Temesgen Shibru Galla THE MISSION THINKING OF THE ETHIOPIAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH MEKANE YESUS (EECMY) SUPERVISOR PROFESSOR TORMOD ENGELSVIKEN MASTER’S THESIS (AVH 502- 55 ECTS CREDITS) IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE DEGREE MASTER OF THEOLOGY MF NORWEGIAN SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY SPRING 2011 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The long process of writing this thesis has come to an end. Many people have made this thesis possible. First and foremost, my deep gratitude is due to my Lord and Savior who sustained me all the way, by lavishing upon me His matchless grace in every possible way. I want to thank my interviewees for their major input to this research. This research was possible because they were willing to give their valuable time and pour out their hearts. I want to thank the MF Norwegian Theological School and its faculty and staff for making my study possible and productive. The money I got through the Priscilla Scholarship was also another blessing during my field study. My special gratitude goes to my supervisor, Professor Tormod Engelsviken. His pointed comments and guidance have been of great input to shape the content and the form of this thesis. My gratitude goes to my brother, Dr. Tekleab Shibru Galla who has helped me with suggestions and with smoothing the language and the structure of this thesis. I also want to thank my father-in-law Per Helge Myren for proof reading one chapter. Last but not the least, I want to thank my beloved family whose prayer and support was of great help. My wife, Ragnhild Myren’s contribution deserves special mention. She is another expression of God’s grace as she supported me with love and care throughout my studies. Being the sole provider for the family, she shared the challenge and joy of parenting. In addition, she proof read part of this thesis. My two girls, Ruth Bone Temesgen Galla and Marie Temesgen Galla, brighten my days with their smile and are a source of inspiration. Even if I have received help from different people, I am solely responsible for all the defects one finds in this thesis. 2 ABBREVIATION AACC All African Council of Churches AEUP All Ethiopia Unity Party ATR African Traditional Religion CUDP Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party DASSC Development and Social Service Commission EECMY IMS Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus International Mission Society EECMY Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus EOTC Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church EPRDF Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front GA General Assembly GC Galla Collection LC Lausanne Covenant LWF Lutheran World Federation MYS Mekane Yesus Seminary NGO Non-governmental Organization NLM Norwegian Lutheran Mission OFDM Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement OPC Oromo People's Congress PMAC Provisional Military Administrative council Rev Reverend RVOG Radio Voice of the Gospel TPLF Tigray People’s Liberation Front UDJ Unity for Democracy and Justice UEDF United Ethiopian Democratic Forces WCC World Council of Churches 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: .................................................................................................................2 ABBREVIATION ..............................................................................................................................3 CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................................................8 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................8 1.1. THE EECMY ......................................................................................................................8 1.2. THE EECMY’S STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT ................................................................9 1.3. RESEARCH RATIONALE AND MOTIVATION ............................................................ 12 1.4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE ........................................................................ 14 1.5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................ 15 1.6. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 16 1.6.1. REFLECTION ON PRACTICE ................................................................................. 16 1.6.2. QUALITATIVE METHOD ....................................................................................... 18 1.6.2.1. PARTICIPANT OBSERVER ............................................................................. 19 1.6.2.2. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW ................................................................. 19 1.6.3. DOCUMENT ANALYSIS......................................................................................... 21 1.7. DELIMITATION .............................................................................................................. 21 1.8. DEFINITION OF MISSION.............................................................................................. 22 1.9. LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................. 23 1.9.1. PREVIOUS WORKS ON EECMY ............................................................................ 23 1.9.1.1. OLAV SÆVERÅS ............................................................................................. 23 1.9.1.2. GUSTAV ARE´N .............................................................................................. 24 1.9.1.3. FEKADU GURMESSA ..................................................................................... 24 1.9.1.4. EMMANUEL ABRAHAM ................................................................................ 24 1.9.1.5. JOHNNY BAKKE ............................................................................................. 24 1.9.1.6. ARNE TOLO ..................................................................................................... 25 1.9.1.7. ØYVIND EIDE .................................................................................................. 25 1.9.2. HWA YUNG, 1997 ................................................................................................... 25 CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................................................. 27 2. BACKGROUND (CONTEXTUAL) INFORMATION ............................................................. 27 2.1. PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... 27 2.2. BRIEF INFORMATION ABOUT ETHIOPIA................................................................... 27 2.3. ARRIVAL OF CHRISTIANITY AND ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX TEWAHEDO CHURCH ..................................................................................................................................... 28 4 2.4. TRADITIONAL RELIGION ............................................................................................. 30 CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................................... 33 3. EVANGELISM AND PASTORAL CONCERNS ..................................................................... 33 3.1. PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... 33 3.2. EVANGELISM ................................................................................................................. 33 3.2.1. TERMINOLOGIES AND MEANING ....................................................................... 33 3.2.2. STATE OF EVANGELISM IN EECMY ................................................................... 34 3.2.3. MOTIVATION FOR EVANGELISM IN EECMY .................................................... 35 3.2.4. THE EVANGELISTIC MESSAGE ........................................................................... 37 3.2.5. EVANGELISM IN ACTION IN EECMY.................................................................. 39 3.2.5.1. ORGANIZATION ............................................................................................. 39 3.2.5.2. VOLUNTEERS ................................................................................................. 39 3.2.6. POWER FOR EVANGELISM................................................................................... 41 3.3. PASTORAL MINISTRIES ................................................................................................ 45 CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................................ 48 4. SOCIO-POLITICAL CONCERN (HOLISTIC MINISTRY) ..................................................... 48 4.1. PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... 48 4.2. THE FAMOUS LETTER OF 1972 ................................................................................... 48 4.2.1. BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................... 48 4.2.2. ANALYSIS OF THE “THE LETTER OF 1972”........................................................ 50 4.2.3. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 51 4.3. BASIS FOR SOCIAL SERVICE ....................................................................................... 51