Mohammed Girma | University Of Roehampton (original) (raw)
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Papers by Mohammed Girma
MDPI, 2023
The wax and gold tradition is mainly known as an Ethiopian literary system that plays with layers... more The wax and gold tradition is mainly known as an Ethiopian literary system that plays with layers of meanings. It has also established itself as a system of knowledge and/or belief production and validation. However, its social ramifications have presented scholars with conundrums that divide their views. For some, it is an Ethiopian traditional society’s crowning achievement of erudition—a poetic form that infiltrated communication, psychology, and social interaction. For others, it is a breeding ground for social vices, i.e., mutual suspicion, deception, duplicity, etc., because its autochthonous nature means it is inept in terms of modernizing and unifying the society. In this essay, I aim to argue that there is one critical historical element that holds the key to the conflicting social ramifications of the wax and gold system and, yet, is neglected by both sides of the debate: the original doxastic space of qine (poetry) and sem ena werq (wax and gold system)—a hermeneutic tool that deciphers the meaning of poems. This literary system was born in the space of worship and liturgy. I will contend, therefore, that a shift of doxastic space from sacred to saeculum (the world) is the reas
Ethiopia is a storytelling nation. It is a nation of wax and gold – an enthralling literary trope... more Ethiopia is a storytelling nation. It is a nation of wax and gold – an enthralling literary trope – and a land of abundance of mythology. Myth-creation has always been its way of negotiating, embracing and excluding. Ethiopia’s fundamental national myth was devised to project its image to the outside world, on the one hand, and address its internal conflict, on the other. For hundreds of years, the national myth was jealously guarded by the ruling elites, and was interpreted and re-interpreted to meet new social and political challenges. In recent years, however – especially since the end of the 20th century – this myth has been challenged by groups who claim the national meta-story has been used as a tool of exclusion and subjugation. Instead of identifying themselves within the existing myth, subaltern voices are fiercely competing to mainstream their own formulation of their existence. In this chapter, therefore, I will argue that the ongoing unravelling of the old myth could be of benefit to all Ethiopians, because the anxiety of possible disintegration of the nation could bring all parties together to forge a new inclusive meta-story. A significant challenge Ethiopians face, however, is that the weaving of a new inclusive meta-story requires moral responsibility. I, therefore, aim to demonstrate how the virtue of integrity – anchored in human properties of relationality, conscience and physical presence – could become a foundation for the creation of a new meta-story.
Sophia, 2014
In Ethiopia, the history of the use of modern philosophical categories in education is short. Thi... more In Ethiopia, the history of the use of modern philosophical categories in education is short. This is because the country’s modern education itself is barely 100 years old. What is not so short, however, is the history of the use of indigenous metaphysics in temehert (traditional education), which goes back as far as the introduction of Christianity to Ethiopia—to the fourth century A.D. Since its inception, education has had a close, if ambivalent, relationship with different philosophical tenets, with the advocates of each tenet trying to formulate educational philosophy around its own unique metaphysical narrative. While some narratives arose from indigenous legends, others were imported (and domesticated in some cases) from abroad. The recent tendency of educational philosophy in Ethiopia has a slightly ‘(post)modernist’ philosophical flavor to it, even though it might not be self-consciously postmodernist in nature. In this essay, I intend to show how a deliberate, or unwitting, de-link with indigenous metaphysics could affect the trajectory, and also the success, of the educational system in Ethiopia. After a brief paradigmatic characterization of two metaphysical categories and their underlying narratives, I critically unravel the ethno-federalist metaphysics of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). I focus on the ethno-federalist system because it is an incumbent philosophy. After discussing a nascent remedy proposed by Maimire Mennasemay, viz., the notion of ‘nostalgic memory,’ best known as tezeta, I argue for the primacy of the notion of ‘covenant thinking,’ also known as qal-kidan, as a better alternative.
