| Posted: April.04.2003 at 06:42 | IP Logged
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IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN.
Tehadso VS Reformation ?
When I start to write about the “reformation “ movement in the EOTC, I could presume how difficult it could be since the story involves people whom we know, admire, are relatives to us and sometimes related in many ways than who are <accusing> them of heresy. Whatever the case may be, I don’t refrain from sharing you the experiences I have regarding the movement, and I beg your objectivity in dealing with the facts I try to shade light up on.
It was in the beginning of the 80s (all calendars are in Ethiopian), that for the first time I came across a kind of non-orthodox attitudes entertained in the orthodox church . I did not know whether it was an organized and long lasting work or a sporadic, personal and individualised trial by some personalities. The major reason which uncovered it was <mezmur and yemezmur mesariyawoch>, which later pointed to the deepest conspiracy they plotted against the church. I hope my readers may remember the then Trinity Cathedral < Sunday School >, and its protestant congregation. Many people were against that gubae only for the fact that the music was <protestant proper>. Please read on !!
After the change of government, and arguably after the proclamation of freedom of belief,
People start to uncover their masks and come to the front with what ever they think is good for the church. The situation in the church has contributed a lot for their confidence in a way that the church looks with out a leader. In 1984 E.C a group long closed for its heretic deeds start to regroup itself and manipulated the chaos in BETEKIHINET to start its previous activity openly and with out any shame in the arena of the EOTC head office. Protestant preachers were invited to give sermons, their singers were free to use the stage, because according to the rule of this group /called <Haimanote Abew> / rule, any body under any Christian denomination, whether he is orthodox or not, was invited to be a member that the orthodox church was unofficially controlled by its adversaries ; the teaching of the holy fathers was thrown away in a very dramatic manner. The fathers who were supposed to correct errors were tied up by the then political unrest that they were handcuffed to do any good. As far as I remember the chaos managed to prolong not for less than a year when the REAL aim of the movement start to uncover. HOW?
A young man from one of the Sunday schools in the southern parts of Ethiopia came up with a document of immense importance which sheds light up on a hidden movement which manifests itself in a new way of MEZMUR. According to the document again , the real name of the movement was named after AMANUEL (please do not misunderstand me for every group and TSIWA by the name of AMMANUEL), and it was not a sporadic challenge to the teachings of the church rather, an organization with strong resources, and not to mention the least with strong financial resources, and very chiefly and dangerously, aimed at a hundred percent destruction of the church of Ethiopia. As far as my memory is concerned, I remember a statement which to this day strikes me hard- although I can not quote it word for word- but which says < to change the church – in to Protestantism- with out building another church or with out a need to look for another place to worship .>
The protestantization process of Ethiopians by nagging them in every corners of the country did prove to be of no avail that they planned to change the church from inside out ; they came up with the idea we are discussing now , until God revealed the secret of the Angel who was thrown from his place.
The over all method could be summarized in the following manner:
As many westerners usually write and as we may guess, some of the clergy are seen as not knowledgeable of the teachings of the church, and many anti-orthodox preachers have tried to manipulate their says by firing some biblical quotations which they think proves the EOTC to be wrong. Unlike this unwise activity, the leaders of the Tehadiso movement planed to control the clergy, by which ever means possible, whether it is money, or ethnicity, or disagreement among the priests etc.. to do what they need. As a result they managed to go as far as assigning their members and sympathisers in seminaries and monasteries; Sunday schools and BETEKIHINET. Unlike the traditional PENTEWOCH , Tehadso members are disguised under our fathers clothing and regarded as monks, preachers, priests, and Sunday school students.
They have tried to present their idea to the public consumption, as if they need the kind of protestant MEZMUR entertained here in our Sunday schools. Many people think that is not < a big deal, and it could not be presented a s a reason for somebody to be excommunicated as if he is a heretic>. I agree !!! But the main thing was not MEZMUR. To this day, it takes my breath when I think of their methodology. They know as many orthodox laities do <like> a kind of protestant songs. Thus, they undermined every body to buy their idea that they needed to use it as a sheep skin. But it was uncovered, God willing, to save the church He shade His blood for. To save His children. To save guard His teaching. He revealed their secret through the man they trusted to have given them his heart. This man managed to come up with this invaluable document, which any body may see it from the archives of BETEKIHINET. The holy synod did finally made this dangerous movement public and excommunicated its members.
