Ethiopia: Religion, Power and Politics - What's Behind the Violent Attacks On Ethiopia's Orthodox Tewahedo Church

What the report says

A Conversation Africa analysis republished by AllAfrica examines why Ethiopia’s Orthodox Tewahedo Church has faced rising hostility and violent attacks in recent years. The piece says the church has been a major force in Ethiopian life for more than 1,600 years, shaping religion, education, culture and politics, and notes that church and state were closely linked until the monarchy was overthrown in 1974.

According to the article, the relationship changed sharply after the Derg declared secularism and stripped the church of its official status and property. It argues that since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, attacks and verbal hostility against churches, monasteries, clergy and worshippers have increased. The author says the pattern is not only about physical violence, but also about the spread of negative historical narratives by political figures, activists and media voices that portray the church as a symbol of domination or ethnic privilege.

The analysis says these portrayals often connect Orthodoxy with Amhara identity and reduce the church to a vehicle of imperial expansion, while ignoring its broader historical contributions. It also highlights how religion and ethnicity are increasingly intertwined in Ethiopian politics, turning religious institutions into flashpoints in wider identity disputes. One example mentioned is 2023 debates in Oromia over greater use of Afaan Oromo in worship and more Oromo representation in church leadership.

The article concludes that protecting religious sites is not enough on its own; it also says authorities and civic actors need to challenge narratives that weaken the legitimacy and safety of religious communities.