Africa Flashcards
What is Coptic Christianity?
Founded by St. Mark the Evangelist, it is among the oldest Christian denominations, most prominent in Egypt & the Nile Valley.
What is the Christology of Coptic Christianity?
Coptic Christianity is miaphysite, meaning Christ has one nature made of two natures, the divine and the human.
What is the traditional capital of the Coptic Church?
Alexandria, Egypt.
What was the state of Christian Nubia from 450-1450 CE?
Nubia was a spiritual battleground for competing interpretations of Christianity and successfully defended against early Muslim invasions.
What happened to Christian Nubia in the 15th century?
Muslim incursions chipped away at Christian Nubia, leading to the disappearance of independent kingdoms.
Where is Aksum located and when did it rise to prominence?
Aksum is located in Ethiopia and rose to prominence around 100 CE.
Who was King Ezana?
King Ezana ruled from 303-350 CE and made Aksum Christian.
What is the Ethiopian (Tewahedo) Church?
It traces its roots to Apostles St. Matthew & St. Bartholomew and was formally founded around 333 CE.
What are the key features of the Ethiopian Church?
It has close ties to the Coptic Church, uses Ge’ez as a liturgical language, and has a distinct Christology.
What characterized Ethiopia under the Zagwe dynasty?
It emerged from a rival faction within the Aksumite royal family and is known for the stone-cut churches of Emperor Lalibela.
What is the Kebra Negast?
It is a history explaining the Solomonid descent from Queen Sheba & King Solomon and connects to old Aksumite kings.
Who are Rastafarians?
An Afrocentric Christian minority in Jamaica tracing heritage back to Solomonids, worshiping God as ‘Jah’ and following a vegetarian diet.
What is the significance of the Swahili City-States?
They were the eastern terminus of trade across the Indian Ocean, trading goods from Africa for goods from India, Arabia, & the Mediterranean.
What was medieval Kilwa known for?
It was an international city influenced by African, Arabian, Persian, & Indian cultures, strategically located for monsoon trading.
What characterized the wealth of Mapungubwe and Zimbabwe?
Wealth came from cattle, gold, & copper, and they traded with Swahili merchants, forming a wealthy centralized state.
