The Role of the Church in Political Reform

Lessons from Ethiopian History on the Relationship between Church and State

Abstract

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a profound historical connection with the state, which facilitated the development of Ethiopian education, judicial systems, medical practices, and literature within its context. It was impossible to separate the Ethiopian church from the Ethiopian state until the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. The two entities were united from 325 AD to 1974 due to the widespread adoption of Christianity, with the kings being the main actors. However, since 1974, the government has been secular, and there is now a clear division between church and state, even though the relationship between state law and religion is not widely addressed in the Ethiopian context. This paper explores the impact of religious law on Ethiopian state law during the Middle Ages and its influence on Ethiopian identity. It also discusses the adoption of modern codified state law and the development of the current constitution in 1995. Although the Ethiopian use of religious laws in the public domain has inadequacies, the Fetha Nagast (Ethiopian king’s law) has contributed to the modern codified law of the state by acknowledging religious plurality and cultural diversity. The Fetha Nagast, as the law of religion and the state, held a significant place in Ethiopian history until 1974, making no distinction between church and state. This paper posits that, despite the replacement of religious laws with modern codified state laws aimed at unifying the Ethiopian population, insufficient consideration of Ethiopia’s religious contexts persists. Therefore, the church’s involvement in political reform is essential for developing a legal framework that transcends the ethnic ideology of the current situation and considers the religious history and context of Ethiopia. The positive influence of presenting the country’s laws from a Christian perspective is often overlooked due to the current constitution's Article 11:3, which states that the state and religion shall not interfere with each other. While the current constitution is inclusive and progressive, the ethnic-based ideological codification has left Ethiopia a fractured nation-state. Therefore, the church's role in political reform is crucial in the current Ethiopian context.