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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1980)
Portland Observar Section II February 2B. 1880 Paga 8 A chronology of by Clarence L. H olfe Christianity originating in Bethlehem with the b.r h o f Christ, is one o f the three relig.ons o f the world which holds that God is Divine, an Infinite Betng and supremely good; that HE created the world, is omni potent, omniscient, and omnipresent. The other two faiths: Judaism, the religion o f the Jew, which took shape in Palestine several thousands o f years ago; and Islam, the religion o f the Muslims, which was founded in Mecca c. 570 A .D . by Mohammed, the prophet. Before the advent o f these three m onotheistic religions, Menes, c. 3100 B.C., and lkhnaton c. 1357 B.C. two Ethiopian kings who reunified Egypt and be came pharoahs, were the first recorded proponents ot the One God concept. The follow ing log w ill chronologically trace Black Christianity from its pre-history in North Africa down through the continent to the New W orld across the Atlantic Ocean. lacks and Christianity time, missionaries in North Africa practiced with the constant spectre o f persecution and great personal danger. 323 A.D . — King Ezana is converted to Christianity and the Ethiopian Orthodox (Ceptic) Church is established. 543 A .D .-354 A .D . — Nubia (Sudan) becomes the birth place o f the Christian Church among Blacks by the ar rival o f an emissary from the royal court o f Egypt, w hich, at that tim e, practiced the religio n. Many churches were built and mass conversions made. 354-430 A.D. —St. Augustine, regarded by theologians as the founder o f theology, is Bishop o f Hippo. His writings continue to influence Catholics. 6th-15th Century — Little activity relevant to the Black Christian Church was recorded. Spain and Portugal were powerful colonizers. Recognizing this, and at tempting to minimize conflict between the two powers, Pope Alexander VI reserved Africa (west o f the Cape Verde Desert) and Brazil for exploration by Portugal; to Spain, he gave America and the Phillipines. Hence, the early Catholic missionaries in Africa were Portugese. ¡320 — Prince Dorn Henrique is the first Kongolese or dained a Catholic bishop. Schools, churches and other reforms were ineffective in the expansion ot C hristiamty after his death. ¡323 —The Reformation (or revolt) created Protestant ism (protesters) from the Catholic faith, and opened the continent o f Aftica to an “ invasion” o f missionaries from almost all o f Europe’ s many sects. Deep inroads into the indigenous religions were not significant until Coronation place of the Ethiopian emperors In the outer court of the Cathedral of St. M ery of Zion at Aksum, holiest shrine In Ethiopia. It was destroyed In the 18th century end rebuilt In the 17th. Stumpy pillars at left date from pre-Christian times. c. 1000 B.C. — Makeda (Sheba) Queen o f Ethiopia, gave birth to King Solomon’ s son, Menelik, thus creat ing a link between the royal tam ily and sons o f the nobles o f Israel. P o rtrait of M sllk Am bar (M ug h u l. cs. 1820-30) Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The dominant force during the 17th and 18th centu ries in Africa and the American colonies was the slave trade. There were, however, some notable efforts in Christianizing Blacks on both continents; SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANIES TAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY IN REC OGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ITS BLACKS AND HOPE ALL WILL JOIN IN A SALUTE TO BLACK HIS TORY WEEK. the horizon, to the left, rises a steep sided plateau, an amba. at the top of which is the old monastic village of Debra Damo, founded In the early days of the Church In Ethiopia. IPhoto: J. Doresse) lst-4th Century A .D . —C hristianity is introduced in North Africa. 3rd Century A.D. —St. Cyprian, the Bishop o f Car thage, wrote On the Unity o f the Catholic Church. He died a martyr. 307 A.D. —Constantine became the first Christian em peror and declared it the state religion in 325. U ntil this SAFECO 1500 SW 1st AVE.