Bishops' Blog

Solomon and Sheba

This painting here shown is in the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, and represents the meeting as described in I Kings 10:2. To the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition, the story is itself the source of a series of remarkable traditions: the coming of Ark to Ethiopia, the keeping of a version of kosher law from the Old Testament, the establishment of a Davidic kingly line, etc. While these meet skepticism from the historians, there is a grain of truth: Cush is mentioned in the Old Testament, and Ethiopia does have a Christian patriarchate reaching back to the 3rd century.

One might also find a truth behind these seemingly exotic historical claims. Every church seeks to link Old and New Testament. And every church would root, to ‘incarnate’, the gospel in its own soil. These goals are played out in a literal way in Ethiopia, the original African church. But in some metaphoric way we too would marry gospel and culture, as we keep the distinctiveness of the former. Solomon and Sheba are an allegory of something ubiquitous. But on the romance score the Ethiopians win!

+GRS

The Mamas Lead the Way

We have been visiting St. Frumentius Anglican Theological College in Gambella, Ethiopia, in the southwestern part of the country near the South Sudanese border. This new school was founded by Bishop Grant and Wendy LeMarquand, who visited the diocese several years ago. It is a region that has received 400,000 refugees from across that border in recent years, and one still sees numerous UN vehicles. As a result, tribes that have been traditional rivals live cheek to jowl.

As a result, the school has to teach more than just the usual historical, theological, and Biblical topics. It has has to prepare students to be witnesses and leaders in inter- tribal reconciliation. This is not extraneous to the Gospel, nor is it so far from our own context.

The late afternoon we arrived there was a church potluck, African-style for members of the Mothers' Union from two tribes in conflict. When it was done they walked home to their respective parts of the town singing. They could do so because they shared a deeper identity in Jesus Christ. It may seem like a normal thing, but actually brave and ground breaking. It was not the first time the Mothers' Union have been the evangelists and the forerunners for Christ’s peace. It made me realize what a great setting the college is for theological teaching and learning.

Peace,

+GRS