CCCW Talk “From Sacred Canopy to Ethnic Umbrellas: Re-Thinking the Future of Christianity in Ethiopian Politics” by Dr Girma Mohammed

CCCW Talk: Tuesday 12th March 2024, 4:00-5:30 pm GMT
Room 7, Faculty of Divinity, 25 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP
Followed by refreshments

Title: “From Sacred Canopy to Ethnic Umbrellas: Re-Thinking the Future of Christianity in Ethiopian Politics”

Abstract: Ethiopian Christianity has long been in the forefront of social innovation. Creating a unifying national story which eventually became a source of social covenant is one of its cultural inventions. The Ethiopianness constructed through a theologically informed exceptionalism depicted the Ethiopian state as a “sacred canopy” elastic enough to accommodate ethnic and religious diversity.  This presentation sets out to ask: Where does the transition of national conception from a “sacred canopy” to multi-ethnic umbrellas leave the church? How do the emergent political dynamics affect Christianity’s position in society? What are the potential ways Christianity can make a positive contribution for peaceful cohabitation in a conflict-ridden country?

Bio: Mohammed Girma is Tutor and Senior Research Fellow at IBAC, British Bible Society and Visiting Lecturer at University of Roehampton, London. Girma is the author of Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia (Palgrave, 2012) and editor and co-editor of three books including The Healing of Memories: African Christian Response to Politically Induced Trauma (2018). Girma has authored numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed articles in academic journals.