Examining how Lutheranism & the Reformation was tied to Ethiopian Christianity

[Gxg (G²)]

There was an interesting read that I've come across recently after a friend recommended it to me. It is entitled "Honor the Reformation's African roots - The Commercial Appeal

For an excerpt:

"The revelation that Ethiopian Christianity possibly had links to Protestant Reformation is a game-changer for what is generally thought to be an exclusively European phenomenon. The admission that this cross-cultural global exchange between Africa and Europe shaped early Protestantism disrupts the narrative that the Reformation was solely the product of western civilization. By recognizing the contribution of Ethiopian Christianity to the Protestant Reformation, we can join Luther in acknowledging Ethiopian Christianity as a forerunner of the Protestant Reformation."​

For anyone who may have read the article and wondered where the footnotes were, For the footnote reference, I did find more things. It was mentioned in the article where Luther met with an Ethiopian deacon in 1534. For more, one can go to "“A Person’s Informal Confession of Faith Must Also Be Considered”: Reflections on the Use of Pastoral Discretion in the Administration of Holy Communion, with Special Reference to the Practice of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod " ( ).

More specifically, In a 1538 Table Talk remark, Luther recalled Deacon Michael (of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) visit to Electoral Saxony:

-“Three [sic] years ago there was an Ethiopian monk with us here, with whom we had discussions through an interpreter, and, having finished with all our articles, he said: ‘This is a good creed, that is, faith.’”..

​

- Martin Luther, Table Talk #4126 (Nov. 17, 1538) (translated by Mark DeGarmeaux). ​

Apparently, Luther was confident enough in his understanding of Deacon Michael’s confession of faith, and in Deacon Michael’s comprehension of what the Lutherans were teaching – with which he expressed full agreement – to write this letter of recommendation, also in 1534, to any Lutheran pastor to whom the Ethiopian visitor might present himself since the Ethiopian himself was away from home

For further reference:

-"There has been with us in Germany, the Reverend Michael the Ethiopian, a Deacon. Conversing privately with him concerning Christian doctrine, we have heard that he properly agrees with the Symbol which the Western Church holds, and that he does not think differently about the Trinity than what the Western Church thinks. Therefore we commend him to good people as much as we surely can. For, although the Eastern Church has several dissimilar ceremonies, he judges that their dissimilarity does not nullify the unity of the church and does not militate against the faith, since the kingdom of Christ is the spiritual righteousness of the heart, the fear of God, and confidence through Christ. We also think this opinion is right. We have also learned from him, that the rite which we observe in the use of administration of the Lord’s Supper and the Mass, agrees with the Eastern Church. We wish, moreover, that all peoples would acknowledge and glorify Christ, and would submit to Him with true confidence in His mercy and with love for one’s neighbor. For this reason we ask that good people would demonstrate Christian love also to this visitor."

- Martin Luther, Letter of Introduction for Deacon Michael the Ethiopian (July 7, 1534) (translated by Donald D. Schoewe; translation revised by Mark DeGarmeaux).​

Needless to say, it has been going around the internet and has been quite interesting in the ways others are looking into how the Reformation was tied to Ancient Christian Witness in Ethiopia, from the monks to the deacons.

What I do know is that the reformer praised the ancient African churches—especially the Coptic church in Egypt, as he said they were valid churches without acknowledging the pope’s authority, with him pointing out that the Reformation movement had much in common with them

And one thing I do find fascinating is the fact that Luther himself praised the Coptic Church repeatedly, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Coptic Church in general. It's not a surprise that today the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Lutheran Church have had multiple discussions, especially as it concerns HH Pope Shenouda and HH Pope Tawadros.

-"Pope meets with female head of the bishops of the Swedish Lutheran Church" ( CoptsUnited | Pope meets with female head of the bishops of the Swedish Lutheran Church )

Pope Shenouda was a huge help to the Protestant Churches in Egypt, especially Lutherans - as he did dialogues with the Lutheran Church (2005)/ (Pope Shenouda III - St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church | Los Angeles, CA ) and the new Pope is continuing with that work as it concerns Interfaith dialogue. Even in knowing the views differ from Copts, I've seen firsthand many times with the Copts and Lutherans connect - including Ethiopian. Pope Shenouda has shared on the differences between the Orthodox and their Protestant Brothers before, as noted in his work "Comparative Theology" (http://copticchurch.net/topics/theology/comptheo.pdf ) and other Copts have shared their views too (http://www.suscopts.org/servantsprep/pdf/COMP/COMP102-ChristianDenominations.pdf ) - but this the history is not hidden with working relationships in the church.

