Ethiopia
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Official name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia |
DEMOGRAPHY
ECONOMY |
LIFE & LIBERTY |
Contents |
[edit] Geography
[edit] Location
- Ethiopia is a country situated in the Horn of Africa that has been landlocked since the independence of its northern neighbour Eritrea in 1993. Apart from Eritrea to the north, Ethiopia is bordered by Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Djibouti to the northeast, and Somalia to the east. Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations in the world and Africa’s second-most populous nation. The major portion of Ethiopia lies on the Horn of Africa, which is the eastern-most part of the African landmass.
[edit] Region
[edit] Climate
[edit] Natural Resources
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Peoples
[edit] Languages
- With over 80 languages spoken across Ethiopia there is an ongoing need for Bible translation. The Bible or the New Testament is available in 18 languages and 12 other languages are in development. Training courses are given regularly to train Ethiopians in translation.
[edit] Provinces
[edit] Life
- HIV/AIDS has spread rapidly and affects over 3 million, which is 10% of the adult population. May the Christians have the burden to provide care and counseling for families who are suffering.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Government
- Peace and national recovery has been delayed by conflicts with Eritrea. The war with Eritrea caused the death of 70,000+ Eritreans and Ethiopians in fierce trench warfare. The two presidents are both Tigrinya and were once friends. Pray for humility, willingness to compromise on the part of the leaders, and a just peace to end hostilities that neither country can afford.
[edit] Religion
- Christians comprise 65% of Ethiopia’s population, while Muslims make up 31%, Traditional 3%, Other 1%. The Marxist regime persecuted Christians and destroyed many church buildings, but complete freedom of religion has been restored since 1991.
[edit] Islam
31%
[edit] Buddhism
[edit] Christianity
[edit] Challenges for Christians:
- A series of violent interfaith conflicts in the western part of the country have threatened historic tolerance and stability. On April 2, 2007, in Bambasse, a town in southwest Ethiopia, local Muslims raided the house of evangelist Tolosa Megersa, resulting in the death of six of his cattle and sheep. Five days later, the home of Full Gospel Church leader Lemmu Abdissa was raided. All his property was destroyed, including 8,815 pounds of grain.
- On March 26, 2007, a group of Muslim youth attacked and killed evangelist Taddese Tefera Akufo, in Jima, Oromiya Region. At the time of the report, no suspects were in police detention. On October 18, 2006, in Begi and Gidami, Oromiya Region, clashes between Muslims and Protestants resulted in 9 deaths, including the death of two Protestant preachers, whose throats were slashed, and over 100 injured. Additionally, 21 churches, a mosque, and dozens of houses were burned, leading to the displacement of over 400 people. Orthodox churches were burned, although the incidents were primarily between Protestants and Muslims.
- On September 26, 2006, in several parts of western Ethiopia, a series of clashes occurred between the Muslim community and members of the Protestant or evangelical communities.
- Evangelicals in Ethiopia, who may account for as much as 20 percent of the population, face severe persecution. Attacks against Christians have risen in some Muslim-dominated areas as militants began purging Christian believers, including an incident in March 2008 in the town of Nensabo. “A group of radical Muslims determined to rid their area of the ‘shame of Christianity’ came against these believers as they were gathered for worship,” “At least two Christians were killed, and literally dozens were wounded.”
- The Muslim advance. Muslims strengthened their position under Marxism, and have launched a massive campaign for the Islamization of Ethiopia by penetrating Christian areas with the offer of bribes and a mosque-building programme — many were reported to have been built during the time that many Christian churches were being closed. Their numbers are growing significantly, with converts out of both animism and the Orthodox Church. Ethiopia is strategically vital for both Islam and Christianity. Pray for a definite prayer mobilization that will lead to breakthroughs among Muslim peoples and also frustration of these Islamic stratagems. Converts out of Islam are numbered only in hundreds.
[edit] History
[edit] Churches
- Praise God for the thrilling growth of the Protestant churches since 1936. Two great waves of violent persecution under the Italians in 1936-41 and the Communists in 1974-1990 refined and purified the church, but there were many martyrs. Vision, sacrificial evangelism and courageous witness have characterized Evangelicals of all denominations. There have been great seasons of harvest with millions coming to Christ, the greatest being since the failure and collapse of Communism. Protestants were fewer than 200,000 or 0.8% of the population in 1960, but by 2000 this had become nearly 12 million and 19.7% of the population. May these Christians continue to have a real passion for evangelism. Pray for real spiritual growth, commitment, and discipleship in the church.
- There has been a move of the Holy Spirit in some sections of the Orthodox Church. Pray for the entire Orthodox Church to be open to the Holy Spirit.
[edit] Church and State Relations
[edit] Mission
- This traditional Ethopian Orthodox Church (which was historically linked to the Egyptian Orthodox or Coptic Church) was not a "missionary" chuch as such. The EOC remained within the confines of Ethiopia exept when numbers of Ethiopias migrated to another part of the world (such as New York City or Nairobi/Kenya). The Evangelical movement, however, has been missional since its inception prior to the Italian occupation in WWII. During that time, missionaries from Woyletta and Kembatta began spreading the Gospel in southern Ethiopia. According to a book by Dr. Ray Davis (Fire on the Mountian), when outsiders began trickling back into Ethiopia after WWII they found that a few hundred believers they had left had turned into a mass of over 10,000. Because this missionary movmement began with the absence of western missionaries, it became one of the most indigenous mission movements in the world.
