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Parallel Observations of Christianity, East and West II
New Testament scripture (Gospel of Mathew) records the story of the Three Wise Kings of the Magi
representing the beginnings of Christianity, vis-à-vis, their visitation to the infant Jesus Christ baring
offerings. And the three king’s story is the foundation of the annual Christmas Day celebration in many
countries of the world along with Christmas Day. The Feast of the Epiphany is also observed with
Christmas Day, and Three Kings Day, in Eastern Orthodox Churches on January 6. Christmas Day and
Three Kings Day (January 6), is referred to in America and Western Europe “Orthodox” Christianity’s
observance of the occasions. Interestingly enough many elders from the Caribbean (English and Spanish
speaking) refer to Three Kings Day (Jan. 6) as “old” Christmas. As a matter of fact, for the first 325 years
of Christianity, Christmas Day was celebrated and observed on January 6. Subsequent to the
establishment of the Roman Catholic Church in 325 AD, Christmas Day was officially changed to
December 25, in the western world.
Subsequent to the excommunication of the Ethiopian Church from Rome’s ecumenical Christian Council,
the Ethiopian Church remained in virtual isolation, as the other eastern oriental churches essentially
acquiesced to the dictates of Rome and the Papacy. This capsule of early Christian history is of particular
significance because in some quarters, Christianity is perceived as a white man’s religion, and conceived
of as a white European religious phenomenon. On the contrary, these historical facts underscore the
contribution of Africa to the advent of world Christianity. Following the historic Council of Nicaea (325
AD), the Bishops of the Ethiopian Church did not officially meet with the other eastern oriental branch of
the faith, for 16 centuries. It was during the reign of the last Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, when the
historic synod of the respective Eastern Orthodox Oriental Communion of Bishops, was convened.
The Ethiopian King of the Magi, Balthazar’s presented the Christ child with the offering of Myrrh, a sweet
pungent, sticky, resin from a thorny tree, was symbolic of Jesus’ coming sacrifice. Following his visitation
and the presentation of his offering, Balthazar returned to Ethiopia, and issued the first call to worship
and service of Jesus Christ. Hence, Ethiopia was the earliest among the Christian communities, in the first
century. In the 4th century Ethiopia adopted Christianity as the state religion under King Ezana. Africa’s
historical contribution to world Christianity is additionally underscored by the heritage of Balthazar the
Sabaean, one of the Three Kings who was from Ethiopia. Accordingly, the heritage of Balthazar is a
covenant with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church… The tradition and heritage of Balthazar was introduced
to Ethiopia in 1,000 BC, when Emperor Menelik I, returned from Jerusalem under the auspices of the
Order of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Among Menelik’s auspicious entourage was the Oder of the Magi
“The east versus west schism in early Christian church history that culminated in the fourth
century A.D. resulted in obscuring the African connection and contribution to world
Christianity. The subsequent domination of Christianity by the Roman Catholic Church eclipsed
or silenced all opposition to their version of Christianity until the ‘Protestant Reformation.’
Although there are still vestiges of the conflict between ‘Catholic’ and ‘Protestantism’ the
internal dynamic ultimately resulted in what we understand now to be ‘denominational
Christianity.’ There are essentially no theological differences between Christian denominations
apart from name and nuance. Unfortunately, popular history of the church is void of the east
versus west controversy, but also the issues pertinent to the difference in theology, history,
scripture and nature of Jesus Christ and the early church remain unexamined. One of the
objectives of this work is to unveil some of the obscurity in the hope of inspiring and stimulating
inquiry and interest in this area.
The global community is generally informed relative to the contemporary Christian versus
Muslim, and the Muslim versus Christian ongoing warfare in particular, and the general animus
between the respective religions of Abraham (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). The recent article
circulating on the Internet “The Global War on Christians in the Muslim World,” authored by
Ayann Hirsi Ali, further informs and enlightens us concerning this ancient religious dilemma.
However, the subtitle of the popular author’s piece, “From one end of the Muslim world to the
other, Christians are being murdered for their faith,” seems to offer a parochial political point
of view… Nevertheless, this writer continues to observe the circumlocution relative to the
genesis and contextual nature of this enigmatic religious adversarial phenomenon. Accordingly,
it may be useful to mention the historical procession of the religions of Abraham in terms of their
linear emergence, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, respectively.
