Revolution Religion In Ethiopia

Studies of the 1974 Ethiopian revolution have hitherto almost completely ignored religion, in spite of the commitment of a great majority of Ethiopian people to one or another religious tradition. Eide traces the journey from support for the revolution by the church leaders and local members to their suspected alliance with opposition forces.

The author analyses the interaction between church and state both prior to and during the revolution, the reasons for the persecution experienced by this church during the revolution and to what extent the findings are valid for other evangelical churches in Ethiopia. The study should be seen as a contribution to Ethiopian church history, and aims at a more complete treatment of the important dynamic between religion, ideology and politics within the Ethiopian empire.

As part of the Eastern African Studies series, this text explores the uneasy relationship between the Protestant evangelical church, Mekane Yesus, established by the Oromo of Western Ethiopia early in the 20th century, and the central authorities of the Ethiopian state.

When we think of Ethiopia we tend to think in cliches: Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the Falasha Jews, the epic reign of Emperor Haile Selassie, the Communist Revolution, famine and civil war. Among the countries of Africa it has a high profile yet is poorly known. How- ever all cliches contain within them a kernel of truth, and occlude much more. Today's Ethiopia (and its painfully liberated sister state of Eritrea) are largely obscured by these mythical views and a secondary literature that is partial or propagandist. Moreover there have been few attempts to offer readers a comprehensive overview of the country's recent history, politics and culture that goes beyond the usual guidebook fare. Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia seeks to do just that, presenting a measured, detailed and systematic analysis of the main features of this unique country, now building on the foundations of a magical and tumultuous past as it struggles to emerge in the modern world on its own terms.

This is a cultural history of the Ethiopian revolution that highlights the role of modernist Marxist ideas as they interacted with local, mostly rural, traditions.

Revolution, civil wars, and guerilla warfare wracked Ethiopia during three turbulent decades at the end of the 20th century. Here, Tareke brings to life the leading personalities in the domestic political struggles, strategies of the warring parties international actors, and key battles.