Why am I passionate about this?

I had visited many Eastern Orthodox churches across Eastern Europe and the Middle East for a research project, and finally came to Ethiopia. Here I encountered a large and thriving Christian community which reached back to the earliest days of the church. Its location between the Middle East and East Asia and Africa as well as Europe has given it a distinctive way of living and worshipping which is unique in the Christian world ā€“ and overlooked by other churches. Iā€™ve spent the last twenty years exploring this tradition which gives the rest of us a radically different understanding of faith.


I wrote

The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia: A History

By John Binns,

Book cover of The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia: A History

What is my book about?

Surrounded by steep escarpments to the north, south, and east, Ethiopia has always been geographically and culturally set apart. Itā€¦

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Ancient Churches of Ethiopia: Fourth-Fourteenth Centuries

John Binns Why did I love this book?

David Phillipson is an archeologist who has excavated ā€“ and shown me round ā€“ sites at Axum and other places. Here he guides us through the early history of the church from the 4th to 15th centuries by showing the wonderful photos, descriptions, and plans of the main church sites, supplemented by historical and geographical essays. A tour of the buildings is a clear and perceptive introduction to this tradition ā€“ as well as being a breath-taking journey through some of the more important historic centres of this ancient civilisation.

By David W. Phillipson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ancient Churches of Ethiopia as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The kings of Aksum formally became Christian during the second quarter of the 4th century, making Ethiopia the second country in the world (after Armenia) officially to adopt the new faith. This landmark book is the first to integrate historical, archaeological, and art-historical evidence to provide a comprehensive account of Ethiopian Christian civilization and its churches-both built and rock-hewn-from the Aksumite period to the 13th century.

David W. Phillipson, a foremost authority on Ethiopia's archaeology, situates these churches within the development of Ethiopian society, illuminating the exceptional continuity of the country's Christian civilization. He offers a fresh view of theā€¦


Book cover of Greater Ethiopia: The Evolution of a Multiethnic Society

John Binns Why did I love this book?

Ethiopia is a country with the second largest population in Africa. There are over 80 ethnic groups and languages, living in a region that includes the largest area of mountains in Africa and also the lowest point on the earthā€™s land surface. While this book tells the history of the Christian north, including the national epic which tells how Ethiopian kings are descended from Solomon of Israel, it also describes the culture and traditions of other societies which make up this fascinating country, and shows both the tensions and the creativity within Ethiopian society. 

By Donald N. Levine,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Greater Ethiopia as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Combines history, anthropology and sociology to answer two major questions. Why did Ethiopia remain independent under the onslaught of European expansionism while other African political entities were colonized? And why must Ethiopia be considered a single cultural region despite its political, religious and linguistic diversity? Donald Levine's interdisciplinary study seeks to make a contribution both to Ethiopian interpretive history and to sociological analysis. In his preface, Levine examines Ethiopia since the overthrow of the monarchy in the 1970s.


Ad

Book cover of The Atrahasis Epic: A Sumerian tale of irrigation, floods, and the creation of man

The Atrahasis Epic by Ken Goudsward,

Contrary to popular belief, the Atrahasis Epic is not merely a flood myth. In some ways it can be called a creation myth. However, it does not concern itself with the creation of the universe or even of the earth. Rather, the created work in question is one of cultureā€¦

Book cover of Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia: Monarchy, Revolution and the Legacy of Meles Zenawi

John Binns Why did I love this book?

Ethiopian society has gone through radical changes and transformations during the last century ā€“ and which continue into an uncertain future. The medieval-style empire of Haile Selassie was toppled by a Marxist dictatorship in 1974, which in turn fell to an alliance of northern peoples who set up a federalist system in 1991, which is now showing signs of tension. This collection of sixteen essays by some of the best-known authorities in their fields, outlines the political history and economic changes. It also tells about the arrival of Pentecostal churches, the growth of militant Islam, and the adaptation of the Orthodox church to a changing world. 

By GĆ©rard Prunier, Ɖloi Ficquet,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When we think of Ethiopia we tend to think in cliches: Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the Falasha Jews, the epic reign of Emperor Haile Selassie, the Communist Revolution, famine and civil war. Among the countries of Africa it has a high profile yet is poorly known. How- ever all cliches contain within them a kernel of truth, and occlude much more. Today's Ethiopia (and its painfully liberated sister state of Eritrea) are largely obscured by these mythical views and a secondary literature that is partial or propagandist. Moreover there have been few attempts to offer readers a comprehensiveā€¦


Book cover of The Wife's Tale: A Personal History

John Binns Why did I love this book?

