Indigenous categories and the study of world religions in Ethiopia: The case of the Beta Israel (Falasha)

This paper focuses on a number of key terms and categories used in the study of the Beta Israel (Falasha), commonly referred to as 'Ethiopian Jews'. The author demonstrates that the scholarly study of this group has been seriously hindered by the assumption that terms, categories and histo...

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Autor principal: Kaplan, Steven (Autor)
Tipo de documento: Print Artículo
Lenguaje:Inglés
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Publicado: Brill 1992
En: Journal of religion in Africa
Año: 1992, Volumen: 22, Número: 3, Páginas: 208-221
Otras palabras clave:B Äthiopien
B Religión
B Äthiopien Religión Cristianismo Judaísmo Falasha
B Falasha
B Cristianismo
B Judaísmo
B Historia
Parallel Edition:Electrónico
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Descripción
Sumario:This paper focuses on a number of key terms and categories used in the study of the Beta Israel (Falasha), commonly referred to as 'Ethiopian Jews'. The author demonstrates that the scholarly study of this group has been seriously hindered by the assumption that terms, categories and historical patterns used in the analysis of Christianity and Judaism outside Ethiopia can also be applied to their case. The first section of the article briefly traces the origins of the Beta Israel in order to show that their history is not simply a small-scale recapitulation of that of other Jewish groups. The second section considers the problems posed, presenting Judaism and Christianity as opposing categories and arguing that the religious system of the Beta Israel has far more in common with that of the Ethiopian Christians than with that of any Jewish group. With this material as background, the paper then demonstrates that terms such as 'Falasha' and 'Jew' have been repeatedly misrepresented by writers who have attempted to equate them with both external concepts and with each other. (Documentatieblad/ASC Leiden)
ISSN:0022-4200
Obras secundarias:In: Journal of religion in Africa