Journal of Politics and Law, 2012
International Journal of Public Theology, 2009
This article is a critical appraisal of the Ethiopian conception(s) of covenant as a device for d... more This article is a critical appraisal of the Ethiopian conception(s) of covenant as a device for defining the human person, among other things. After analysing the conceptions of human person in three historical areas, I show their implications for development work. The first part is therefore devoted to the conception of the human person in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC), where the notion of covenant is shaped by political monism and philosophical/theological dualism. I explore the reason for such a conceptual enigma, before drawing out its implications for development. The second part explores the Marxist attempt at demystification of the human person at the expense of covenantal understanding. The third part explores the ethnic compartmentalization that was introduced by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Front (EPRDF) against the covenantal backdrops. In the final part, I argue that using the notion of covenant to understand the human person is essential in the Ethiopi...
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies
Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As a result, socia... more Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As a result, social changes and modernisation were important contentious points especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some wanted change and progress at the expense of indigenous values, specifically cultural and political independence, while others opted for a more cautious approach. Inasmuch as Ethiopia’s context was one in which the church and the state were accustomed to seeing themselves as two sides of the same coin, the discourse of modernisation had both a political and religious flavour to it. This article therefore aims to examine the volatile dynamics between religion (especially the Protestant churches of the ‘southern peripheries’) and the Marxist regime in modernising Ethiopia. Specifically, the article intends to explore how state-church relations transformed social thinking in Ethiopia. I begin by sketching the historical background and proceed to unravel the dilemma of mod...
Preface List of Abbreviations General Introduction One The Hermeneutic of 'Wax and Gold' ... more Preface List of Abbreviations General Introduction One The Hermeneutic of 'Wax and Gold' Two The Hermeneutic of Demystification Three The Hermeneutic of Compartmentalization Four Toward a New Hermeneutic of Covenant Notes Bibliography Index
Review of Tibebe Eshete, Evangelical Movement in Ethiopia: Resistance and Resilience (Waco Texas:... more Review of Tibebe Eshete, Evangelical Movement in Ethiopia: Resistance and Resilience (Waco Texas: Baylor University Press, 2009), xiii + 480 pp
Journal For the Study of Religions and Ideologies, Nov 16, 2011
CLASH OF IDEOLOGIES AND SURVIVAL OF EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT IN ETHIOPIA - Key Words: Evangelicalism,... more CLASH OF IDEOLOGIES AND SURVIVAL OF EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT IN ETHIOPIA - Key Words: Evangelicalism, Marxism, revolution, church history, Ethiopian Orthodox Church,... - Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies.
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Addis Standard, 2020
Ethiopia is, once again, in a crossroads. There is a real possibility of heading to the usual aut... more Ethiopia is, once again, in a crossroads. There is a real possibility of heading to the usual authoritarian trajectory. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been vocal about vacating his position through democratic process. It would be tragic, and morally repugnant, if he reverses his promise. Authoritarianism, however benevolent it might be, breeds injustice and undermines the evolution of the nation towards a more free society. He needs to be on guard as there is very little in him to suggest that he is immune from the corrupting nature of power. The fact that he is already losing close allies – such as Lemma Megersa – from his own circles and ploughing ahead on his own is an ominous sign. Seeking consensus both within his party and beyond needs to be his second nature if he has to avoid a relapse into a one-man rule. Moreover, Ethiopians deserve democratic culture in decision-making. But also you have to ask a reverse question: Can Ethiopia, as a society, manage democracy?
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 2018
Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As the result, soc... more Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As the result, social changes and modernisation were important points of contention in late nineteen century and early twenty century. Some wanted it at the expense of indigenous valued, i.e. freedom and religiosity, while others opted for more cautious approach. Inasmuch as Ethiopia was a context that the church and the state were accustomed to see themselves as two sides of the same coin, the discourse of modernisation had political both political and theological flavour to it. This article, therefore, aims to examine the collaboration between Protestant Churches and the State in modernising Ethiopia. I will set off by sketching historical background which will be followed by unraveling the dilemma of modernisation. In the final part, I will discuss how Protestantism transformed the role of the state in defining human person, interfering with religious affairs and social organisation.
