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Questions and Answers
What was unique about the way she came to Jerusalem compared to the Synagogue?
Which figure does Origen reference from the Old Testament to illustrate blackness?
What does the term 'Kush' typically refer to in the Old Testament?
What characterized the relationship between Nubians and the Egyptian civilization?
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Which king of Nubia is noted for his significant power in Upper Egypt?
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What significant event does Isaiah predict concerning Egypt in chapter 19?
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Which dynasty did Piankhi establish after becoming the ruler of both Upper and Lower Egypt?
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Who was Tirhakah in relation to the event described?
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What was the outcome of the Assyrian invasion in 663 B.C.?
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What does Isaiah indicate about the Nubian warriors in his writings?
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What is the significance of the Ethiopian Eunuch in the New Testament?
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What architectural achievements are associated with the Nubians?
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How is the Ethiopian Eunuch depicted in relation to his wealth?
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What does the title 'kandake' refer to in the context of Nubia?
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What was the literacy culture of the Ethiopian Eunuch as described?
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What source provides the account of the Ethiopian Eunuch?
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What was the primary theological stance supported by Theodora?
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Which kingdoms made up the original kingdom of Nubia by the sixth century?
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What year did Justinian's missionaries finally reach Nubia?
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What notable event stimulated interest in the study of Christian Nubia in the last fifty years?
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What is the name of the doctrine declared by the Council of Chalcedon in 451?
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Which kingdom in Nubia was known to be Chalcedonian?
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What were the Monophysites known for rejecting?
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How long after the first black entered the Christian faith did Nubia become predominantly Christian?
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What motivated King Caleb (or Elesbaan) to lead an expedition into southern Arabia in the sixth century?
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What unique feature characterized the Ethiopian liturgy developed by the fifth century?
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What is a significant aspect of the contribution made by Ethiopia to Christian heritage?
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What theological stance did Ethiopia take in relation to the Council of Chalcedon in 451?
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How did the rise of Islam impact Ethiopia's political connections with the Mediterranean?
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What role did monasteries play in Ethiopian history starting in the fifth century?
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Which church's patriarchate was Ethiopia a part of until mid-20th century?
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Ethiopia's unique contribution to Christianity can largely be attributed to which church father?
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What was a significant influence on the art and administration of Nubia?
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What unique feature is notable about the murals created by the Nubians?
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Which of the following was a title used in Nubian royal administration?
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Which languages were likely used by the upper classes of Nubia?
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By which century was it likely that the Nubian church came under the influence of Alexandria?
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What type of manuscripts did the Nubians leave behind?
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What role did Nubia play in the context of Christianity in Africa?
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What is suggested about the liturgy of the Nubian church?
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Study Notes
Origins of Blackness in the Bible
- The author uses the Old Testament to argue for the presence of black people in the Christian faith.
- The author identifies two instances, the wife of Moses, and Ebed-Melech, a Kushite who saved Jeremiah.
- Kush often meant Nubia, an area spanning from Southern Egypt to Khartoum, now modern Sudan.
- Nubian people were the earliest beneficiaries of Egyptian civilization, becoming a corridor between Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa.
- Nubia, under its own pharaohs, developed its own pyramids, temples, and writing. This led them to achieve dominance over Egypt in the 8th century BC.
The XXVth Dynasty
- Piankhi, a Nubian son of Kashta, assumed the title of Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt in 750 BC, marking the beginning of the XXVth Dynasty.
- Piankhi and subsequent Nubian pharaohs ruled both Egypt and Nubia for nearly a hundred years.
- Isaiah refers to Nubian warriors in Isaiah 18:1-2.
- Tirhakah, a powerful Nubian pharaoh, prevented the Assyrians from seizing Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah.
- The Assyrians eventually defeated the Nubians in 663, under Tanoutamon, taking over the kingdom.
The Ethiopian Eunuch
- Acts 8:26-40 introduces the 'Ethiopian Eunuch' as a proselyte, highlighting the introduction of a non-Jewish believer into Christianity.
- He is described as a wealthy man, travelling in a chariot and possessing a scroll of Isaiah in the Greek Septuagint.
- The author argues that despite being referred to as 'Ethiopian,' the Eunuch was likely from Nubia due to his position as the treasurer of the 'kandake', a title related to the Nubian queen mother.
- The unnamed African is the first recorded black person to convert to Christianity.
Introduction of Christianity to Nubia
- Justinian, the Byzantine emperor, and his wife Theodora sent missionaries to Nubia in the mid-6th century.
- Theodora was a supporter of Monophysitism, a doctrine that Christ was divine and not human, while Justinian supported Chalcedonian Christianity.
- By the end of the 6th century, Nubia adopted Christianity, with the northern and southern kingdoms following Monophysitism and the central kingdom of Makouria following Chalcedon.
- The kingdoms of Nobatia and Makouria eventually unified under a single king, solidifying their acceptance of Monophysitism.
- The archaeological exploration of Nubia has only recently begun, providing insights into the lives of its people.
- Nubian churches feature murals depicting saints with white skin and Nubian kings, queens, and bishops with dark skin in Byzantine style.
- The Byzantine influence was prominent in Nubia, evident in the royal administration, using Byzantine titles and the Greek language alongside Nubian and Coptic.
- The church of Nubia was likely under the influence and jurisdiction of Alexandria in Egypt by the 8th century.
- Despite the Arab conquest of Egypt, Nubia remained a Christian kingdom, independent of external influences.
The Nubian Church
- Nubia maintained Constantinople's liturgy, monasteries, cathedrals, and military forces throughout its Christian history.
- The Nubian church remained an outpost of Christianity for a longer period than previously thought.
The Ethiopian Church
- Caleb or Elesbaan, the Ethiopian king, led an expedition against those responsible for the massacre of Christians at Najran in 523.
- Ethiopia became a Christian nation in the 5th century with a distinct liturgy, derived from the Coptic liturgy of Alexandria.
- Ethiopian Christianity developed unique characteristics in liturgy, music, art, and architecture.
- Ethiopian monasteries existed since the 5th century, playing a vital role in the spiritual lives of the people.
- Ethiopia, similar to Nubia, followed Egypt's rejection of the Council of Chalcedon and remained Monophysite, except for the Eastern Rite Ethiopian Church, which is part of Rome.
- From the 4th to the 7th century, Ethiopia had a political partnership with the Byzantine Empire.
- The spread of Islam into Africa in the 7th century resulted in a severing of ties with the Byzantine Empire and the Mediterranean world.
- Ethiopia remains an early African church with its own unique culture and tradition, predating the establishment of the church in Europe.
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Description
This quiz explores the historical presence of black individuals in the Christian faith as argued through the Old Testament. It highlights significant figures such as Moses' wife and Ebed-Melech, emphasizing the importance of Nubia and the XXVth Dynasty. Discover how these connections enhance our understanding of biblical narratives.
