INTRODUCTION
This book has grown out. of my lecture notes on the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. (EOTC), while lecturing in the Holy Trinity Theological' University' College of the Ethiopian Orthodox' Tewahedo Church, in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. The materials and basic information were drawn from Amharic, Ge'ez (Ethiopic), English and Greek books, unpublished data, personal observations and data collected for the last few decades. The Amharic version of the same was published in 1997 E.C. to be used as a text book and reference material for students and clergies" who are studying Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church History. Fortunately, many youth institutes, colleges and Sunday schools are now using it as source book for the history of the Ethiopian Church. Furt.hermore the Ambaric version 'Was a complement to my previous book on the General Church History published in 1986 E.C., then being urged by my colleagues in the academic staff to edit and publish the EnglisJt version,as, "Introduction to the EOTC".
It is a carefully edited summary of the perspective of the' history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church from the time of the baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch(Bacos)who introduced (brought) the news of. Chrlstianity 'to Ethiopia in the first century (Acts 8:26':40) and extended until the present. The first part of the book incorporates the pre-Christian religions of the country and the ancient history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church to a certain extent.Readers are advised to take into account that the introduction of Judaism (Old Testament) to Ethiopia around 1000B.C. left some useful remnants (elements) of the Jewish farth which are riow intertwined in the practices of our Church. While reading this book one should also keep in mind that I until the separation of church and state by the socialist regime (Dergu) in 1974, the two institutions were working In harmony safeguarding the freedom of the country and spreading: Christianity within the country and abroad.
We Ethiopians are following the calendar,"Bahra Hassab", which is prepared by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church scholars based on the books of Enoch, Kufale, Jubilees and ancient African knowledge. Providentially the African leaders accepted the Ethiopian calendar as the African calendar and officially celebrated the millennium as the African millennium 12000 E.C.). It is 8 (January-August) or 7 [September-December] years less than the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the Ethiopian third millennium started on the first day of the first Ethiopian month, Meskerem 1, 2001 E.C. (September 11, 2008 G.C.), the years in this book, which are written according to. our calendar, are marked by E.C. (Ethiopian Calendar). I am indebted in general to all the authors from whose books I have drawn substantial materials for the preparation of this text, which are referred in the bibliography. I would like to express my appreciation to all those who have supplied me with useful materials and helped me in many ways during the preparation of this book --------- in particular I am very grateful to MemherDaniel Seifemichael who had devoted a great deal of his time in editing the first draft. This book is intended to offer substantial knowledge especially for the non-Amharic readers about. the history of the Ancient, Holy, and Apostolic Church (EOTC). Part one is now brought to you with the pre-Christian and ancient history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Part two and three are in the process of being published soon.
Lule Melaku
Assistant Professor
2008 (2000 E.C.) |
