Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements in Ethiopia

Conference of Protestant Christians in Addis Ababa, March 2004

The majority of Ethiopia's population (about 73 mill. people, 2004 census) belong to the Ethiopian-Orthodox Church or Islam. However, the census of 1994 (the most recent one including religious demographics) mentions 5.4 mill. Protestants (of then 53 mill. citizens), indicating a significant demographic shift in comparison to just 50 years before.

A recent survey among Protestant Churches in Ethiopia (not yet published) concludes with an estimate of roughly 10 mill. members. The largest Protestant denominations of Ethiopia have formed the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia (ECFE) that includes Pentecostals, Charismatics, Lutherans, and Baptists alike. These churches, regardless of denominational or theological background form a dense network: they organize events, exchange ministers, share a post-graduate bible school and facilitate theological dialog. With regard to Pentecostal/Charismatic spirituality it is often difficult to distinguish classical Pentecostal churches from others. Though there certainly are doctrinal differences (e.g. with regard to the doctrine of "initial evidence"), worship services almost everywhere include speaking in tongues, exorcisms, prophecy, laying on of hands, and testimonies. The largest Baptist and Lutheran churches provide rules in their constitutions regulating the proper use of spiritual gifts in the service, like the administration of prophecy and speaking in tongues.

So far this Pentecostal/Charismatic network of Ethiopian churches has hardly been explored in academic research. The following pages include some reference material and introduce my PhD project on Ethiopian Pentecostalism.

• Project Description
• Bibliography
• Brief History of the Pentecostal movement in Ethiopia
• List of churches and denominations