techniques of data collection methods, the researcher used open ended questioner, depth interview at the Debre Libanos Azezo Teklahaymanot Monastery. In addition to these techniques of data collection methods, the research employed various religious Books and other related secondary sources such as archives in the aforementioned Monastery where the then Ethiopian theologians made a series of doctrinal debates with the Jesuits. The findings of the research revealed that the Jesuit ambition to implant Cathilicism remained in vain with a bloody war that claim thousands of human lives.Ultimately, the Jesuit missionaries expelled from the country. However, they left behind a theological controversy that gave it to local theme to Catholicism in Ethiopia that finally resulted in the doctrinal debate particularly centered on the teaching of the two natures of Christ. The intense doctrinal debate which was held during the 17thcentury Ethiopia hasten to the absence of strong centralized monarchial authority that eventually led to the era of the princes. Keywords: Orthodox, Catholicism, Jesuits, Missionary Mission 121 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES International Journal of Development in Social Sciences and Humanities http://www.ijdssh.com (IJDSSH) 2020, Vol. No. 9, Issue 1, Jan-Jun e-ISSN: 2455-5142; p-ISSN: 2455-7730 INTRODUCTION Sea and the north-western quarter of the Indian Ocean. 1. The Fundamental Relations with the Jesuit However, the Portuguese in collaboration with the Pope Missionaries in Rome and the Jesuits had an additional intention of establishing an extensive mission in Ethiopia to The notion of Ethiopia as the land of Prester John inspired encourage the population to change from their Orthodox the head of the Catholic Church. This was, for instance, faith to Catholicism. Initially, a Jesuit undertaking led by illustrated by Donald N. Levine in his works of Greater Father Andrés D. Oviedo first entered the country in 1557 Ethiopia. A medieval chronicler wrote that the pope was to have started the conversion process. beside himself with joy upon learning that an Ethiopian Ecclesiastical sources indicate that once the Jesuits embassy was on its way to Italy to attend the council of started visiting the royal court, where they participated in Florence in 1441. “When in the 1520s Europeans reached a number of theological discussions with the Orthodox the Ethiopian highlands to see for themselves, however, clergy. Previous they benefited from an optimistic gesture they found and described a civilization at about the same from the royal authority itself especially from Za Dingil level as their own. With keen admiration Alvarez and Susynyos. “The Roman Catholic Jesuits were allowed describes Ethiopian Architecture and painting and the to preach and their influence greatly increased despite the Ethiopian system of justice (Levine D., 1974:10). The fact that their unpopularity with the Ethiopian Orthodox Ethiopian orthodox church theologian initial relations and Church was unmatched” (Mikre Sillasie Gebre A., Seife th early contacts that led to the critical period for the 17 and Sillasie Y., Birhanu G., &Teshome Z.). According to th 18 century doctrinal debate goes back to the significant Greenfield, the Catholic Jesuit Pedro Paez started a school moment of the Jesuit interlude which was characterized for the sons of the nobility and taught the catholic by the practice and development of religious Catechism2 in Geez and he was called to the court and dissemination and conversion in Ethiopia in the 16th to succeeded in converting the royal leader Za Dengil. In the mid-17th centuries within the context of the difficult early in the 17th century Emperor Zä Déngil met the Jesuit military support relationship between Catholic and Pedro Paez to his court at Dankaz, who persuaded him to 1 Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. ‘The Jesuits were embrace Catholicism. entrusted with the anticipated reconversion of the realm Many of the literature witnessed Za Dengil curiously of Prester john from the Monophysite spiritual sphere. received Paez who used to teach catholic faith at Fremona Bishop Oviedo D. arrived in Ethiopia in 1557 and in and around Tigray. Ludolf describe the situation as although he remained a staunch upholder of the national follows, “In the Month of April 1604 accompanied with faith until the time of his death, Galadewos greatly two Portuguese youths, Paez, arrived at court, and he was enjoyed his theological arguments with Oviedo honorably received by the royal authority, as if he had (Greenfield, 1965:47). In 1520, the first Portuguese been one of the nobles of his kingdom, unlike the monks delegation reached Ethiopia, which became sympathy to who received him with great suspicion and a most fascinating encounter