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Christianity in Ethiopia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Dale H. Moore
Dale H. Moore
Affiliation:
Lafayette College, Easton, Pa.
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Extract

There are various accounts of the origin of Christianity in Ethiopia, but most of them have no satisfactory historical basis. One tradition, found in the Royal Chronicles and other native works, claims that the Apostle Thomas was responsible for the introduction of Christianity into Ethiopia. Origen refers to the Apostle Matthew as a missionary to the Ethiopians, an association which Rufinus also gives. Gelasios of Cyzicus links the name of Bartholomew with Ethiopia. There is also the well-known account by Luke of the baptism by Philip of the Ethiopians,” around which a legend has developed. Candace, however, was a name used chiefly in Nubia and ancient Ethiopia, and not to be found among the queens of Ethiopia proper. There is actually no trustworthy record of Christianity in this country in the first century. These traditions have probably resulted, for the most part, from a confusion of terms. Early historians were not at all clear about the geographical limitations of Ethiopia and, in using the name, might have meant Nubia, or Egypt, or even India. In fact, Ethiopia was sometimes referred to as “India ulterior.” Even as late as the fifteenth century this confusion remained.

Type
Research Article
Information
Church History , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , September 1936 , pp. 271 - 284
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1936

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References

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