Abounding incidences of religious intolerance around the world also reveal geo-political
juxtapositions that include respective military contingencies that foreshadow various “end time”
eschatological propositions that continue to be advanced. Unfortunately, the diversity within
both Christianity and Islam is overshadowed by the sweeping generalities that reference the
Christian and Muslim divide and their confrontational disposition and posture. Consequently,
the nuanced but relevant question becomes, what Christian’s and what Muslim’s are the subjects
under discussion?
According to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, “We hear so often about Muslims as victims of abuse in the West
and combatants in the Arab Spring’s fight against tyranny. But, in fact, a wholly different kind of
war is underway, an unrecognized battle costing thousands of lives. Christians are being killed
in the Islamic world because of their religion. It is a rising genocide that ought to provoke global
alarm.”
In view of this statement, are we to conclude that all Christian’s, and all Muslim’s are
engaged in this global “religious war” enterprise?
Of the two billion plus Christians in the world, approximately half is Catholic and the remaining
half is Protestant. Of these one billion plus Catholics in the world, approximately one third is in
the “Eastern Oriental” communion, popularly referred to as Orthodox Christians. On the other
hand, there are a plethora of Protestant Christian denominations in the world, comprising the
other billion plus Christians. Concomitantly, the world of Islam is comprised of manifold
“denominations” or “sects” such as, Sunni, Shiite, Salafi, Wahabi, Ahmadiyya, Alawite, Hanafi
among others.
Since both the Christian and Muslim communities have their respective diversity and internal
dynamic and it is difficult to envisage a religious war between a Christian monolith and a
Muslim monolith, we will examine the matter in greater dept to help generate context and
perspective, going forward. With this objective in mind let us explore the contradictions and
paradoxes associated with the religions of Abraham, Christianity and Islam. Individually, these
two purported mutually exclusive religions speak of peace profoundly in their popular
narratives, yet each genesis is historically based in war, military exploits, and conquests.
The birth of Jesus Christ the “prince of peace,” represents the advent of Christianity which
occurred in the first century of the Common Era. Subsequently, communities of Christians
proliferated in the eastern oriental region including the “Middle East,” “Northeast Africa” and
the “Near East” for three centuries. During the fourth century Roman Emperor Constantine
converted to Christianity, following his victory in the battle to unify the provinces that
constituted ancient Rome.
Constantine attributed the military victory to his vision of the resurrected Jesus Christ that he
received during his battle with competing provincial Roman armies. The Emperor subsequently
converted to the Christian faith. Following his decisive military victory he convened a meeting
of all Christian bishops of the world in 325 AD, known in history as the Council of Nicaea. The
objective of the Council was to consolidate world Christianity under the umbrella and
domination of the Roman Empire. Bishops that didn’t acquiesce to the domination of Rome and
the infallibility of the Papacy were branded heretical and excluded from future Councils.
Hence forth, the advancement of Christianity became the subtext of many wars and military
adventures of the Roman Empire in the framework of its “western” (Rome) and “eastern”
(Constantinople) headquarters. From 325 AD to the sixteenth century the Roman Catholic
Church enjoyed a leadership monopoly over the Christian world. The Roman Catholic Church
maintained its monopoly over the faith for more than thirteen hundred (1300) years, until the
Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. In this context, the religious, economic,
political and military footprint of the Roman Empire and Catholic Church impacted the known
world.
The religion of Islam was founded by the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century, more than
350 years following the beginning of Roman domination of the faith, and during a high point of
Rome’s influence on the known world. The domination that Rome enjoyed in the world of
Christianity and the imperial imperatives of empire were felt in Arabia during the time of
Muhammad. Therefore, the advent of Islam had a direct relationship with the imposition of
Roman cultural and religious imperialism in the Arabian region.
In the wake of Islam’s advent, the Roman Empire and its Catholicism suffered military defeats in
the Middle East, Rome lost control of the Holy Land and Jerusalem, and the Muslim military
conquests advanced to Spain and threatened other countries of Europe. In the eighth century,
Muslim’s conquered Spain and ruled that country for seven hundred (700) years, until 1492.
During this seven hundred year history of Muslim rule, the “Jews” and “Christians” of Spain
lived in peace. Interestingly enough, Jewish scholars and theologians reference the period of
Muslim rule in Spain as the “golden age” of Jewry.