between uneven religions distrust”(Ludolf. H., Ludolphus J. & P. Gent, 2011:327). and cultures. At the time under discussion, the Ethiopian Subsequently doctrinal discussions and debates began, monarchial authority was under pressure to hamper state which the king was pleased both favorably and patiently disintegration. to hear the Jesuit way of argument and the Roman manner In fact, the Portuguese armed cooperation with the Sermon and Ludolf further explains the situation as Ethiopian monarchy paved the way for the Portuguese follows, “following the debate and preaching sermon Za deliberate interests in their regional competition with the Dengel was so taken, that having communicated his Ottoman Turks for control of the trade routes in the Red 1 The Society of Jesus is a religious order of the Catholic 2 A catechism is a series of questions and answers. Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded by Catholic children study a catechism as part of their Ignatius of Loyola with the approval of Pope Paul III in religious education; it outlines the principal tenets of their 1540. The members are called Jesuits. The society is faith. It outlines people's relationship to God, man's need engaged in evangelization and apostolic ministry in 112 for God, and the importance of the scriptures and the nations. principles of the faith. 122 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES International Journal of Development in Social Sciences and Humanities http://www.ijdssh.com (IJDSSH) 2020, Vol. No. 9, Issue 1, Jan-Jun e-ISSN: 2455-5142; p-ISSN: 2455-7730 intentions to some of his close acquaintances that he later and, very importantly, converted his brother the Ras Sela submitted himself to the Catholic faith” (Ludolf. H., Krestos to Catholicism” (Mikre Sillasie Gebre A., Seife Ludolphus J. & P. Gent, 2011:327). Sillasie Y., Birhanu G., &Teshome Z., 2000). It has been said that the head of the royal army who was The monarch began showing great interest4 in the religion Dejazmatch Laky Maryam and the royal leader himself brought by the missionaries and developed aspirations to had been converted to the Roman Catholic Faith. replace the Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with Following that Abuna Peter excommunicated the Catholic Christianity. “When King Susényos acceded to Emperor. “Parallel to the secular nobles Dejazmatch Ze the throne, Paez often stayed at the royal camp. He acted Sellasie impelled the people against the Emperor by as the king’s special councilor and followed him on his preparing a revolt in Gojjam, where Za-Dengel, had many many journeys. It was largely due to the Jesuit’s insistence adherents. An armed conflict between these two sides was that Susényos converted5 to the Catholic faith in 1621’ inevitable and in 1604, at Barcha in Dembiya these two (Isabel, Pennec and Ramos, 2009). Susenyos’s shift armies faced each other”( Bartnicki A., & Mantel N., discontented mainly the clergy as clearly stated by Wallis, 2019).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • An Analysis of the Afar-Somali Conflict in Ethiopia and Djibouti
    Regional Dynamics of Inter-ethnic Conflicts in the Horn of Africa: An Analysis of the Afar-Somali Conflict in Ethiopia and Djibouti DISSERTATION ZUR ERLANGUNG DER GRADES DES DOKTORS DER PHILOSOPHIE DER UNIVERSTÄT HAMBURG VORGELEGT VON YASIN MOHAMMED YASIN from Assab, Ethiopia HAMBURG 2010 ii Regional Dynamics of Inter-ethnic Conflicts in the Horn of Africa: An Analysis of the Afar-Somali Conflict in Ethiopia and Djibouti by Yasin Mohammed Yasin Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR (POLITICAL SCIENCE) in the FACULITY OF BUSINESS, ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES at the UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURG Supervisors Prof. Dr. Cord Jakobeit Prof. Dr. Rainer Tetzlaff HAMBURG 15 December 2010 iii Acknowledgments First and foremost, I would like to thank my doctoral fathers Prof. Dr. Cord Jakobeit and Prof. Dr. Rainer Tetzlaff for their critical comments and kindly encouragement that made it possible for me to complete this PhD project. Particularly, Prof. Jakobeit’s invaluable assistance whenever I needed and his academic follow-up enabled me to carry out the work successfully. I therefore ask Prof. Dr. Cord Jakobeit to accept my sincere thanks. I am also grateful to Prof. Dr. Klaus Mummenhoff and the association, Verein zur Förderung äthiopischer Schüler und Studenten e. V., Osnabruck , for the enthusiastic morale and financial support offered to me in my stay in Hamburg as well as during routine travels between Addis and Hamburg. I also owe much to Dr. Wolbert Smidt for his friendly and academic guidance throughout the research and writing of this dissertation. Special thanks are reserved to the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Hamburg and the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) that provided me comfortable environment during my research work in Hamburg.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethiopia-Historic.Pdf