The author is an Ethiopian/Canadian journalist living in London. The book is a vivid biography of her grandmother, Yetemegnu, based on many conversations and interviews. It begins in a traditional household in northern Ethiopia where the grandmother was married at the age of 10 to an ambitious priest twenty years older than her, and it takes us through a century of history as the family lives through and adapts to turbulent times, ending up in modern Addis Ababa where her son became a successful doctor and emigrated to Canada. Itā€™s a beautiful and affectionate account that introduces us to a changing society. 

By Aida Edemariam,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Wife's Tale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2019
AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A CBC BOOK OF THE YEAR

The extraordinary story of an indomitable 95-year-old woman - and of the most extraordinary century in Ethiopia's history. A new Wild Swans

A hundred years ago, a girl was born in the northern Ethiopian city of Gondar. Before she was ten years old, Yetemegnu was married to a man two decades her senior, an ambitious poet-priest. Over the next century her world changed beyond recognition. She witnessed Fascist invasion and occupation, Allied bombardment and exile from her city, the ascent andā€¦


Ad

Book cover of Eclipse Chasers

Eclipse Chasers by Nick Lomb,

Forthcoming eclipses coming up in Australia include that of 22 July 2028, which will cross Australia from the Northern Territory to Sydney, home of the internationally famous sights of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Eclipse Chasers will act as a guidebook for both locals and international visitors, givingā€¦

Book cover of The Chains of Heaven: An Ethiopian Romance

John Binns Why did I love this book?

The author walks from Lalibela to Axum, the two main pilgrimage destinations of Christian Ethiopia. Itā€™s a journey of 250 miles through the heartland of Christian Ethiopia. Itā€™s a spectacular mountain landscape, along an old road which passes by many churches and monasteries. As he walks, he describes the people he meets, explains the history of the region, tells the stories and legends, and shares his adventures. For the visitor, Ethiopia is a strange and unfamiliar place and so encountering Ethiopia is always a journey of exploration. We need a guide and Philip is an engaging and well-informed travel companion.

By Philip Marsden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Chains of Heaven as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Philip Marsden returns to the remote, fiercely beautiful landscape that has exercised a powerful mythic appeal over him since his first encounter with it over twenty years ago.

'Ethiopia bred in me the conviction that if there is a wider purpose to our life, it is to understand the world, to seek out its diversity, to celebrate its heroes and its wonders - in short, to witness it.'

When Philip Marsden first went to Ethiopia in 1982, it changed the direction of his life. What he saw of its stunning antiquity, its raw Christianity, its extremes of brutality and graceā€¦


Explore my book šŸ˜€

The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia: A History

By John Binns,

Book cover of The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia: A History

What is my book about?

Surrounded by steep escarpments to the north, south, and east, Ethiopia has always been geographically and culturally set apart. It has the longest archaeological record of any country in the world: indeed, this precipitous mountain land was where the human race began. It is also home to an ancient church with a remarkable legacy. The Church of Ethiopia is the only pre-colonial church in sub-Saharan Africa; today it has a membership of around forty million and is rapidly growing.

This book is a major study of the history and theology of a community that has developed a distinctive approach different from all other churches. John Binns explains how its special features have shaped the life of the Ethiopian people, and how political changes since the overthrow of Haile Selassie have forced the Church to rethink its identity and mission. 

Book cover of Ancient Churches of Ethiopia: Fourth-Fourteenth Centuries
Book cover of Greater Ethiopia: The Evolution of a Multiethnic Society
Book cover of Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia: Monarchy, Revolution and the Legacy of Meles Zenawi

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,897

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

šŸ“š You might also likeā€¦

Book cover of The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace

The Peace Puppy by Susan Hartzler,

As one of 67 million Americans who serve as caretakers to their elderly parents, Susan Hartzler cared for her dad for three years, gaining profound insight into Parkinson's disease and the multifaceted challenges of caregiving. Throughout this period, Hartzler's rescue dog, Baldwin, a precious gift from her late mom, providedā€¦

Book cover of Children of Change: A Memoir

Children of Change by Carole Kelly,

This is a personal story of Carole and her rise from the ashes of tragedy as a fourteen year old, to success in many areas of her life. Carole graphically depicts the story of how success is the result of a passion and determination that comes from deep inside

Whileā€¦

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Ethiopia, Christianity, and the Bible?

Ethiopia 47 books
Christianity 689 books
The Bible 371 books