Today marks the 123rd Anniversary of the victory at the Battle of Adwa. The battle saw Emperor Menelik the II, Emperor of Ethiopia lead an army of soldiers and peasants to defeat the army of Italy as it attempted to colonize Ethiopia. Many in the west, especially in the black community scarcely have knowledge of this great victory which was a historic event which inspired and galvanized the entire African continent in its struggle against European colonialism and Imperialism.
Many others, in their disdain for the Christian Faith try to highlight this victory from a purely secular perspective diminishing and in some cases even omitting the spiritual aspects of this victory. Allowing their disdain for Western Christian practices to color their opinions and perspective of to the vastly different 2000 year old Eastern Orthodox Christian Faith.
A lot of their criticisms are often based more on emotion and supposition then fact. Misinformation and ultra biased opinions are now being called fact as scores of deeply biased and thoroughly uneducated individuals advance hate filled ignorance and historically inaccurate nonsense under the guise of “Hotepian Wokeness”, while in reality God and history itself make a pure mockery of the “Super Intelligent Woke Ones”.
So in brief, writing from Ethiopia, aided by the words and work of a few Ethiopian historians here are some of the spiritual aspects of the Victory at Adwa that are being downplayed or omitted from the record due to hatred of the Christian Faith. At the same time I hope the illumination of the spiritual aspects of this victory will illuminate those in the Black Church to see that the omission of the principles of Justice found in Torah and in the words of Christos are what has lead to us practicing “other religions labeled Christianity” that bear little resemblance to Biblical Christianity. The principles of justice and right making found in Torah are actually in a lot of ways foreign to western Christian practice. (Don’t agree? Then why is Skid Row surrounded by mega churches that have little to no impact on reducing the size of skid rows population. I could go on….). Their omission is what has always watered down and stymied our (black peoples) spiritual walk while keeping us enslaved to aimless, dead theologies, high on materialism, building hollow character and forgiving your oppressors where no repentance on his part exists. The “All Grace No Repentance” approaches show themselves to be completely void of accountability and justice in the face of unfathomable evil, thus creating an environment that continually empowers the oppressor while locking the adherent into always being at the will of the oppressor and in essence, mentally enslaved to them.
As Menelik the II embarks on the 3 month journey to Adwa to face the Italian Army, he being a devout member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church takes with him the Tabot of Saint Giyorgis. (The Tabot is a symbolic representation of the two tablets of the law and the Ark of the Covenant that are carried by a Priest on his head during processions and ceremonies). Being a man of faith, Menelik wants to carry into battle what is one of the most powerful representations of the divine presence in earth as a testament to whom he really trusts and stands for. During the three month journey to Adwa, his army swells, filled with all types of people from all ethnic groups found in Ethiopia, determined to defend their country from foreign invasion. By the time he reaches Adwa, Menelik’s army contained Christians and Muslims and others, joined under the banner of defending Ethiopia.
On the eve of Battle, he attended Kidasse (Liturgical Service), at Kedus Gabriel Church in Adwa. He blessed ALL of those fighting for Ethiopia and prayed with his armies before battle. Menelik and his armies bore arms gained through a relationship forged with Great Britain prior to the start of hostilities with Italy. But the greatest weapon in his arsenal was his Fatih in the God of Israel and Yesus Christos, which I believe enabled him to be the tactical genius he was. He also carried the Tabot of Giyorgis and was accompanied by his Wife, Empress Taitu. Empress Taitu actually rode into battle along side of her husband as Empress Taitu vowed she would rather die in battle then face living under Italian Occupation. And she too being a devout member of the Orthodox Church, she rode NEXT TO her husband, BY HIS SIDE into battle.
The Battle Commenced, the Armies of Menelik the II facing off with the Italians on the mixed terrain of fields and mountains of Adwa, THE TABOT AMOUNGST THEM ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE. The end result being that the Italian forces were EVISCERATED. The battle’s outcome was so monumental that it is reported that Italian News Papers ran headlines “Viva Menenlik! Viva Taitu!! amidst other reports of derision and shock at the complete defeat of a European Super Power at the hand of “Primitive Africans”.