    Remote River Expeditions ETHIOPIA The Historic Route Itinerary Options & Notes (page 1) These journeys pass through the scenic Ethiopian highlands and leads to the historical sites of the country in the north. The trip covers Bahir Dar, where one finds lake Tana with over thirty monasteries scattered on the lake; Gondar, known for the ancient castles and churches; Axum, the ancient city of Ethiopia known for the famous obelisks standing in the center of the town and where the ark of the covenant is believed to be kept; Lalibella, which is known as the Jerusalem of Ethiopia and known for the rock hewn churches where Major church events still takes place. Bahir Dar, Gondar, Axum, Lalibella 10 Days / 9 Nights / By air Code: EFS204 1. Arrive to Addis Ababa 2. Addis - Bahir Dar - in the afternoon, visit the Blue Nile falls 3. Bahir Dar- Boat trip on the Lake Tana (the biggest lake of Ethiopia) and visit the monastery churches. 4. Bahir Dar- Gondar- afternoon visit the castles and Debre Birhan Selassie church 5. Gondar- Visit the Felasha Village and the panoramic scenery of the Simien Mountains 6. Gondar-Axum - visit the town of Axum 7. Axum- Lalibella- visit the first group of the churches 8. Lalibela- visit the second group of churches and the market in the town or excursion to the Ashen ton Mariam church. 9. Lalibela - Addis, city tour in the afternoon 10. Departure Historical Route 14 Days / 13 Nights / By car Code EFS 205 1. Arrival to Addis Ababa 2. Addis-Kombolcha 3. Komolcha -Lalibela 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Local History of Ethiopia an - Arfits © Bernhard Lindahl (2005)
    Local History of Ethiopia An - Arfits © Bernhard Lindahl (2005) an (Som) I, me; aan (Som) milk; damer, dameer (Som) donkey JDD19 An Damer (area) 08/43 [WO] Ana, name of a group of Oromo known in the 17th century; ana (O) patrikin, relatives on father's side; dadi (O) 1. patience; 2. chances for success; daddi (western O) porcupine, Hystrix cristata JBS56 Ana Dadis (area) 04/43 [WO] anaale: aana eela (O) overseer of a well JEP98 Anaale (waterhole) 13/41 [MS WO] anab (Arabic) grape HEM71 Anaba Behistan 12°28'/39°26' 2700 m 12/39 [Gz] ?? Anabe (Zigba forest in southern Wello) ../.. [20] "In southern Wello, there are still a few areas where indigenous trees survive in pockets of remaining forests. -- A highlight of our trip was a visit to Anabe, one of the few forests of Podocarpus, locally known as Zegba, remaining in southern Wello. -- Professor Bahru notes that Anabe was 'discovered' relatively recently, in 1978, when a forester was looking for a nursery site. In imperial days the area fell under the category of balabbat land before it was converted into a madbet of the Crown Prince. After its 'discovery' it was declared a protected forest. Anabe is some 30 kms to the west of the town of Gerba, which is on the Kombolcha-Bati road. Until recently the rough road from Gerba was completed only up to the market town of Adame, from which it took three hours' walk to the forest. A road built by local people -- with European Union funding now makes the forest accessible in a four-wheel drive vehicle.
    [Show full text]
  • The Golden Gospels and Chronicle of Aksum at Aksum Seyon’S Church: the Photographs Taken by Theodor V
    The Golden Gospels and Chronicle of Aksum at Aksum Seyon’s Church: The photographs taken by Theodor v. Lüpke (1906) Anaïs Wion To cite this version: Anaïs Wion. The Golden Gospels and Chronicle of Aksum at Aksum Seyon’s Church: The pho- tographs taken by Theodor v. Lüpke (1906). Steffen Wenig. IN KAISERLICHEM AUFTRAG. Die Deutsche Aksum-Expedition 1906 unter Enno Littmann, Ethnographische, kirchenhistorische und archäologisch-historische Untersuchungen (3), Reichert Verlag, pp.117-133, 2017, 978-3-89500-891-7. halshs-01525075 HAL Id: halshs-01525075 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01525075 Submitted on 21 Apr 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Anaïs Wion The Golden Gospels and Chronicle of Aksum at Aksum Seyon’s Church: The photographs taken by Theodor v. Lüpke (1906)* Enno Littmann had a great interest in Ethio- the DAE took photographs closer up of regalia pian literature, both written and oral: while from the church, including the codices (Figs. 2 in Ethiopia, he collected 149 codices and 167 and 3).4 The next day, Littmann and v. Lüpke scrolls and he also transcribed and translated returned to the church and asked for permission numerous oral traditions.1 In parallel, members to take pictures of the two Golden Gospels and of the DAE – especially Theodor v.