MDPI, 2023
The wax and gold tradition is mainly known as an Ethiopian literary system that plays with layers... more The wax and gold tradition is mainly known as an Ethiopian literary system that plays with layers of meanings. It has also established itself as a system of knowledge and/or belief production and validation. However, its social ramifications have presented scholars with conundrums that divide their views. For some, it is an Ethiopian traditional society’s crowning achievement of erudition—a poetic form that infiltrated communication, psychology, and social interaction. For others, it is a breeding ground for social vices, i.e., mutual suspicion, deception, duplicity, etc., because its autochthonous nature means it is inept in terms of modernizing and unifying the society. In this essay, I aim to argue that there is one critical historical element that holds the key to the conflicting social ramifications of the wax and gold system and, yet, is neglected by both sides of the debate: the original doxastic space of qine (poetry) and sem ena werq (wax and gold system)—a hermeneutic tool that deciphers the meaning of poems. This literary system was born in the space of worship and liturgy. I will contend, therefore, that a shift of doxastic space from sacred to saeculum (the world) is the reas
Ethiopia is a storytelling nation. It is a nation of wax and gold – an enthralling literary trope... more Ethiopia is a storytelling nation. It is a nation of wax and gold – an enthralling literary trope – and a land of abundance of mythology. Myth-creation has always been its way of negotiating, embracing and excluding. Ethiopia’s fundamental national myth was devised to project its image to the outside world, on the one hand, and address its internal conflict, on the other. For hundreds of years, the national myth was jealously guarded by the ruling elites, and was interpreted and re-interpreted to meet new social and political challenges. In recent years, however – especially since the end of the 20th century – this myth has been challenged by groups who claim the national meta-story has been used as a tool of exclusion and subjugation. Instead of identifying themselves within the existing myth, subaltern voices are fiercely competing to mainstream their own formulation of their existence. In this chapter, therefore, I will argue that the ongoing unravelling of the old myth could be of benefit to all Ethiopians, because the anxiety of possible disintegration of the nation could bring all parties together to forge a new inclusive meta-story. A significant challenge Ethiopians face, however, is that the weaving of a new inclusive meta-story requires moral responsibility. I, therefore, aim to demonstrate how the virtue of integrity – anchored in human properties of relationality, conscience and physical presence – could become a foundation for the creation of a new meta-story.
Sophia, 2014
In Ethiopia, the history of the use of modern philosophical categories in education is short. Thi... more In Ethiopia, the history of the use of modern philosophical categories in education is short. This is because the country’s modern education itself is barely 100 years old. What is not so short, however, is the history of the use of indigenous metaphysics in temehert (traditional education), which goes back as far as the introduction of Christianity to Ethiopia—to the fourth century A.D. Since its inception, education has had a close, if ambivalent, relationship with different philosophical tenets, with the advocates of each tenet trying to formulate educational philosophy around its own unique metaphysical narrative. While some narratives arose from indigenous legends, others were imported (and domesticated in some cases) from abroad. The recent tendency of educational philosophy in Ethiopia has a slightly ‘(post)modernist’ philosophical flavor to it, even though it might not be self-consciously postmodernist in nature. In this essay, I intend to show how a deliberate, or unwitting, de-link with indigenous metaphysics could affect the trajectory, and also the success, of the educational system in Ethiopia. After a brief paradigmatic characterization of two metaphysical categories and their underlying narratives, I critically unravel the ethno-federalist metaphysics of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). I focus on the ethno-federalist system because it is an incumbent philosophy. After discussing a nascent remedy proposed by Maimire Mennasemay, viz., the notion of ‘nostalgic memory,’ best known as tezeta, I argue for the primacy of the notion of ‘covenant thinking,’ also known as qal-kidan, as a better alternative.
Journal of Politics and Law, 2012
International Journal of Public Theology, 2009
This article is a critical appraisal of the Ethiopian conception(s) of covenant as a device for d... more This article is a critical appraisal of the Ethiopian conception(s) of covenant as a device for defining the human person, among other things. After analysing the conceptions of human person in three historical areas, I show their implications for development work. The first part is therefore devoted to the conception of the human person in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC), where the notion of covenant is shaped by political monism and philosophical/theological dualism. I explore the reason for such a conceptual enigma, before drawing out its implications for development. The second part explores the Marxist attempt at demystification of the human person at the expense of covenantal understanding. The third part explores the ethnic compartmentalization that was introduced by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Front (EPRDF) against the covenantal backdrops. In the final part, I argue that using the notion of covenant to understand the human person is essential in the Ethiopi...
