African Ethiopia and Byzantine imperial orthodoxy: Politically influenced self-definition of Christianity

Rukuni, Rugare; Oliver, Erna

doi:10.4102/hts.v75i4.5314

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Whereas the relationship between the two Christian establishments was reasonably complex, after all it would be an overgeneralisation to claim Aksumite subservience to Byzantine. Reflections upon the Chalcedonian-Nicene orthodox dynamics argue for an autonomous Aksum (Rukuni & Oliver 2019), whilst a review of Byzantine Red Sea economic and political policy implies a mutual alliance between Aksum and Byzantium (Cerulli 1959:11, 12;Periplus 4, 5;notes;ed. & trans.…”

Section: Epics Of Religious Warfare: a Clash Of Proxies Monarchs Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religious statecraft: Constantinianism in the figure of Nagashi Kaleb

Rukuni

2020

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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The Himyarite invasion of 525 CE by Kaleb of Aksum was a definitive war in the narrative of global religion and politics. The accounts surrounding the war corroborate the notion of an impressed Constantinian modus of establishing religious statecraft. Whereas there has been much anthropological and archaeological work on the South Arabian–Aksumite relations from the 4th to the 6th centuries, revisionism in perspective of literary sources and respective evidence retains significance given the dynamism of Ethiopianism as a concept. Implicative document analysis, cultural historiography and archaeology of religion are relevant methods used in this study. There are parallels between Kaleb’s new Zion agenda and Constantine’s nova Roma persona, both resembling an emergent Christian-religious state. It is from this religious (Christian) state that a geopolitical policy that defined the trajectory of their respective nations emerged. The replete epigraphy and literary evidence on Ethiopia and its Byzantine connection aggregately affirms the explicit existence of a Christianised foreign policy.Contribution: The research revises the narrative of Ethiopian Christianity with a lens of political-religious dynamics thereby contributing to the field of theology and history.

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Section: Epics Of Religious Warfare: a Clash Of Proxies Monarchs Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religious statecraft: Constantinianism in the figure of Nagashi Kaleb

Rukuni

2020

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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confidence: 99%

Religious statecraft: Zionism and Constantinianism in Ethiopian religious-martial policy

Rukuni

2020

Verbum et Ecclesia

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The narrative of the Judaic-Christian nation of Ethiopia is punctuated within the connotations of religious conflict (Rukuni & Oliver 2019a, 2019b, 2019cRukuni 2020). From the perspective of its complex religious-cultural-political complex, a definitive approach regarding Ethiopia's religious-military pursuits would be enlightening. Therefore, this research will establish links between Ethiopian religious-martial policy and the different systems of religious statecraft. Correspondingly, it will explore how the essential nature of the Ethiopian church-state substantiated the response to Islam. Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to entrench the idea of religious statecraft as a function of Ethiopia's Christian history. This goal will be achieved through document analysis (cf. Bowen 2009:27). Compositely, cultural historiography and the principle of enculturation and self-definition are implied (Danto 2008:17; Rukuni 2018:156).Firstly, the Kebra Naghast introduces the biblical glory of Ethiopian statecraft, by attaching it to the central focus of the Old Testament 'Israelite theocracy' (Budge 2000:21; Gen 12:1-3; Ex 19:5). The chosen nature of the Israelite nation, as directly connected to the Deity and conceived as an action of divinely appointed patriarchs and prophets, overwhelms the Old Testament narratives. In a related discussion, the biblical account of 1 Kings 10 is a reality attested to by historicity, although certain elements derived from Ethiopic tradition are left out in the Old Testament narrative. The claim for a Solomonic descendent, Bäynä Lǝḥkǝm or Menelik I, sets the background for the whole record of the Kebra Naghast (Bausi 2009:266). Menelik I is accompanied by the claim of Ethiopic succession to the Israelite theocratic privilege (Kebra Naghast 32, 36, 55; Budge 2000:34, 40, 71). The Ark of the Covenant and correspondingly the Ten Commandments come to be identified with the return and reign of Menelik I (Budge 2000:iv). In other words, the distinctive features that Ethiopia as a theme is replete in the Hadith and Pseudo-Methodius, ironically perspectives from the two sides of the same war. Dually, Ethiopia was an Islamic friend and later a foe. In its response to Islamification, Ethiopia embellished its mythical-legendary heroic status in Eastern Christianity. This implies an existent religious-martial policy, which can be viewed against the reality of the religious-political complex that shaped Ethiopia. This research has been accomplished using document analysis. The parallel study of Ethiopia's interaction with Islam, Judaic-Zionism and Constantinian dynamics concocts the reality of religious statecraft. Attaching the perceived religious statecraft of Ethiopia to the nation's overall narrative established the notion of a religious-martial policy. The preceding corroborates a theory of religious statecraft as derived from the narratives of Ethiopian Christian history.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Whilst the study is mainly a church history review of historica...

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African Ethiopia and Byzantine imperial orthodoxy: Politically influenced self-definition of Christianity

Cited by 2 publications

References 13 publications

Religious statecraft: Constantinianism in the figure of Nagashi Kaleb

Religious statecraft: Constantinianism in the figure of Nagashi Kaleb

Religious statecraft: Zionism and Constantinianism in Ethiopian religious-martial policy

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