Page 93 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

The Nile Corridor Churches

Hastings writes about the Hebraic character of the Ethiopian church.
“It is captivating to learn that the Church has rules and practices that
are strikingly Old Testament in character, including the keeping of the
Sabbath, dietary rules, type of music, and the keeping of the sacred
ark of the covenant” (11). Perhaps there were those who were a part of
Judaism before the coming of Christianity. As in Egypt and elsewhere,
Judaism could have been a bridge for the spreading of the gospel.

We cannot be certain when Christianity first arrived in Ethiopia. The
story of the planting of the Christian church in the area is associated
with the Kingdom of Axum, which is in the northern area of today’s
Ethiopia. The rise of Axum is associated with the “decline of Meroë,
which it replaced in power and influence” (Sanneh 1983, 5). By the
beginning of the Christian era, Axum had become an important trade
center. Its capital was full of stone monuments, beautiful buildings, and
significant people. Its cultural influence was widespread.

Tradition holds that the gospel came to Axum in the fourth century,
perhaps as early as A.D. 327—only a few years after Constantine had
issued the Edict of Milan (Oden, 172–173).

Rufinus the historian, who wrote in the fourth century, states that two
brothers from Tyre, Frumentius and Aedesius, went on a journey to India
and perhaps China. When they returned, they encountered trouble on the
coast of Africa and were taken inland. It seems that the local people were
hostile and killed all but Frumentius and his brother, who were taken as
slaves. The two brothers were Christians. Sanneh recounts their experience:

Brought before the king, who took pity on them because of their
youth, they were kindly treated and given royal appointments
at court. Frumentius became secretary-treasurer and Aedesius
cup-bearer. But their royal duties did not take up all their time,
and they spent the rest of it collecting the scattered Christians
in Axum, most of whom were merchants and other foreign
residents, and organising services. Additional church buildings
were constructed and congregations multiplied. (1983, 5)

There is no evidence that the king converted to Christ. Upon his death,
his son, Ezana, assumed the kingship, but he was too young to rule with

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