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies
Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As a result, socia... more Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As a result, social changes and modernisation were important contentious points especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some wanted change and progress at the expense of indigenous values, specifically cultural and political independence, while others opted for a more cautious approach. Inasmuch as Ethiopia’s context was one in which the church and the state were accustomed to seeing themselves as two sides of the same coin, the discourse of modernisation had both a political and religious flavour to it. This article therefore aims to examine the volatile dynamics between religion (especially the Protestant churches of the ‘southern peripheries’) and the Marxist regime in modernising Ethiopia. Specifically, the article intends to explore how state-church relations transformed social thinking in Ethiopia. I begin by sketching the historical background and proceed to unravel the dilemma of mod...
Preface List of Abbreviations General Introduction One The Hermeneutic of 'Wax and Gold' ... more Preface List of Abbreviations General Introduction One The Hermeneutic of 'Wax and Gold' Two The Hermeneutic of Demystification Three The Hermeneutic of Compartmentalization Four Toward a New Hermeneutic of Covenant Notes Bibliography Index
Review of Tibebe Eshete, Evangelical Movement in Ethiopia: Resistance and Resilience (Waco Texas:... more Review of Tibebe Eshete, Evangelical Movement in Ethiopia: Resistance and Resilience (Waco Texas: Baylor University Press, 2009), xiii + 480 pp
Journal For the Study of Religions and Ideologies, Nov 16, 2011
CLASH OF IDEOLOGIES AND SURVIVAL OF EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT IN ETHIOPIA - Key Words: Evangelicalism,... more CLASH OF IDEOLOGIES AND SURVIVAL OF EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT IN ETHIOPIA - Key Words: Evangelicalism, Marxism, revolution, church history, Ethiopian Orthodox Church,... - Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies.
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia, 2012
Addis Standard, 2020
Ethiopia is, once again, in a crossroads. There is a real possibility of heading to the usual aut... more Ethiopia is, once again, in a crossroads. There is a real possibility of heading to the usual authoritarian trajectory. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been vocal about vacating his position through democratic process. It would be tragic, and morally repugnant, if he reverses his promise. Authoritarianism, however benevolent it might be, breeds injustice and undermines the evolution of the nation towards a more free society. He needs to be on guard as there is very little in him to suggest that he is immune from the corrupting nature of power. The fact that he is already losing close allies – such as Lemma Megersa – from his own circles and ploughing ahead on his own is an ominous sign. Seeking consensus both within his party and beyond needs to be his second nature if he has to avoid a relapse into a one-man rule. Moreover, Ethiopians deserve democratic culture in decision-making. But also you have to ask a reverse question: Can Ethiopia, as a society, manage democracy?
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 2018
Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As the result, soc... more Ethiopia is an old society often confronted with new ideas and foreign values. As the result, social changes and modernisation were important points of contention in late nineteen century and early twenty century. Some wanted it at the expense of indigenous valued, i.e. freedom and religiosity, while others opted for more cautious approach. Inasmuch as Ethiopia was a context that the church and the state were accustomed to see themselves as two sides of the same coin, the discourse of modernisation had political both political and theological flavour to it. This article, therefore, aims to examine the collaboration between Protestant Churches and the State in modernising Ethiopia. I will set off by sketching historical background which will be followed by unraveling the dilemma of modernisation. In the final part, I will discuss how Protestantism transformed the role of the state in defining human person, interfering with religious affairs and social organisation.
Moral Pedagogies for Africa, 2021
Ethiopia is a storytelling nation. It is a nation of wax and gold – an enthralling literary trope... more Ethiopia is a storytelling nation. It is a nation of wax and gold – an enthralling literary trope – and a land of abundance of mythology. Myth-creation has always been its way of negotiating, embracing and excluding. Ethiopia’s fundamental national myth was devised to project its image to the outside world, on the one hand, and address its internal conflict, on the other. For hundreds of years, the national myth was jealously guarded by the ruling elites, and was interpreted and re-interpreted to meet new social and political challenges. In recent years, however – especially since the end of the 20th century – this myth has been challenged by groups who claim the national meta-story has been used as a tool of exclusion and subjugation. Instead of identifying themselves within the existing myth, subaltern voices are fiercely competing to mainstream their own formulation of their existence. In this chapter, therefore, I will argue that the ongoing unravelling of the old myth could be of benefit to all Ethiopians, because the anxiety of possible disintegration of the nation could bring all parties together to forge a new inclusive meta-story. A significant challenge Ethiopians face, however, is that the weaving of a new inclusive meta-story requires moral responsibility. I, therefore, aim to demonstrate how the virtue of integrity – anchored in human properties of relationality, conscience and physical presence – could become a foundation for the creation of a new meta-story.
