Wolaitta evangelists : a study of religious innovation in southern Ethiopia, 1937-1975
This study presents the religious dynamics of the Wolaitta Kale Heywet Church through the work of her evangelists in southern Ethiopia from 1937-1975 and seeks to determine why there has been such phenomenal growth within the Wolaitta church and, through the agency of her evangelists, church development in southern Ethiopia. Other writers associated with the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) have attempted to explain this rapid growth during the Italian occupation (1936-1941) and subsequent years. Through a varied investigation of the historical, political, religious and socioeconomic situation of Wolaitta, this study attempts to bring further understanding and insight to the work of mission. Chapter One provides historical background on southern Ethiopia. The advance of Christianity into the South was through the instrumentality of the so-called Solomonic Northern kings together with the Orthodox Church evangelists in the 15th and 16th centuries. Historical documents produced by Ethiopians as well as Europeans who were in contact with the South are used. Several maps, portraying southern Ethiopia by European travelers, geographers and missionaries, prove helpful in attempting to understand the location and dislocation
Balisky, Emon Paul
Wolayta (African people) ; Evangelistic work ; Ethiopia
Wolaitta evangelists : a study of religious innovation in southern Ethiopia, 1937-1975. This study presents the religious dynamics of the Wolaitta Kale Heywet Church through the work of her evangelists in southern Ethiopia from 1937-1975 and seeks to determine why there has been such phenomenal growth within the Wolaitta church and, through the agency of her evangelists, church development in southern Ethiopia. Other writers associated with the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) have attempted to explain this rapid growth during the Italian occupation (1936-1941) and subsequent years. Through a varied investigation of the historical, political, religious and socioeconomic situation of Wolaitta, this study attempts to bring further understanding and insight to the work of mission. Chapter One provides historical background on southern Ethiopia. The advance of Christianity into the South was through the instrumentality of the so-called Solomonic Northern kings together with the Orthodox Church evangelists in the 15th and 16th centuries. Historical documents produced by Ethiopians as well as Europeans who were in contact with the South are used. Several maps, portraying southern Ethiopia by European travelers, geographers and missionaries, prove helpful in attempting to understand the location and dislocation
evangelist study religious innovation southern ethiopia study present religious dynamic church work evangelist southern ethiopia seek_determine phenomenal growth within church agency evangelist church development southern ethiopia writer associate sudan interior mission attempt_explain rapid_growth italian occupation subsequent year varied investigation historical political_religious socioeconomic situation study_attempt bring insight work mission provide historical_background southern ethiopia advance christianity south so_called northern king together orthodox church historical_document produce well europeans contact south use several map portray southern ethiopia european geographer missionary prove helpful attempt location dislocation