-LWF President Younan Speaks of Solidarity with Egyptian Coptic Church (https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/lwf-president-younan-speaks-solidarity-egyptian-coptic-church )

-"LWF Congratulates New Leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church" ( https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/lwf-congratulates-new-leader-coptic-orthodox-church )"

-"Why Pope Shenouda's Death Matters to Egyptian Protestants" ( Why Pope Shenouda's Death Matters to Egyptian Protestants )


-"CONDOLENCES OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA FOR THE DEPARTURE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE SHENOUDA III" (Condolences of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for the Departure of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III )​

It's very timely that Lutherans were present, as an aside, at the Orthodox Council after seeing the way Lutheranism and Orthodoxy have often collided ( https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/lutherans-represented-historic-orthodox-church-council-meeting ) - and we also have multiple joint statements in regards to dialogues between Lutherans/Orthodox, which can be found in Risto Saarinen: Faith and Holiness - Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue 1959-1994. Göttingen, Germany, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1997 and on Risto Saarinen's web page.( Z1 | Risto Saarinen )


And of course, for those having both a Coptic AND Lutheran experience, this is a big deal too - more shared in "Coptic Lutheran" (Condolences of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for the Departure of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III )'


It has been noted before that we often try to take pride in historical figures who don't look anything close to what we are used to, as Most Protestantism is nothing like Luther's theology, except for the Five Solas. Luther vehemently supported infant baptism, the real presence, veneration of Mary as the Mother of God, etc. But folks will cite "I'm down with him!!!" when they attack anyone else believing to other things he did (just as differing groups today) while ignoring who he is. Again, as an aside,, Luther actually never rejected the Church, as that's the more simplistic answer. It was LATER generations that went further than he did - but Luther invoked the Orthodox Church as an example of true Christianity for the past thousand years. He also pointed out the Orthodox Church as a source of truth to show that the Roman Catholic Church had deviated from the principles of the Early Church. And I am glad Archpriest Josiah Trenham quotes Luther as saying, “The truth lies with the Greeks” (i.e. Orthodox) in his recent book, "Rock and Sand." The man valued Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Holy Theotokos Mary, Real Presence, Monasticism, etc. He simply was not able to make full connection with folks in the East.

Luther was well aware of the Orthodox Church, and even mentions it in some of his writings. There was also a Greek Deacon with Phillip Malancthon when he translated the Augsburg Confession into Greek. But there were no EO churches around.

There's really no such thing as 100% isolation between groups since atmospheres outside of camps can bring them together at differing ways, beyond what was planned. And sometimes, after interactions occur, people forget in time the ways things connected (on seeing the ways that Ancient Christianity wasn't understood in the Reformed Christian world at times)

If anyone has any thoughts, would love to hear.

 

[Halbhh]

we often try to take pride in historical figures who don't look anything close to what we are used to, as Most Protestantism is nothing like Luther's theology, except for the Five Solas. Luther vehemently supported infant baptism, the real presence, veneration of Mary as the Mother of God,

Good lesson there!

And we shouldn't ever be even partly trying to follow a man of course, anyway, but solely Christ Jesus, alone.

But when we follow Christ Jesus alone, we come together!

 

[Tejai Beulah]

Thank you for doing the work of adding additional context and sources for the references on "Michael the Deacon." I've been running searches on him and came up with nothing. I was starting to get discouraged until I came across this forum. Thank you!

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Thank you for doing the work of adding additional context and sources for the references on "Michael the Deacon." I've been running searches on him and came up with nothing. I was starting to get discouraged until I came across this forum. Thank you!

I saw the full presentation recently by one of the scholars on the issue - Dr.David Daniels:

• Episode 28: Dr. David Daniels III – “The African Roots of the Reformation”
  
• 
  The African roots of the Reformation

 

[FireDragon76]

Wow, that's a very different reception vs. the Tubingen theologians when they tried to contact Constantinople and ended in stubborn disagreement.

I am not sure it's down to "African roots", more like early, positive ecumenical contact.

Most other Protestants treat Luther as an iconic hero used for political purposes but don't have alot of interest in the substance of what he actually believed.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

The account doesn't suggest to me any deep roots in Ethiopian Orthodoxy even if it is an accurate historical event. A single deacon (of whom not much can be said as to his knowledge of Ethiopian Copticism) affirms Martin Luther's articles against the Pope? What did he affirm exactly? Coptics today generally do not hold to the distinctive beliefs of Protestantism in Egypt and Africa and have long embraced practices which Protestants abandoned (Monasticism, Episcopal Clergy, fasting before receiving the Eucharist and Ethiopian Christians also practice some Jewish traditions like Kosher and Circumcision).

My question is what was this Ethiopian Monk doing in Europe? How do we know he truly came from Ethiopia or could sufficiently represent the Coptic Church? Luther might have felt encouraged by this man's affirmation, but his theology was not formed from a prior Coptic understanding of things.

