How was Ethiopia able to become a Christian nation , while her neighbors are muslim nations?

Answer 1

The more historically appropriate form of this question would be why did Ethiopia stay a Christian nation while her neighbours became Muslim. What one needs remember it that for centuries prior to the time of Christ, mono-theistic religion that worshiped the same God the Jews did was prevalent all throughout the Middle East and North-east Africa. It was not something that was limited to just Judea. When the Babylonians dispersed the children of Israel, they spread all over the place and filtered into all their neighbouring nations, bringing their religion with them. They didn't convert everyone, and turn nations to God, but they had a presence. As was suggested by another member, with the Queen of Sheba being "involved" with Solomon, Ethiopia was already included in the mono-theism orbit before the exile and continued to be well into the first century.

It was then that an Ethiopian eunuch was said to have brought the message of Christ back to Ethiopia after he was baptized by the apostle Phillip while on pilgramage to Jerusalem (Acts of the Apostles; Chapter Nine) It was some of the roots of Coptic Christianity were formed. As time progressed and the word of Christ spread, the whole of the Nile Valley right into Ethiopia became a real hotbed of the new religion. In fact, for the first two centuries of the Christian era, it was really Eygpt, and particularly Alexandria, that was the centre of Christian thought, There was even a battle between the patriarch of Alexandria and the patriarch of Rome for a while as to who ought to lead the world wide church. (Of course we know Rome won)

It was admist this religious climate that the Arabs of the eastern shore of the Red Sea had began to lose their way and another prophet, who we know now as Mohammed appeared and founded yet another interpretation of the great mono-theism. His followers eventually grew and came to control the political destiny of the Arab people who then sponsored one of the largest imperial expansions in human history. Converting along the way, they started creating these new Muslim nations. What one needs note though is that the Arab Empire pushed Islam with the sword, but they didn't force it on everyone. That's why to this day there are still huge Coptic populations in Eygpt, the Sudan, and a dominant one in Ethiopia, which being in the rough and inaccessible mountains was almost unconquerable.(Look at how long Ethiopia lasted against European colonialism in the twentieth century and what it took for Mussolini to finally gain what he deemed "control" of the area) That's all it was. The Arab Empire never made it into Ethiopia and predominately Coptic they remained.

What you have to remember though is that no country in this area is all of one faith. They are pre-dominately one system or another, but there are many represented. Heck, among people labelled Palestinians there are Orthodox, Marionite (following Rome) and even some Coptic Christians among the different followers of Islam. It's a huge mish mash.

Hope that helped instead of confused more.

Answer 2

It was nothing to do with colonialism. Ethiopia is Christian and has its own church, the Ethiopian Coptic Church, with its own traditions. As the previous writer said there were contacts with Israel and Ethiopia through the Old Testament because of trade between the two countries. In the New Testament, in Acts, Stephen meets with an Ethiopian Eunuch who hears the gospel and becomes a Christian and then returns to Ethiopia. He had been in Jerusalem for the Passover. This shows there were Ethiopian Jews (a fact born out in modern times by a large group of Ethiopian Jews being moved into Israel) so as well as the Man in the story with Stephen it is likely other Ethiopians heard Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost (also recorded in Acts). And became Christians.

Answer 3

The Coptic Church was started by the Apostle Mark in about 40 A.D. in Egypt, from which it spread to other parts of North Africa (including Ethiopia) and the Middle East. Ethiopia is quite mountainous and geographically isolated and is the only African nation which has never been conquered by outside powers. The Moslems came along about 700 years after the Coptic Church was established.
I think the question should be, "How was Ethiopia able to maintain its Christian identity in the face of Moslem expansion?" And the answer is probably that its mountains and other isolating geographical features made it impossible to conquer.

Answer 4

Ethopia has been Jewish and Christian since the very early days, it is mentioned a bunch of times in the Bible. I guess they had strong faith and did not sucumb to the Muslims or the Muslims were not interested in converting them because they were so poor and in famine for much of the last 30 years.

Answer 5

to all ethiopia has no proof of being first christian nation for armenia is the first christian nation and we have proof for that's why ethiopia is now a muslim nation, their all hypocrites!

Answer 6

the overall public of yank "Christian" churches and their attenders are so some distance from actual Christianity that they ought to no longer also be able to declare to be Christian. They pontificate the form of mushy, sugar lined gospel that early believers might want to get sick from each and each of the sweet that passes for preaching on the prompt. human beings on the prompt desire the reality and maximum can see proper by skill of a liar so that they are leaving the mainline "sweet production unit" denominations and searching for the actual deal. regrettably even an rather good type of Non-denominational and so referred to as pentecostal preachers have also fallen into person-friendly-believeism so the human beings do no longer recognize the position to instruct, such an rather good type of comprise turning their backs on God and leaving the church. regrettably because of fake doctrines like eternal protection, lots of those who're leaving are doing so wondering that when you consider that they once reported a prayer, they're nevertheless going to heaven, even inspite of the undeniable fact that they no longer keep on with God's be conscious. The Bible reported this may happen, that in the perfect of the perfect days, there'll be an rather good falling faraway from the religion. So this comes as no marvel to those human beings who recognize the Lord and His be conscious.

Answer 7

King Solomon and Queen of Sheba had an affair--"Kebre Negast.". She produced a son called Menelik 11. The multiple great grandson was King Tafari Mekonnen, commonly called King Selassie. The Ethiopians are related to the Jews by D.N.A and by covenant--Amos 9:7. "Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel?" saith the LORD. Jews that survived--those connected to Judah and Levi--- are protectors of God's sacred covenant, even though they backslid, their punishment of multiples of 400 years of slavery broke their generational curse and God sends special prophets to intercede for them. Since God gave the blueprint of the temple to King David and His son Solomon built His magnificent Temple, anyone chosen by God would know that the dimensions depict the drawing of King and priest--a preview of the Messiah's house. Since the Queen of Sheba sowed into the Melchizedek Ministry, Ethiopians will receive their bountiful harvest---Isaiah 11:11.

Boaz.

Answer 8

Colonialism

Answer 9

Colonialism and Missionaries.
Bring back Animism!

Answer 10

As said above, the mountains and rugged terrain helped them from being conquered.