    [Show full text]
  • Feasibility Study for a Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia
    Friedrich zur Heide Feasibility Study for a Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia BfN-Skripten 317 2012 Feasibility Study for a Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia Friedrich zur Heide Cover pictures: Tributary of the Blue Nile River near the Nile falls (top left); fisher in his traditional Papyrus boat (Tanqua) at the southwestern papyrus belt of Lake Tana (top centre); flooded shores of Deq Island (top right); wild coffee on Zege Peninsula (bottom left); field with Guizotia scabra in the Chimba wetland (bottom centre) and Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea (bottom right) (F. zur Heide). Author’s address: Friedrich zur Heide Michael Succow Foundation Ellernholzstrasse 1/3 D-17489 Greifswald, Germany Phone: +49 3834 83 542-15 Fax: +49 3834 83 542-22 Email: [email protected] Co-authors/support: Dr. Lutz Fähser Michael Succow Foundation Renée Moreaux Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald Christian Sefrin Department of Geography, University of Bonn Maxi Springsguth Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald Fanny Mundt Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald Scientific Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Michael Succow Michael Succow Foundation Email: [email protected] Technical Supervisor at BfN: Florian Carius Division I 2.3 “International Nature Conservation” Email: [email protected] The study was conducted by the Michael Succow Foundation (MSF) in cooperation with the Amhara National Regional State Bureau of Culture, Tourism and Parks Development (BoCTPD) and supported by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds from the Environmental Research Plan (FKZ: 3510 82 3900) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).
    [Show full text]
  • 20210714 Access Snapshot- Tigray Region June 2021 V2
    ETHIOPIA Tigray: Humanitarian Access Snapshot (July 2021) As of 31 July 2021 The conflict in Tigray continues despite the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Ethiopian Federal Government on 28 June, which resulted in the withdrawal of the Ethiopian National Overview of reported incidents July Since Nov July Since Nov Defense Forces (ENDF) and Eritrea’s Defense Forces (ErDF) from Tigray. In July, Tigray forces (TF) engaged in a military offensive in boundary areas of Amhara and Afar ERITREA 13 153 2 14 regions, displacing thousands of people and impacting access into the area. #Incidents impacting Aid workers killed Federal authorities announced the mobilization of armed forces from other regions. The Amhara region the security of aid Tahtay North workers Special Forces (ASF), backed by ENDF, maintain control of Western zone, with reports of a military Adiyabo Setit Humera Western build-up on both sides of the Tekezi river. ErDF are reportedly positioned in border areas of Eritrea and in SUDAN Kafta Humera Indasilassie % of incidents by type some kebeles in North-Western and Eastern zones. Thousands of people have been displaced from town Central Eastern these areas into Shire city, North-Western zone. In line with the Access Monitoring and Western Korarit https://bit.ly/3vcab7e May Reporting Framework: Electricity, telecommunications, and banking services continue to be disconnected throughout Tigray, Gaba Wukro Welkait TIGRAY 2% while commercial cargo and flights into the region remain suspended. This is having a major impact on Tselemti Abi Adi town May Tsebri relief operations. Partners are having to scale down operations and reduce movements due to the lack Dansha town town Mekelle AFAR 4% of fuel.
    [Show full text]
  • Threats to Gelada Baboon (Theropithecus Gelada) Around Debre Libanos, Northwest Shewa Zone, Ethiopia
    Hindawi Publishing Corporation International Journal of Biodiversity Volume 2016, Article ID 3405717, 7 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/3405717 Research Article Threats to Gelada Baboon (Theropithecus gelada) around Debre Libanos, Northwest Shewa Zone, Ethiopia Kassahun Abie1 and Afework Bekele2 1 Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, College of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Wolkite University, P.O. Box 07, Wolkite, Ethiopia 2Department of Zoological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Correspondence should be addressed to Kassahun Abie; [email protected] Received 24 June 2016; Accepted 14 August 2016 Academic Editor: Alexandre Sebbenn Copyright © 2016 K. Abie and A. Bekele. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This study was aimed at determining threats to gelada baboon around Debre Libanos, Northwest Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Thiswas investigated based on questionnaire, informant interview, focus group discussion, and direct observation methods from August 2012 to March 2013. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and responses were compared using chi-square test. Habitat destruction (95%), livestock grazing (91.67%), expansion of agricultural land (88.33%), expansion of invasive species (58.33%) in the area that reduces the availability and quality of gelada baboon’s food, inappropriate investment activity (75%), and depredation (66.67%) were the major threats to gelada baboons in the study area. All these challenges could cause a short and long-term effect on gelada baboon population size and growth rate.
