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Ethiopian Orthodox
Christianity
Many Rastafarians feel a close link between their own
religious tradition and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church,
since Emperor Haile Selassie himself was an Ethiopian
Orthodox Christian. In the Amharic language, the Church is called the
Ethiopian Orthodox 'Tewahido Bete Christian'
('United Church').
Orthodox Christianity is a very old and long established
tradition. It has always been the dominant Church in the
eastern part of Christendom, and often places a stronger
emphasis on mysticism and monasticism
than is found in the west. It claims to preserve in its
doctrines the true and undistorted teachings of Jesus
Christ, in contrast with numerous confused and fragmented
modern denominations.
Some typical features of Orthodox worship are the use of
incense, the chanting of prayers and verses from the
Scriptures, and the veneration of icons depicting holy
figures and saints. The walls inside an Orthodox chapel
may be literally covered with hundreds of beautiful
glowing icons. This gives a very special but austere
atmosphere. The priest who takes the service typically
stands facing the same direction as the congregation
behind him, since he is seen as 'leading' the
congregation in worship, rather than simply preaching to
them. The Eastern Church also celebrates festivals such
as Christmas and Easter at slightly different times
compared with the Western Church.
Branches of the Orthodox Church include the Russian,
Greek, Armenian, Egyptian Coptic, and Syrian churches as
well as the Ethiopian Orthodox, which is thought by some
to be the oldest. (Not all Eastern churches consider
themselves part of Orthodoxy, but instead may belong to
Roman Catholicism.)
Orthodoxy is the state religion in Ethiopia. More than half the population is
Orthodox Christian. There is an unusual emphasis on some
aspects of Old Testament (Judaic) practices and rituals,
such as dietary laws and a Saturday Sabbath.
Although Christianity is the predominant religion in
Ethiopia, Islam and Judaism are also well represented.
For more information about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church,
try the following links:
http://sellassie.ourfamily.com/culture/church.html
Yahoo! Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EthiopianChristianity/
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