 

[FireDragon76]

Your implication that Lutherans were against monasticism, fasting, and episcopal clergy is not entirely accurate. Especially at that time (1530's).

It's entirely plausible the event did happen just as Luther told it. I don't think a deacon is necessarily the most authoritative witness, unfortunately.

Considering Pope Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Ratzinger) has proposed that the Augsburg Confession be seen as an adequate statement of the catholic faith, it would not surprise me to hear that somebody else in history thought affirmatively of the confession. The language of the confession is carefully worded to make clear the specific abuses it is objecting to, and it's not necessarily incompatible with a broadly catholic understanding of the faith. It's not quite as strongly worded as other Protestant confessional documents.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Your implication that Lutherans were against monasticism, fasting, and episcopal clergy is not entirely accurate. Especially at that time (1530's).

It's entirely plausible the event did happen just as Luther told it. I don't think a deacon is necessarily the most authoritative witness, unfortunately.

Considering Pope Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Ratzinger) has proposed that the Augsburg Confession be seen as an adequate statement of the catholic faith, it would not surprise me to hear that somebody else in history thought affirmatively of the confession. The language of the confession is carefully worded to make clear the specific abuses it is objecting to, and it's not necessarily incompatible with a broadly catholic understanding of the faith. It's not quite as strongly worded as other Protestant confessional documents.

I suppose what I'm more concerned about is demonstrating an actual inspiration on Luther's part by the Ethiopian Church as the article seems to imply. It goes way too far in it's conclusion that there is some tangible connection between the two that is other than the Nicene creed and some universally common elements of Christian belief and practice.

Luther had he seen the Eastern Churches probably would have railed against them as well, especially when they would have rejected his Sola Fide Doctrine.

 

[FireDragon76]

I suppose what I'm more concerned about is demonstrating an actual inspiration on Luther's part by the Ethiopian Church as the article seems to imply. It goes way too far in it's conclusion that there is some tangible connection between the two that is other than the Nicene creed and some universally common elements of Christian belief and practice.

I agree the article is intellectually dishonest in its implications (and a bit offensive from a Lutheran standpoint). But the incident it is talking about probably did happen.

Luther had he seen the Eastern Churches probably would have railed against them as well, especially when they would have rejected his Sola Fide Doctrine.

Luther knew some things about eastern churches, though not all the information may have been accurate. His teachings about the place of works in the Christian life are more complicated, and not adequately expressed in sound bites and slogans like sola fide.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Wow, that's a very different reception vs. the Tubingen theologians when they tried to contact Constantinople and ended in stubborn disagreement.

I am not sure it's down to "African roots", more like early, positive ecumenical contact.

Most other Protestants treat Luther as an iconic hero used for political purposes but don't have alot of interest in the substance of what he actually believed.

It really does help when seeing the podcasts the author/scholar did in addressing the roots of the Ethiopian deacon (who was referenced in his letters directly and noted):

• Episode 28: Dr. David Daniels III – “The African Roots of the Reformation”
  
• 
  The African roots of the Reformation

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I agree the article is intellectually dishonest in its implications (and a bit offensive from a Lutheran standpoint). But the incident it is talking about probably did happen.



Luther knew some things about eastern churches, though not all the information may have been accurate. His teachings about the place of works in the Christian life are more complicated, and not adequately expressed in sound bites and slogans like sola fide.

I agree.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

It really does help when seeing the podcasts the author/scholar did in addressing the roots of the Ethiopian deacon (who was referenced in his letters directly and noted):

• Episode 28: Dr. David Daniels III – “The African Roots of the Reformation”
  
• 
  The African roots of the Reformation

A foot-note of history regarding a tiny bit of postitve dialogue being spun by non confessional Lutherans into false ecumenism; no different than the past spiels we have endured regarding the liberal Synods regarding Eastern Orthodox, the Catholic Church, not to mention a bunch of reformed protestant Churches that despise and refute the efficacy of the sacraments.

Wishful thinking at best, misrepresentation at worst.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

A foot-note of history regarding a tiny bit of postitve dialogue being spun by non confessional Lutherans into false ecumenism; no different than the past spiels we have endured regarding the liberal Synods regarding Eastern Orthodox, the Catholic Church, not to mention a bunch of reformed protestant Churches that despise and refute the efficacy of the sacraments.

Wishful thinking at best, misrepresentation at worst.

That doesn't deal really with the information and there are better responses, if the info is able to be addressed. It's like me saying "That's not true, it's so silly so how could you believe it?"

Where it was shown that the author was not working with Lutherans or a Lutheran himself, seeing how others in the Lutheran church have echoed the SAME thing?