The victory inspired Africans across the continent to celebrate and be proud and moved by the fact that a European colonial force had been vanquished in Ethiopia while there was so much destruction being caused by the forces of darkness on other parts of the continent. What was largely lost in translation was the fact that that this victory was won by a largely Christian Army under the leadership of a Christian Military leader who absolutely revered God and held him in complete awe. Some may say well….But isn’t this a paradox? How can a “Christian Leader” lead an army to a crushing defeat of a then European Super Power? Because a “Whole Testament” church, that worships God with Reverence and holds him in Awe as the scriptures require will have a sense of justice that will permeate every member and adherent down to the last molecule. That, combined with constant repentance, humility, compassion, thanksgiving and love will create such a leader and such a people who were able to achieve such a victory.
It should not be lost on any of us that while Menelik was carrying Ethiopia to victory under Ethiopian Orthodoxy, my people in America where seeking to eek out an existence in the post reconstruction era after slavery in the United States. The “Christianity” being introduced too and force fed to us was a different type of Christianity then what was practiced in Ethiopia for almost 2000 years . The variations of that westernized “Christianity” have in a lot of cases handicapped and beguiled us, inducing a deep psychological/spiritual slumber steeped in erroneous teaching and ignorance, becoming as it were a continuation of the slavery we were just freed from.
A lot of these types of Christian practice that came into being were stripped of justice, accountability, mandatory care for neighbor and community and continual repentance. My people in theory practiced what was originally a Hebrew Faith, but were taught to be anti-Hebrew and anti-law through distorted teachings on Law and Grace. In some cases inadvertently becoming “Anti-Christ” (and by that I mean there are supposedly educated “Super Christians” who shun repeating or imitating the good works that Christos commanded us to do as part of our worship of God and following Christ. In the end, what has come into being in Black America is almost alien to what existed and exists in the East, especially in East Africa.
How ridiculous is it for detractors to call Christianity a white mans religion when the oldest Bible in existence was produced in Ethiopia? How ridiculous is it when the theologically inept try to say Orthodox Theology came out of Roman Catholicism in order to further their infection of Hotepian foolishness? Ultimately can we come to see that the Theology of the east and west are in no ways the same, for if Menelik the II had been practicing what we as black people in the west largely practice, Ethiopia’s first language would be Italian and this story of victory would have been a shameful tale of surrender and defeat as another African nation fell to Colonialism.
At the same token, today’s Ethiopia like the rest of Africa are facing the new threat of colonization from China. Handicapping itself like other African nations by borrowing billions of dollars from China without reading the small print listed in the terms of default. To this I say to my brothers and sisters here don’t squander your forefathers victories and achievements by signing away your rights to people who have no regard for your humanity, history and heritage, and DEFINITELY not your faith.
Those of you who may be insulted by this post and say I am judgmental, arrogant, biased, sucking up or whatever you may feel, I’m sure you have done 5 days in the soup kitchen this week? You have feed the poor everyday this week? Or fixed your neighbors back porch or whatever home repair was needed? Or you have pitched in at your neighborhood youth association daily? Or you helped to prepare meals and visit shut ins? Or you know the name of every person on the intensive care ward at your neighborhood hospital? Or you are on a first name basis with everyone at your neighborhood senior center because you serve every week? Or you work at a suicide prevention switchboard? Or your someone’s big brother or big sister? If NONE of these are your ways, practices or customs that are a part of your faith walk then ask yourself if you truly understand what Christianity truly is. Maybe humble yourselves when offering critiques about the Eastern Church and what you think you know or what they don’t know. Maybe ask yourself what made a nation of African people who were deeply devoted to and committed to the God of Israel win a victory in the face of insurmountable odds when other nations in Africa suffered under the crushing weight of imperialism and colonization.
Ask yourself, and if your honestly interested in changing your ways and committing to the ways of God and developing Godly character, see about making Christ ways your ways and gain an understanding as to what it is to be a just person, to live a just life and fight for justice for all in a way that reflects the mind and character of the God you want to serve. In other words if your incensed, then prove me wrong.
Shut me up, by practicing Christ ways, making Justice your bottom line and what your committed too everyday. We as black people in America have faced our Adwa’s in our own context and are entering an end game phase of life in the west. It’s time we re-evaluated our lives and developed the humility, love, sense of Justice underscored by our reverence and awe of our creator God that powered Menelik the II and the people of Ethiopia to undeniable victory.
Sincerely,
Jemal