African Roots in Black History

African Roots

• Black history, regardless of religious affiliation, shares a common origin in Africa, with African roots shaping the self-understanding of African Americans throughout the 19th century.
• Black Catholics in America sought inspiration in the religious experiences of Africa and the African saints of the early church.
• Black Americans, both Protestant and Catholic, traced their heritage to Black Africans who appeared in the Old and New Testaments, particularly in references to Ethiopia in the Psalms and Prophets.
• Origen, a prominent Alexandrian church father of the 3rd century, interpreted the Song of Songs allegorically, linking the bride in the Song to the church and the Ethiopian queen of Sheba to the church's universal character.
• Isaiah's prophecy in chapter 18:1-2 foretells the rise of a mighty and conquering nation, interpreted as a reference to the Ethiopian people.
• Isaiah's prophecy in chapter 19 highlights the eventual defeat of Egypt by Assyria, mentioning the reign of Tirhakah, one of the last and most powerful black pharaohs.
• The "Ethiopian Eunuch" in Acts 8:26-40, though not explicitly identified by name, is considered to be a significant figure in Christian history, representing a non-Jewish believer.
• While the text in Acts refers to the Eunuch as Ethiopian, he is likely from Nubia, as the text describes him as the treasurer of the "kandake," a Nubian title for the queen mother or reigning queen.
• The text also indicates the Eunuch's wealth as a royal treasurer, evidenced by his chariot travel and possession of a personal scroll of Isaiah.
• Nubia, a black African nation largely isolated from the rest of the Christian world, developed its own distinctive Christian traditions, including murals depicting saints with white and Nubian kings, queens, and clergy with dark skin.
• Nubians left behind leather manuscripts written in various forms of Nubian script, demonstrating their distinct linguistic and cultural identity.
• While Nubia was deeply influenced by Byzantine culture and administration, they retained their own language, script, and traditions.
• The Nubian church likely used Greek, especially during certain periods, and was initially under the jurisdiction of Constantinople before coming under the influence of Alexandria in Egypt by the 8th century.
• Following the Arab conquest of Egypt in 641, the Nubian Christian kingdom became an independent entity, with its unique liturgy, monasteries, cathedrals, and military forces standing as a bulwark against Islam.
• Despite its isolation, the Nubian church persisted, retaining its liturgical practices, monastic traditions, and its distinctive architectural and artistic heritage.
• The Axumite kingdom in Ethiopia emerged as a prominent commercial center, connecting with regions across the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, and within Africa.
• The Ethiopian kings, located at Axum, gradually extended their dominion over parts of Nubia, northern Ethiopia (Eritrea), and southern Arabia.
• By the 4th century, the king of Axum held the title "king of kings," signifying his overlordship over other kings in the region.
• King Ezana, a powerful military leader, oversaw the conversion of Ethiopia to Christianity in the early 4th century, through the efforts of Frumentius and Edesius, Syrian slaves at the Axumite royal court.
• Frumentius, later recognized as a saint in both the Catholic and Ethiopian churches, played a crucial role in establishing Christianity in Ethiopia, securing the ordination of a bishop by the patriarch of Alexandria.
• Inscriptions, coins, and other artifacts provide evidence for Ezana's conversion to Christianity.
• By the 5th century, Christianity was firmly established in Ethiopia, solidifying its position as a powerful nation protecting Christianity in neighboring regions.
• During the 6th century, Ethiopian King Caleb or Elesbaan led an expedition into southern Arabia, punishing those responsible for the massacre of Christians at Najran.
• Ethiopia developed its own distinct Christian tradition and culture by the 5th century, including a unique liturgy, influenced by the Coptic liturgy of Alexandria, incorporating elements like sacred dances, music, and architecture.
• Notable contributions of Ethiopian Christianity include its own translation of the Scriptures, versions of patristic texts, and a strong tradition of monasticism and asceticism.
• While Ethiopia was canonically part of the patriarchate of Alexandria, the head of the Ethiopian church, the abuna, was traditionally an Egyptian until 1951, when an Ethiopian was chosen for the position.
• Following the Egyptian church, Ethiopia and Nubia rejected the Council of Chalcedon's decisions, adhering to a Monophysite doctrine, with the exception of the Eastern Rite Ethiopian Church, which has joined with Rome.
• Ethiopia had strong ties with the Byzantine Empire, particularly from the 4th to the 7th centuries, with Greek influence visible in court practices and the upper classes.
• The rise of Islam in the 7th century and its spread into Africa significantly weakened Ethiopia's ties with the Byzantine Empire and the Mediterranean world.
• Ethiopia's Christian history holds a unique place in Christendom, as a flourishing African church predating the establishment of Catholicism in Ireland, England, and other parts of northern Europe.