    [Show full text]
  • Sabla Wangêl, the Queen of the Kingdom of Heaven Margaux Herman
    Sabla Wangêl, the queen of the Kingdom of Heaven Margaux Herman To cite this version: Margaux Herman. Sabla Wangêl, the queen of the Kingdom of Heaven. Addis Ababa University Institute of Ethiopian Studies XVII International Conference of Ethiopian Studies, Nov 2009, ADDIS ABEBA, France. halshs-00699633 HAL Id: halshs-00699633 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00699633 Submitted on 21 May 2014 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Herman Margaux, (Phd Candidate) University of Paris1-La Sorbonne - Department of History Cemaf-Paris UMR 8171 Supervisor : Bertrand Hirsch Current Mailing Address: Herman Margaux 12-14 bd-Richard Lenoir 75011 Paris- France e-mail:[email protected] 1 Säblä Wängel, the Queen of the Kingdom of Heaven Starting from a general consideration about the Ethiopian queens from 16th to 18th centuries, I have come to focus on Queen Säblä Wängel, a notable figure of the royalty of the 16th century, and on her royal foundation called Mängəśtä Sämayat Kidanä Məhrät. This paper is based on an analysis of a corpus of composite sources. We will compare the statements explaining the history of the construction of the church in the sources written after the death of the queen to the records produced when she was alive.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethiopia, the TPLF and Roots of the 2001 Political Tremor Paulos Milkias Marianopolis College/Concordia University
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ScholarWorks at WMU Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU International Conference on African Development Center for African Development Policy Research Archives 8-2001 Ethiopia, The TPLF and Roots of the 2001 Political Tremor Paulos Milkias Marianopolis College/Concordia University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/africancenter_icad_archive Part of the African Studies Commons, and the Economics Commons WMU ScholarWorks Citation Milkias, Paulos, "Ethiopia, The TPLF nda Roots of the 2001 Political Tremor" (2001). International Conference on African Development Archives. Paper 4. http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/africancenter_icad_archive/4 This Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for African Development Policy Research at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Conference on African Development Archives by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ETHIOPIA, TPLF AND ROOTS OF THE 2001 * POLITICAL TREMOR ** Paulos Milkias Ph.D. ©2001 Marianopolis College/Concordia University he TPLF has its roots in Marxist oriented Tigray University Students' movement organized at Haile Selassie University in 1974 under the name “Mahber Gesgesti Behere Tigray,” [generally T known by its acronym – MAGEBT, which stands for ‘Progressive Tigray Peoples' Movement’.] 1 The founders claim that even though the movement was tactically designed to be nationalistic it was, strategically, pan-Ethiopian. 2 The primary structural document the movement produced in the late 70’s, however, shows it to be Tigrayan nationalist and not Ethiopian oriented in its content.
