The Faithful Forebearers The Faithful Forebearers

After Ethiopia survived near destruction at the hands of Gragn, a different battle began. Instead of a military battle, it was a battle of ideas for Ethiopia's identity. Catholic missionaries began to arrive in Ethiopia in the late 1500s. And while some, like a man Petro Paez, legitimately hoped to find unity between Roman Catholics and Ethiopian Orthodox, others simply wanted Ethiopia become European. Walatta Petros was a brave and sometimes impetuous Ethiopian nun who resisted these attempts and helped preserve Ethiopia's heritage.

While Ethiopia had thrived under Zara Yaqob, it had dark days ahead. Ethiopia, always surrounded by hostile nations, would have to fight for its life as their neighbors grew stronger. Its very existence hung in the balance. But thanks to some new allies, and two kings who would spend their lives defending their nation and the church, Ethiopia, and the Ethiopian church, were saved from total annihilation.

Estifanos (1380-1454) is sometimes known as Africa's first protestant, even though he lived 70 years before the Reformation. He believed that the Bible should be the measure of all else in the Church, and that salvation was already won fully by Jesus. His radical commitment to the authority of Scripture would cause a serious conflict with Zara Yaqob, the King of Ethiopia from last episode.

With Frumentius and Ezana, the Ethiopian church got off to a great start, but things did not stay that way. After 1,000 years, and centuries of setbacks, the nation and the church made a great comeback. It culminated in the reign of King Zara Yaqob in the mid 1400s. While his legacy is still felt in both the church and the nation, he is remembered both as a reformer and as a despot.

This next series we will be learning all about the church of Ethiopia. This church is far more ancient than most in Europe and has a rich history of over 1,000 years, and yet is almost totally forgotten by the western Church. It all began with a captive turned accidental missionary, and a young prince in the early 300s AD.

Welcome back! Yes, the podcast is coming back! Today's episode is really just an update. I'll introduce the new format for the show of "seasons," and what that will look like. But as a bonus, along with this announcement is a mini episode on the author of the podcast's official hymn: "For All the Saints," a man named William Walsham How.