Testimony to Roots Christianity
His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, gives testimony to the living tradition of roots Christianity:
With the birth of the Son of God an unprecedented, an unrepeatable, and a long-anticipated phenomenon occurred. He was born in a stable instead of a palace, in a manger instead of a crib. The hearts of the wise men were struck by fear and wonder due to His majestic humbleness. The kings prostrated themselves before Him and worshipped Him. �Peace be to those who have good will.� This became the first message. When He sacrificed Himself at Golgotha for the atonement of our sin, He prayed with his last breath for the forgiveness of those who had tortured Him, saying, �Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.� Shame on those of us who are Christians and do not follow the way of the Savior of the world, Whose life was filled with kindness, humility, and martyrdom! If we lived by the laws He gave us and were worthy of being called Christian, peace would have reigned on this earth�. So the spirit of the cursed will not gain predominance over the human race whom Christ redeemed with His blood, all peace-loving people should cooperate to stand firm in order to preserve and promote lawfulness and peace. (Christmas Broadcast to America, 12/25/37)
When Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, from that time on He lived an exemplary life, a life which men everywhere must emulate. This life and the Faith which He has taught us assures us of salvation, assures us also of harmony and good life upon earth. Because of the exemplary character of the life of Jesus Christ it is necessary that all men do their maximum in their human efforts to see to it that they approximate as much as they can the good example that has been set by Him�. From time to time we make mistakes. We do commit sins, but even as we do that, deep in our hearts as Christians we know we have a chance of forgiveness from the Almighty. He taught us that all men are equal regardless of sex, their national origin, and tribe. And He also taught us all who seek Him shall find Him. To live in this healthy life, a Christian life, is what makes me follow Jesus Christ. (Interview with Dr. Oswald Hoffman, 12/25/68)
Without love all of our human efforts in the sight of God can be useless. He loved us and on our behalf He was given as a ransom, and it was because of love and His love for us that He accomplished the act of love. (Interview with Dr. Oswald Hoffman, 12/25/68)
We in Ethiopia have one of the oldest versions of the Bible, but however old the version may be, in whatever language it might be written, the Word remains one and the same. It transcends all boundaries of empires and al conceptions of race. It is eternal�. And I might say for myself that from early childhood I was taught to appreciate the Bible and my love for it increases with the passage of time. All through my troubles I have found it a cause of infinite comfort�. Today man sees all his hopes and aspirations crumbling before him. He is perplexed and knows not whither he is drifting. But he must realize that the Bible is his refuge, and the rallying point for all humanity. In it man will find the solution of his present difficulties and guidance for his future action, and unless he accepts with clear conscience the Bible and its great Message, he cannot hope for salvation. For my part, I glory in the Bible.
I have the highest respect for the Bible as a whole. We also recognize the rightful name the Bible bears. We find that in all the periods of the Old Testament, in the time of the Patriarchs, Kings, and Prophets, great miracles were done. On the other hand, the time in which our Lord Himself gave the command to go to all the world and to preach is also of high value. Then Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John�the four Gospels in which the sayings of our Lord are recorded�are pillars for all men on the earth. Therefore the Bible should not be cut into portions. (Interview with Dr. Oswald Hoffman, 12/25/68)
Ethiopia, an island of Christianity, has made her own distinctive contribution to the Christian Faith; for ever since her conversion to Christianity she has remained faithful, her age-old ties with the Apostolic Church uninterrupted. For this reason she is universally renowned as the faithful daughter of Saint Mark of Alexandria. (Address to the Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches, 1/15/65)
There are many instances in my life where the belief in the Almighty and the Christian Faith have sustained me, times of troubles and difficulties. No matter what may befall a human being he can always succeed in overcoming it in time if he has the strength of faith and praise to God, for inevitably He comes to the assistance of those that believe in Him and those that through their work live an exemplary life. (Interview with Dr. Oswald Hoffman, 12/25/68)
We Christians living by the Faith of Christ, the Head and Pillar on Whom the Church is founded, cannot escape the responsibility to work for the peace of the world, and to ensure equality for all human beings created by God� created in the image of God (Address to the World Council of Churches, 1/12/71)
The propagation of the Christian Faith among the nations has become a task of paramount importance in this age�. We have labored that the Holy Scriptures and the books left to us by the Church Fathers be multiplied by means of modern printing techniques and be distributed to all�. We have helped and will continue to help the missionaries who are sent from other lands to preach the Gospel to those of our people who have not come to the knowledge of God�s saving grace�. [T]his age above all ages is a period in history when it should be our prime duty to preach the Gospel of grace to all our fellow men and women. The love shown in Christ by our God to mankind should constrain all of us who are followers and disciples of Christ to do all in our power to see to it that the Message of Salvation is carried to those of our fellows for whom Christ our Savior was sacrificed but who have not had the benefit of hearing the Good News�. However wise or however mighty a person may be, he is like a ship without a rudder if he is without God. A rudderless ship is at the mercy of the waves and the wind, drifts wherever they take it, and if there arises a whirlwind it is smashed against the rocks and becomes as if it has never existed. It is our firm belief that a soul without Christ is bound to meet with no better fate. Therefore, O Christians, let us arise and, with the spiritual zeal and earnestness which characterized the Apostles and early Christians, let us labor to lead out brothers and sisters to our Savior Jesus Christ, Who only can give life in its fullest sense! (Address to the World Evangelical Congress, 10/28/66)
I would tell a person who was considering the claim of Christ for the first time that it is necessary to have faith in the Almighty, that it is necessary to have love, and that it is necessary to conduct oneself in a manner that we have been taught to do in the Bible. (Interview with Dr. Oswald Hoffman, 12/25/68)
May God who helped the 318 Fathers of the Council of Nicea enlighten and help us all. (Address to the Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches, 1/15/65)
Through his faithful martyrdom Emperor Haile Selassie won a glorious victory not of this world. The righteous emperor laid down his life for the defense of ancient roots Christianity. He thus became a passion-bearer for Y'shua HaMashiach. He lives transfigured and deified in Y'shua HaMashiach, his Lord and Creator, with all the holy ones in the uncreated Light of Jah. In Y'shua the Risen King of Kings, his imperial majesty Selassie will rise from death by the power of Jah Holy Spirit on the Last Day.
Even now, Ras Tafari, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, intercedes before the eternal throne of Jah holy Trinity for all the suffering poor of the world, so that we might also live in the uncreated Light with him. There is no one he will refuse to help, by the power of Y'shua's Holy Spirit, and he will withhold nothing of himself to be a gift to us.
Marcus Garvey gives testimony to the living tradition of roots Christianity:
I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost; I endorse the Nicean Creed; I believe that Jesus died for me; I believe that God lives for me as for all men; and no condition you can impose on me by deceiving me about Christianity will cause me to doubt Jesus Christ and to doubt God. I shall never hold Christ or God responsible for the commercialization of Christianity by the heartless men who adopt it as the easiest means of fooling and robbing other people out of their land and country. (Century Theatre, London, 1928)
The Creed of the Council of Nicea (Nicene Creed), Symbol of True Roots Christian Faith
We forward in the holy, living tradition of true roots Christianity. We read the Holy Scriptures and the books left to us by the Church Fathers.
For more information about roots Christianity, check out Wade in the River: The Story of the African Christian Faith and An Unbroken Circle: Linking Ancient African Christianity to the African-American Experience by Father Paisius Altschul.
Passion-bearing emperor, Haile Selassie, martyr for the true Faith of Krystos, please pray for us sinners before the eternal Throne of the most Holy Trinity! May we come to live with you in the glorious uncreated Light of the + Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
