Ethiopian Christianity is an inspiring historical and social survey of Christianity’s birth, growth, achievements, and challenges in Ethiopia, from the origins of Christianity until present, even up to 2018. Without excluding the quite recent situation of the Catholic and the protestant Churches, the author offers a vivid, remarkable, and colorful depiction of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church along with its theology and literature, its unique living poetic tradition, its music and architecture, and its cultural expressions. The approach, both critical and sympathetic, helps readers to reflect, examine and appreciate the journey of Christianity in the Horn of Africa.
~Daniel Assefa, Director of the Capuchin Franciscan Research and Retreat Center, Addis Abeba
In Ethiopian Christianity, Professor Esler offers a vivid and illustrative summary of history, literature, art, theology, and practice of the age-old, yet lively, Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity that played a significant role in shaping Ethiopian national religious and socio-political consciousness for centuries. While addressing the dominant intellectual and visual traditions of Ethiopian orthodoxy, he intelligibly presents how the introduction of Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism to Ethiopia at different times has changed the religious environment of modern Ethiopia. Everyone interested in Christianity will benefit immensely from this erudite work.
~Misgana Mathewos, Director, Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology
We wholeheartedly recommend [Ehtiopian Christianity] as a primer to readers about this fascinating country, peoples, history, and theology.
~J. K. Elliott, The Journal of Theological Studies
…this volume is timely and can serve as a primer on grasping the essence and nature of the Ethiopian Christianity. Challenging, yet accessible with its helpful illustrative images and maps, it raises innumerable critical missiological and theological issues.
~Daniel Dama, Mission Studies
…A valuable survey of the Christianity of this region of Africa.
~John Binns, Journal of Ecclesiastical History
'(T)his book, with its broad description of the history and practice of Christianity in Ethiopia will be a guide which will be valued by those who encounter and are fascinated by the kind of faith that they find.'
~John Binns, Journal of Ecclesiastical History
This is a remarkable achievement, fully achieving its aim of presenting a picture of a fascinating and much understudied branch of Christianity and in addition completing the picture with the recent arrivals of Protestantism and Catholicism. Philip Esler displays a prodigious range of reading and considerable familiarity with Christian life in Ethiopia today.
~Paul Gifford, Journal of Contemporary Religion