If we're going to deal with A PODCAST, then we need to deal with it. Luther did open dialogue with the Ethiopian Orthodox Monk and noted it in his notes directly. At several points, he noted where the influence of Ethiopia on his views were massive and he noted his high praise for Ethiopia. That's a FACT. And Dr.Daniel's podcasts are on point:

And I saw the footnotes/further documentation that no one is addressing while going for the article - this is directly from "“A Person’s Informal Confession of Faith Must Also Be Considered”: Reflections on the Use of Pastoral Discretion in the Administration of Holy Communion, with Special Reference to the Practice of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod " ( ).

What was claimed as a "footnote" is a historical occurrence well documented where Luther noted celebration for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian. Unless one wants to say it just didn't happen (which is false), we have to deal with the situation as it was. He and the monk were both were both open about it and that's history we need to deal with, whether we like it or not. Protestants are where the Lutherans fit regardless and so trying to disconnect One movement from another isn't honest with the information. So we need to be more humble dealing with this.

Talking about false ecumenism with Luther and the Ethiopian is like dismissing when he talked about contacting the Eastern church. So lets not be inconsistent. There are plenty of REFORMED Protestants in the HIGH Church tradition noting the reality of the sacraments and the facts that Luther referencing Ethiopian Christianity are critical. To go against that - despite where it was already accepted with his work with the Eastern Orthodox - is to do an switch when it comes to Ethiopian or Black Christianity in the Liturgical world. That doesn't make sense. We don't see TEXT after TEXT with Luther and the Eastern Church - the letters are historical documents. But what is there confirms his dialogue. It's no different with him and the Ethiopians, unless one is going to make an argument that the Ethiopians don't count because they're not Eastern (and that's another can of worms that comes up often).

We know that generations after Luther, more Lutherans sent a delegation to the Patriarch of Constantinople to see if their churches were in accord - with nothing occurring and it being understood that there were major differences, as Rev. Neuendorf explained with the differences between Lutheranism and Orthodoxy (like , Melanchthon citing the Orthodox for Bread/Sacraments - just as Luther did with the Ethiopians cited). No one at that point says it was an attempt at false ecumenism.

It's the same with what the scholar noted rather directly with Luther in his thoughts on Ethiopian Christianity consistently.

What he said checks out and I went back/verified EVERY time he mentioned the Ethiopian Orthodox Church/Faith, as he already mentioned.

And there are others who do a good review/critique of what Daniels said when it comes to other aspects left out in his review, as seen here in How Not to Celebrate the Reformation: The Imperative of Responsible Sensitivity for Theological Education Amidst Religious Complexity and Conflict and Luther’s Imagined Ethiopia and the Challenges of Global Exchange | The University of Chicago Divinity School

As others noted best following up:

The next generation of Lutherans actually sent a delegation to the Patriarch of Constantinople to see if their churches were in accord. But nothing came of that. Clearly, there are major differences. Rev. Neuendorf explains the differences between Lutheranism and Orthodoxy.

But still, there were evidently differences between Michael the Deacon’s church in Ethiopia and that of the orthodox Patriarchs, at least in 1534. Prof. Daniels did not give references for Luther’s association with Michael the Deacon. Christian Forum fills in those gaps, quoting the following passages from Luther:

“Three [sic] years ago there was an Ethiopian monk with us here, with whom we had discussions through an interpreter, and, having finished with all our articles, he said: ‘This is a good creed, that is, faith.’”

Martin Luther, Table Talk #4126 (Nov. 17, 1538) (translated by Mark DeGarmeaux).

“There has been with us in Germany, the Reverend Michael the Ethiopian, a Deacon. Conversing privately with him concerning Christian doctrine, we have heard that he properly agrees with the Symbol which the Western Church holds, and that he does not think differently about the Trinity than what the Western Church thinks. Therefore we commend him to good people as much as we surely can. For, although the Eastern Church has several dissimilar ceremonies, he judges that their dissimilarity does not nullify the unity of the church and does not militate against the faith, since the kingdom of Christ is the spiritual righteousness of the heart, the fear of God, and confidence through Christ. We also think this opinion is right. We have also learned from him, that the rite which we observe in the use of administration of the Lord’s Supper and the Mass, agrees with the Eastern Church. We wish, moreover, that all peoples would acknowledge and glorify Christ, and would submit to Him with true confidence in His mercy and with love for one’s neighbor. For this reason we ask that good people would demonstrate Christian love also to this visitor.”

– Martin Luther, Letter of Introduction for Deacon Michael the Ethiopian (July 7, 1534) (translated by Donald D. Schoewe; translation revised by Mark DeGarmeaux).​

I find it quite plausible that the Ethiopian church was influential on the newly-forming Lutheran churches. And this would not be the only example of African churches influencing the Reformation. There is, of course, St. Augustine of Hippo from Carthage. Also St. Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria in Egypt, as well as other church fathers in Alexandria and northern Africa.​