All Doors Opened

Previous issues

INITIATIVES
Academic Commandos

RESEARCH
Open Research Day
Dealing With Stress, the Natural Way
Setting the Computer's Sights
Democracy is Not the Key to Peace in the Middle East
Islam and Christianity
Punctuating Mozart
Reshaping Distance Education

TECHNOLOGY
E-reader
Hybrid Books

GRADUATES
Prof. Gidi Gross: Cancer Researcher
Israel Adam: From Slum Alcoholic to Honors Student and a Master's Degree
All Doors Opened to Elishai Ezra
The Open University as His Greatest Challenge in Life: Sharli Afanger

STUDENTS
Walking in Their Footsteps in Ashdod
University Student Since 8th Grade

MILESTONES
Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron
Prof. Ron Weidberg
Dr. Yuval Eylon
Dr. Adia Mendelsohn-Maoz
Prof. Aviva Halamish
Dr. Ophir Munz-Manor
Dr. Baruch Ziv
Dr. Milly Perry
Dr. Yoav Yair
SuperBrand University

EVENTS
Dance with Your Fears
Heavens Above

RESEARCH
Islam and Christianity: Can They Co-Exist? ...continued from previous page. Ancient texts, Lalibela, Ethiopia. Early Christianity Ethiopia was the third country in the world, (in 333 AD) to adopt Christianity, following Eastern Rome and Armenia. The head of the Ethiopian Church was an Egyptian monk, trained and appointed by the Copts; political hegemony was legitimized by the Church. Islam also existed in Ethiopia from the early years. In fact, it was a Christian Ethiopian king who provided asylum and protection to the persecuted Moslems, enabling them to settle and prosper in Ethiopia. The evolution of the Christian-Islam relationship in Ethiopia is really quite interesting. While they did learn to live amicably, there was no doubt that political power remained in the hands of the Christian Church and any challenges to their supremacy were roundly suppressed. Yet, the history of how a Christian king stood up for the first fleeing Moslems against the Arab pagans of Mecca, remains part of the traditional Moslem back story helping to shape their attitudes towards Ethiopia. "The uniqueness of Ethiopia," Prof. Erlich elaborates "is that it comprises a culture which built up a political system, a state and even an empire that lasted some two millennia. It managed to withstand the strongest forces in history: Islamic empire and European imperialism and still retain its sovereignty." A Multi-Cultural Society Ethiopia was a culture that managed to bring together various ethnic groups. "It was always helped by the fact that it is a natural citadel, a mountainous country. But, the real secret was a political system, legitimized and inspired by a national Christianity, which managed to organize, recruit and when needed, muster substantial forces," Prof. Erlich explains. "And this held true until Haile Selassie was deposed as the last Christian king and was replaced by a Soviet-oriented dictator. Then in 1991 a new regime came into power which embraced the country’s diversity and reopened it to the world. Ethiopian Christianity now flexibly reconnects with its historical roots, re-energizes itself and re-asserts itself within a diverse Ethiopian society while rebuilding renewed relations with Islam and Muslims." This new multi-cultural diversity is now being felt by the neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa. Page: 1 2 3

RESEARCH

Islam and Christianity: Can They Co-Exist?

...continued from previous page.

Ancient texts, Lalibela, Ethiopia.

Early Christianity

Ethiopia was the third country in the world, (in 333 AD) to adopt Christianity, following Eastern Rome and Armenia. The head of the Ethiopian Church was an Egyptian monk, trained and appointed by the Copts; political hegemony was legitimized by the Church.

Islam also existed in Ethiopia from the early years. In fact, it was a Christian Ethiopian king who provided asylum and protection to the persecuted Moslems, enabling them to settle and prosper in Ethiopia.

The evolution of the Christian-Islam relationship in Ethiopia is really quite interesting. While they did learn to live amicably, there was no doubt that political power remained in the hands of the Christian Church and any challenges to their supremacy were roundly suppressed. Yet, the history of how a Christian king stood up for the first fleeing Moslems against the Arab pagans of Mecca, remains part of the traditional Moslem back story helping to shape their attitudes towards Ethiopia.

"The uniqueness of Ethiopia," Prof. Erlich elaborates "is that it comprises a culture which built up a political system, a state and even an empire that lasted some two millennia. It managed to withstand the strongest forces in history: Islamic empire and European imperialism and still retain its sovereignty."

A Multi-Cultural Society

Ethiopia was a culture that managed to bring together various ethnic groups. "It was always helped by the fact that it is a natural citadel, a mountainous country. But, the real secret was a political system, legitimized and inspired by a national Christianity, which managed to organize, recruit and when needed, muster substantial forces," Prof. Erlich explains.

"And this held true until Haile Selassie was deposed as the last Christian king and was replaced by a Soviet-oriented dictator. Then in 1991 a new regime came into power which embraced the country’s diversity and reopened it to the world. Ethiopian Christianity now flexibly reconnects with its historical roots, re-energizes itself and re-asserts itself within a diverse Ethiopian society while rebuilding renewed relations with Islam and Muslims."

This new multi-cultural diversity is now being felt by the neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa.

Page: 1 2 3