- Between the time of WWII and the communist revolution in Ethiopia (1974) Christianity spread rapidly through the animistic South. Much of this was done through Ethiopian evangelist/missionaries -- particulary from the Woyletta, Kembatta and Gedeo ethnic groups. Attempts to evangelize the North of Ethiopia were thwarted by reaction from the EOC mentioned above. In fact, the EOC often persecuted Evangelicals calling them "Mary Haters" and those who deny the power of the "Ark of the Covenant." Evangelicals on the other hand, made a big point of "salvation by grace alone" and "sola Scriptura" (the Bible alone as authority). Despite harassment, imprisonment and refusal to give places for burial of evangelicals, the Evangelicals grew in number throughout those pre-communism years.
- Communism came to Ethiopia between 1974 and 1992. During those 17 years many evangelists had to return to their homelands. If they did not come and live on their land, it would have been taken from them. Churches were closed and it was difficult to raise support for evangelist/missionaries. More than that, each community was put under the leadership of a communist cadre and a "farmers association" which scruitinzed anyone who was not native to the area. During this time the church went underground. House churches opened up everywhere. A movement among young people swept through the churches and these young people were faithful to share their faith with their friends. Youth groups met in secret holding prayer meetings, writing indigenous songs, and strengthening each other in their faith.
- During this time, a strong charismatic church developed in Ethiopia. The communists targeted the charismatics whom they called the "Penti." They were the first major denominations to be shut down by the communists. When their churches closed, they came to other major denominations like the Kale Heywet and Mussereta Christos who opened their doors to them. In this way the whole of the Evangelical Church in Ethiopia was infused with the passion, enthusiasm, and boldness of their charismatic counterparts. Further as they were later all thrown into the same prisons -- they learned there to worship and surivive together. This is why, if one looks at the Ethiopian Evangelical Fellowship of Churches, they will find one of the most unified Evangelical Chruches anywhere in the world. Division like the conciliar, non-consiliar and charismatic churchs are quite foreign to the Ethiopian church scene. Evangelicals in Ethiopa are all called "Penti."
- When Communism fell in 1992, the Evangelical church in Ethiopia absolutely exploded. In a country where the average age is under 15 years of age, half of the church had never seen a foreign missionary. All church music was indigenous. Leaders were heros who had survived the fire of communism -- many of them having been in prison for their faith.
- Up until this time, all the evangelism/missions movement of Ethiopia were within their own borders. But communism fell, the new incoming government's policy was "Our country is corporate, your religion is personal." So since 1992 the Evangelical church has enjoyed unpresidented religious freedom. Suddenly there were no more restrictions for going into EOC areas of Northern Ethiopia. Further, because of the communist policy of moving people out of rural situations into villages, little churches sprang up in almost every village. Because they moved people around the country -- Evangelicals (now called Penti) were in every city of any size. All the major denominations mobilized their missions movements and evangelist/missionaries were sent throught the whole country. Even Muslim areas are being evangelized -- though Islam in Ethiopia is growing rapidly.
- Since the fall of communism, the Evanelicals are gaining influence in the country. Even in secular stores and taxi cabs, one is likely to hear "Penti music." It is estimated that the number of Evangelicals has grown to 18%. There has been a dramatic move from within the EOC where many priests and others are studying the Scriptures to see if they need to change some of their religious views and practises. This movement called "Tadiso" (Renewal) is not unlike the Reformation that occured in Europe. In some parts of Ethiopia, groups of EOC churches are declaring their independence from the mother church. Formerly these new evangelicals would have come out of their churches all together. Today, there is more of a movement to keep them with the boundaries of the EOC but with renewnal practises in their local church.
- In 1996 something dramtic happend in the are of Ethiopan missions. A team of 10 Ethiopians were chosen by the Kale Heywet (Word of Life) church leaders. Along with an SIM missionary couple (Howie and Jo-Ann Brant) they went as short term missionaries to India for three months. So far as we are aware, this was the first time that Ethiopians were sent by their local churches outside of their own country as missionaries. The effect of this mission trip was phenominal. It suddenly made the Ethiopian Evangelical Churches aware that their missionaries could be effective in distant lands. It showed them that they could do it. The next year a team set off for Pakistan and again reported amazing results. Since that time the Kale Heywet church has sent missionaries to India, Pakistan and Sudan. The Mekuna Eusus Church has not put a foreign missions program into place. The Ethiopian Fellowship of Evangelical Churches is talking of training some of the thousands of Ethiopian Christians wo fled from Ethiopia during the communist era -- to see themselves as missionaries in the countries where they reside.
- Most recently missions with a burden for the Muslim world have taken note that Ethiopia is surrounded by Islamic countries. One such mission is making a conscious effort to recruit Ethiopian missionaries as those who will go out into the Islamic world to share their faith.
- The potential of global missions out of Ethiopia is enormous. There are many willing to go. Education levels are rising. Training programs are in place. Churches are becoming more and more willing to support their own missionaries. God will use Ethiopa to bless the nations as she has been blessed. (Article submitted by Howard.Brant@gmail.com -- 30 Dec 2007).
- Three Global Recordings Network (GRN) recordists from Sierra Leone traveled to Ethiopia 2007 where they recorded the good news of Jesus Christ in twenty-four languages during a six-week period, see The Sheba Recording Project.
[edit] Broadcasting
[edit] Councils and Networks
[edit] Future Trends
[edit] For More Reading