“Abraham, the author of monotheism and the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and
Islam, continues to be exalted by the faithful… Abraham was proven to be absolutely
faithful to the command of God… According to Old Testament scripture, Abraham paid
tithes to Melchizedek, the Priest-King of Salem. Jesus was a priest for life after, the Order
of Melchizedek.”
While Roman Catholicism enjoyed an exclusive monopoly over Christianity in the western
hemisphere, the branding of the Ethiopian communion by Emperor Constantine was the impetus
for the Faith to continue in effective isolation. Nevertheless, the relationship with the Egyptian
(Coptic) Orthodox Church in particular remained in operation. Ethiopia and Egypt have enjoyed
a mother and daughter relationship dating back to the Pharaohs, when the ancient Egyptians
traded with “Punt” the “Land of God.” Subsequent to the excommunication Ethiopian bishops
were confirmed by the patriarch of the Coptic Church. Moreover, the Ethiopian Church did not
have a formal relationship with the Orthodox Christian Communion and it was in the 20th
century under the government of Emperor Haile Selassie that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
would convene a Synod, 1500 years later. Also, Christianity became the official state religion in
the 4th century and they established a formidable monastery tradition, system and monasteries of
great distinction. In the 20th century there was a reemergence of Ethiopian monastery heritage
and traditions that embody the spiritual and religious qualities associated Judeo-Christian
theology. The theology advances the messianic expectation that is peculiar to the ancient Hebrew
philosophy and mysticism.
New Testament scripture alludes to the story of the Three Wise Kings of the Magi, and their role
prior to their visitation with the infant Jesus. The offerings that the Wise Kings brought to Jesus
were symbolic of the profound role that he was destined to live out. Balthazar offered myrrh,
Melchior presented gold, and Gaspar had frankincense. The sweet and pungent myrrh
represented the impending sacrifice that he would ultimately have to endure. Balthazar was the
Ethiopian King of the Magi and the Balthazar Monastery continues to animate the JudeoChristian theology, philosophy and mysticism. The esoteric science of the Magi can be traced in
the ancient cultures of Persia, Assyria as well as in the Old Testament in the context of
Melchizedek. Accordingly, monks in the Order of Balthazar are priest for life after the order of
Melchizedek. The philosophy of the Order presents a fundamental duality throughout the world
of phenomena which positions the “material” world and the “immaterial” world as two sides of
the same coin. In terms of religion, there is a material reality and an immaterial reality, each
operating independent of each other. In context, the material reality is associated with organized
religion on the contrary immaterial reality is associated with the esoteric invisible world of the
spirit. Organized religion is limited and circumscribed by human nature and therefore overtime
the shortcomings, weaknesses and motives associated with the organization and its relative
leadership over time are made manifest. Concomitantly, the esoteric immaterial or spiritual being
of a religion remains consistent and immutable. While the material realm and the immaterial
realm operate independent of each other, they are not separate form each other because of their
organic relationship. The organic relationship between the material and immaterial realms is that
of an inferior and superior relationship. The material realm is subordinate to the immaterial
realm. Accordingly, the material realm is physical representation of the spiritual or immaterial
idea. Something is always lost in the translation that is directly related to dynamics of human
nature.
The organization of Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestants & denominations and Eastern
Orthodox), is a material phenomenon and operates in the physical world, of phenomena.
Concomitantly, as a religion, Christianity has a spiritual component that is embodied in the
esoteric immaterial world. Therefore the respective Christian religious organizations have an
organic invisible, or spirit component. The Christian religious organizations espouse great virtue
and claim fellowship and adherence to their respective points of view relative to the message and
mission of Jesus Christ. The respective records of the various Christian Churches over the
millennia, centuries, decades and years speak volumes for themselves. And according to biblical
prophecy the Churches will be accountable to their legacy based on “end times” eschatology.
Hence the physical and material world will receive judgment. Correspondingly, on the other side
of the same coin the immaterial and spiritual analogical dynamic is also in process. Be that as it
may, just as the history religious organizations have a colorful as well as a legacy infamy, the
spiritual realm has a profound adversarial dynamic. The adverse energy generated in the spiritual
dynamic can be diabolical. Accordingly, the engagement in, or to countenance gratuitous brutal
and inhuman treatment of human beings has a pernicious diabolical invisible and spiritual
component. Christian scripture, speaks to the realm of adversarial energy in dark graphic,
eternal, and unequivocal language.