    [Show full text]
  • PETROS III (D. 1607) Petros Was Certainly the Successor Of
    PETROS III (d. 1607) Petros was certainly the successor of Krestodolu I, but in Ethiopian documents, information about his episcopate is fragmentary and scant, perhaps explained by the fact that the annals of the sovereigns of his time do not survive. Only the manifesto issued around 1624 by Negus Susenyos (1607-1632) in an effort to explain his joining the Catholic church gives a summary view of this episcopate. Denouncing the conduct of certain metropolitans in Ethiopia, this negus wrote: Abuna Petros [III], who succeeded this metropolitan [Krestodolu I], had relations with the wife of a Melchite, and when this fact became public, he paid the fine levied against any adulterer who corrupts the wife of another; certain witnesses having knowledge of this are still living, such as Joseph and Marino, who are foreigners not Ethiopians. Moreover, to this sin the metropolitan added other misdeeds. In the seventh year of Negus Ya‘qob's reign, Petros [III] issued a general excommunication which caused the people to depose Yaqob, exile him to Ennarya, and replace him with Za-Dengel. Later, he [Petros III] issued a second general excommunication in order to persuade the Ethiopians to get rid of Negus Za-Dengel, who was in fact killed [and replaced by Ya‘qob]. And as if that were not enough, when we [Susenyos] decided to fight against Negus Ya‘qob, the metropolitan [Petros III] went to war with him and fell with him on the battlefield. The essential facts referred to in this passage from Susenyos' manifesto must be summarized. Sarsa Dengel had had no male offspring by his wife Maryam Sena, but at his death he did leave some illegitimate sons.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Historical Imagination in Late Antique Iraq
    OXFORD EARLY CHRISTIAN STUDIES General Editors Gillian Clark Andrew Louth THE OXFORD EARLY CHRISTIAN STUDIES series includes scholarly volumes on the thought and history of the early Christian centuries. Covering a wide range of Greek, Latin, and Oriental sources, the books are of interest to theologians, ancient historians, and specialists in the classical and Jewish worlds. Titles in the series include: Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and the Transformation of Divine Simplicity Andrew Radde-Gallwitz (2009) The Asceticism of Isaac of Nineveh Patrik Hagman (2010) Palladius of Helenopolis The Origenist Advocate Demetrios S. Katos (2011) Origen and Scripture The Contours of the Exegetical Life Peter Martens (2012) Activity and Participation in Late Antique and Early Christian Thought Torstein Theodor Tollefsen (2012) Irenaeus of Lyons and the Theology of the Holy Spirit Anthony Briggman (2012) Apophasis and Pseudonymity in Dionysius the Areopagite “No Longer I” Charles M. Stang (2012) Memory in Augustine’s Theological Anthropology Paige E. Hochschild (2012) Orosius and the Rhetoric of History Peter Van Nuffelen (2012) Drama of the Divine Economy Creator and Creation in Early Christian Theology and Piety Paul M. Blowers (2012) Embodiment and Virtue in Gregory of Nyssa Hans Boersma (2013) The Chronicle of Seert Christian Historical Imagination in Late Antique Iraq PHILIP WOOD 1 3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries # Philip Wood 2013 The moral rights of the author have been asserted First Edition published in 2013 Impression: 1 All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Socio-Economic Base-Line Survey of Rural and Urban Households in Tana Sub-Basin, Amhara National Regional State
    Socio-Economic Base-Line Survey of Rural and Urban Households in Tana Sub-Basin, Amhara National Regional State Kassahun Berhanu & Tegegne Gebre-Egziabher FSS Monograph No. 10 Forum for Social Studies (FSS) Addis Ababa © 2014 Forum for Social Studies (FSS) All rights reserved. Printed in Addis Ababa Typesetting & Layouts: Konjit Belete ISBN: 13: 978-99944-50-49-7 Forum for Social Studies (FSS) P.O. Box 25864 code 1000 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Email: [email protected] Web: www.fssethiopia.org.et This monograph has been published with the financial support of the Civil Societies Support Program (CSSP). The contents of the monograph are the sole responsibilities of the authors and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the CSSP or the FSS. Table of Contents List of Tables vii Acronyms xvii I. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background and Statement of the Problem 1 1.2 Objectives 9 1.3 Research Questions (Issues) 10 1.4 Methodology 11 1.4.1 Sampling 11 1.4.2 Types of Data, Data collection techniques, and 13 Data Sources 1.5 Significance and Policy Implications 15 1.6 Organization of the Report 15 II. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS OF RURAL 17 HOUSHOLDS 2.1 Age-Sex Composition 17 2.2 Household Composition and Marital Status 20 2.3 Ethnic and Religious Composition 22 2.4 Educational characteristics 22 2.5 Primary Activity 25 III. AGRICULTURE 27 3.1 Crop Production 27 3.1.1 Land Ownership 27 3.1.2 Number of Plots Owned and Average Distance 28 Traveled to Farm Plots 3.1.3 Size of holding (ha) 29 3.1.4 Other Forms of Land Holding by Respondents 30 in Study Woredas 3.1.5 Possession of Private Fallow and Grazing Land 31 3.1.6 Land Use Certification and Security of Tenure 32 3.1.7 Possession of Plough Oxen 33 3.1.8 Usage of Farm Implements 33 3.1.9 Means and Ways of Engaging in Farming 34 Activities 3.1.10 Annual Production (Base Year 2004 EC) 38 3.1.11 Use of Agricultural Inputs 38 3.1.12 Irrigated Agriculture 42 3.2 Livestock Production and Services 47 IV.
    [Show full text]