WHAT IS THEIR TEACHING ?
In my opinion, to answer this question one should understand the teachings and beliefs of the church; what we believe, what our dogma (corner stone of our belief) is ; and what the untouchable creed is. We could simply generalise by pointing to our daily prayer(the creed, TSELOTE HAIMANOT; anybody can get it from WIDASE MARIAM ,yezewetir tselot) and conclude our discussion. But it is not that easy to do so; and it will not clearly tell the danger paused by the Tehadiso members.
According to the teachings of our church, there are two things that we should note: dogma and canon (SIRAT). The first one is the never changeable one. We can not change our belief in Silassie (trinity) or that Christ is God, He came to save the world; KIDUS KURBAN, the holy communion is the true flesh and blood of Christ; Saints do intercede on our behalf etc…
The later, the second, one can be corrected by the holy synod when the need arises. For example, we need 5 people- two priests and 3 deacons- to serve a mass- but due to problems there are some places, especially in the Diaspora, where only one priest and a deacon do serve. That is not heretic -NUFAKE. It is corrected based on the problems we have. Besides we change the time when to start the KIDASE, as it suites us. But we did not and will not and can not change the KIDUS KURBAN from wheat and wine (SINDE & WINE) to maize or (BEKOLO) and juice !!!
People may be allowed to enter the church with their shoes on for the fact that the buildings may not have carpets and it will be very dangerous not to do so. But if there is no this kind of problem, we pursue in our tradition.
DOES THE CHURCH NEED TEHADISO?
Based on the above principle this question needs a thorough investigation. We can not reform our dogma. If we do we can no more be orthodox. But the canon can be corrected. For this correction as well, there is a procedure, and anybody can not do it. According to the tradition of the apostles, the legal body to do this is the HOLY SYNOD. Not a single preacher, a single MAHIBER, or a single ASTEDADARI OR SEBAKI. These people can present their ideas to the synod and the synod can do what it should be done. This is the Biblical way of doing things.
One writer of this forum has mentioned the Coptic church passing through a <reformation>, and in turn suggests to accept the ideals of Tehadiso. If this kind of organizational and structural adjustment could be regarded as REFORMATION ,I do accept it. But unfortunately the writer does not understand what the real meaning and goal of a REFORMATION is. In this regard, our church need to do a lot of job. We need the fathers to be ONE. We need them to be united, letting their fleshly differences aside, and work for the One Religion handed down to us. We need the preachers to be better educated, the management of BETEKIHINET, whether it is back home or in the Diaspora, to be better than we see. Etc…etc…
But this is not REFORMATION OR TEHADISO. The tehadiso we are opposing is the protestantization of our believers.
Generally, this is not the main reason to label somebody as he is MENAFIK or not. Please take note what these people believe and what they want us to accept.
……..++++……
WHAT DOES TEHADISO TEACH?
Like their teachers, they regard the Lord Jesus Christ as AMALAJ; and in turn do not accept the intercession (AMALAJINET) of the saints. Their publications and teachings try to materialize this idea; but unlike the PENTE proper, they do not quote flimsy ideas rather they use the Geez language to astonish their readers. They use other literatures of the church as far they think it substantiates their ideals: Digwa…, Seatat, gedlat etc.. If my readers do not see what I mean I urge to read other publications which discuss this idea in detail. Their heretic teaching about the Lord, makes them to err in other teachings as well: they do not accept celibacy (the need of being a monk); TSOM etc….etc. !!!!!!!!!!!
Is not this what we should not oppose ? Is not this against the teachings of our church?
HOW DO WE OPPOSE MENAFIKAN
There are biblical procedures when somebody is labelled as a MENAFIK and is excommunicated(MEWEGEZ). It needs the procedure I mentioned above about changing a canon. But sometimes, some believers may get upset and do what they are not supposed to do. This does not mean that we should set aside and leave everything for the holy synod. We have many duties to do. All of us should be guards of the church. This is not to be <a catholic better than a pope>.
In the mean time, there comes the question of YEMEZMUR MESARIAWOCH; which I should not deal here and , God willing, I may try to substantiate and make a parallel to the Tehadiso movement some other time.
For the time being, let me stop here.
I am very willing to accept any kind of comments and I am of course willing to make correction if I err.
With love,
Insermu
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Topic: Orthodox Vs Tehadeso
