The Ways of Orthodox Spirituality: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s Perspective

Ethiopian Orthodox spirituality is a rich and complex tradition that has been developed over centuries by the Church Fathers and other saints. It is a journey towards union with God, and characterized by a deep sense of mystery, wonder, and devotion.

The Fathers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have outlined three ranks in the spiritual life that lead to spiritual perfection: the Ways of Purification (ንጽሐ ሥጋ), Illumination (ንጽሐ ነፍስ), and Perfection (Theosis/Deification) (ንጽሐ ልቡና).

1. The Way of Purification (ንጽሐ ሥጋ) - This initial level focuses on overcoming sins and challenges, and it comprises three stages:

a. The Life of Silence (ጽማዌ): At this stage, inner patience, humility, self-balance, insight, and reflection begin to develop. Those on this path refrain from discussing worldly matters and devoutly focus on remembering God. They may observe spiritual phenomena, such as the ascending and descending of angels, without fully understanding why they are doing that.

b. The Life of Contemplation (ልባዌ): In this phase, the heart gains discernment and understanding, and individuals delve deep into contemplation of spiritual texts and God's creations. They appreciate God's goodness, reflect on His blessings to humanity, meditate on His incarnation, birth, fasting, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection, and cultivate love for these mysteries in their hearts. They also strive to discipline their tongues and embrace a spiritual lifestyle with patience as their guiding principle.

c. The Life of Singing (ጣዕመ ዝማሬ): As demonstrated by St. Yared, those who reach this stage align their lips with reading and their minds with the mysteries of faith. Humility remains rooted in their hearts, and purity remains expressed through their bodies. They find joy and strength in prayers, readings, and chants, for the mysteries of God deeply rooted within them.

2. The Way of Illumination (ንጽሐ ነፍስ) - This second level of spiritual progression consists of four ranks:

a. The Life of Tears (አንብዕ): At this rank, the faithful contemplate the love of Jesus Christ for humanity, His journey of suffering leading to death and the grave. Simultaneously, they reflect on the bitter taste of hellfire (ገሃነመ እሳት) and the sweet taste of the kingdom of heaven (መንግሥተ ሰማያት). They weep as they observe fellow human beings unaware of the suffering of hellfire, walking along the wide path of earthly desires and sin. Their tears flow abundantly, dropping like falling water. While worldly crying harms the eyes, the weeping of those who reach this stage brightens their faces and purifies sins. As they unite with the divine through their spiritual work, their works in this chaotic world transform and their works become aligned with the heavenly peace. Their behavior and conduct become faultless, and their lives change into angelic lives.

b. The Life of the Soul (ኵነኔ/ሥጋዊ ምኞቶች ላይ መፍረድ): In this stage, the will of the flesh becomes subordinate to the will of the soul. The soul becomes trained to govern the desires of the flesh. Earthly desires will diminish, and be replaced by spiritual accomplishments. They carry out all spiritual works effortlessly.

c. The Life of Love (ፍቅር): Upon reaching this rank, like their creator God, the faithful exhibit unconditional love towards all without discrimination. They extend love to believers and heretics, sinners and righteous, individuals, relatives and strangers, elders and younger, the ignorant and the learned. They observe themselves as children of the loving God, embracing an equal love for all.

d. The Life of Observing Hidden Things (ሑሰት/ሁሉን በአንድ ቦታ ሆኖ ማየት መቻል): Those who reach this stage, possess an extraordinary ability to perceive and understand occurrences in the world, irrespective of their physical location. They have a mysterious awareness of various events worldwide, going beyond the limitations of distance.

3. The Way of Perfection (Theosis/ Defication) (ንጽሐ ልቡና) - This third level consists of three steps:

a. The Life of Observing Angels (ንጻሬ መላእክት): Upon reaching this rank, the faithful witness angels descending and ascending to perform their duties. They understand their purpose without requiring interpretation and can communicate and seek guidance from angels.

b. The Life of Enlightenment and Light (ተሰጥሞ): Upon reaching this stage, the faithful can immerse themselves in divine radiance, perceiving their surroundings both above and below.

c. The Life of Spiritual Fire (ከዊነ እሳት / ነጽሮተ ሥሉስ ቅዱስ): Those who attain this stage can observe the Trinity with their own eyes. By reaching this rank, the faithful/ saints can join the angels in offering praise to God. Their souls can navigate and enter the heavenly kingdom.

The spiritual ways stated above are not always linear, and they can overlap and repeat themselves over time. However, they provide a helpful framework for understanding the Ethiopian Orthodox spiritual journey. Additionally, they are not a set of rules or regulations, rather, they are a guide for those who are seeking to grow closer to God. They are a way of life that is based on love, humility, and repentance.

In conclusion, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church outlines a transformative spiritual journey consisting of three ways: Purification ((ንጽሐ ሥጋ), Illumination (ንጽሐ ነፍስ), and Perfection (ንጽሐ ልቡና). Embracing these ways of Orthodox Spirituality within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church provides a transformative journey towards spiritual perfection and profound union with God. The Church also teaches that Orthodox spirituality is a lifetime journey. There is no destination, but rather a constant striving to grow closer to God. It is a journey of love, humility, and repentance.

References

ካሣ, ደ. (2018, April 30). ክብረ ቅዱሳን እና ዐሥሩ መዓርጋት – በኢ/ኦ/ተ/ቤ/ክ/በሰ/ት/ቤቶች ማ/መምሪያ – ማኅበረ ቅዱሳን. https://eotcmk.org/a/

Asmamaw, F. (2021). Introduction to Orthodox Spirituality. Holy Trinity University.