This book is a small, but a necessary, step towards shifting the perception of leadership from a ... more This book is a small, but a necessary, step towards shifting the perception of leadership from a tool of self-enrichment to means of service to the society. By drawing resources from the timeless biblical values, cultural analysis and input from psychology, this book calls for internal transformation of African culture of leadership. Inasmuch as Christians are the primary readers of this book, the transformation, the authors argue, needs to start from the African Christians. In other words, the church needs to lead by example.
Africa has seen many political crises ranging from violent political ideologies, to meticulously ... more Africa has seen many political crises ranging from violent political ideologies, to meticulously articulated racist governance system, to ethnic clashes resulting in genocide and religious conflicts that have planted the seed of mutual suspicion.The masses impacted by such crises live with the past that has not passed. The Healing of Memories: African Christian Responses to Politically Induced Trauma examines Christian responses to the damaging impact of conflict on the collective memory. Troubled memory is a recipe for another cycle of conflict. While most academic works tend to stress forgiving and forgetting, they did not offer much as to how to deal with the unforgettable past. This book aims to fill this gap by charting an interdisciplinary approach to healing the corrosive memories of painful pasts. Taking a cue from the empirical expositions of post-apartheid South Africa, post-genocide Rwanda, the Congo Wars, and post-Red Terror Ethiopia, this volume brings together coherent healing approaches to deal with traumatic memory.
After decades of war and turmoil, it is as if Europe is united culturally, politically and econom... more After decades of war and turmoil, it is as if Europe is united culturally, politically and economically. It even appears as if the Union is evolving towards adding a military element. However, some social theorists have been warning that such an optimism could be short lived. Part of the reason is the lack of clarity, and ongoing concerns over the political and politicalphilosophical principles upon which the Union was founded. The philosophical puzzle of whether or not the relationship between the Member States will be based on monism, pluralism or dualism remains unresolved.
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2017
Christians living in Muslim-majority states face a difficult question - should they retreat from ... more Christians living in Muslim-majority states face a difficult question - should they retreat from public life, join in culturally while confining their Christian practice or approach the system in a critically engaged way as Christians? These essays use a Christian vision of citizenship to show how the latter is possible.
In both the media and in academia, democracy has been seen as the ultimate political accomplishme... more In both the media and in academia, democracy has been seen as the ultimate political accomplishment, credited for ending repression, realising freedom and achieving global peace. What is not so much discussed however are its origins and how the concept evolved to global prominence. This publication, therefore, aims to fill this gap by highlighting the contribution of the Bible to democracy and peacebuilding, not only by trancing its origin, but also by referring to accounts from recent history. Democracy, on the surface, is not a biblical term or concept you find in the Christian Scriptures. The question, therefore, is: how did the Bible contribute to the birth and development of democracy?
This chapter focuses on evaluating the construction and politicization of the notion of covenant.... more This chapter focuses on evaluating the construction and politicization of the notion of covenant. This evaluation targets two contexts in Africa where the notion of covenant was directly applied to polity: South Africa and Ethiopia. After showing how these political actors utilized the notion of covenant as an ideological tool, I will make a critical comparison between them. I will then argue, based on a different hermeneutical premise, that the notion of covenant is still relevant in the democratic processes in both South Africa and Ethiopia.
This volume investigates how social change has played out in the social and political history of ... more This volume investigates how social change has played out in the social and political history of the ancient society that is now contemporary Ethiopia. Mohammed Girma reveals why abrupt political change with no anchor in grassroots sensibility has not suited the native religious value-laden system, and calls instead for the continuity of certain elements of traditional values. Understanding Religion and Social Change in Ethiopia deftly utilizes the idea of 'covenant' thinking in negotiating a new vision of social change without sacrificing cultural identity.