The International Symposium on Ethiopic Qǝne, held at Sankt Ignatios College in collaboration with the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS), was a resounding success. Participants from around the globe—Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the UK, the US, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Serbia, and Syria—came together to celebrate this unique event.
Attendees highlighted the symposium’s distinctive blend of rigorous academic discourse and profound spiritual reverence. This inaugural gathering aimed to delve into the theology and spiritual insights of Qǝne, fostering a deeper understanding of its role in promoting spiritual growth. The diverse perspectives and shared commitment to exploring this rich tradition made the symposium truly exceptional.
Attendees highlighted the symposium’s distinctive blend of rigorous academic discourse and profound spiritual reverence.
This inaugural gathering aimed to delve into the theology and spiritual insights of Qǝne, fostering a deeper understanding of its role in promoting spiritual growth. The diverse perspectives and shared commitment to exploring this rich tradition made the symposium truly exceptional. OCMS has a research project focused on Ethiopian Orthodoxy and collaboration with global scholars led by our Faculty member, Ralph Lee, and Calum Samuelson is working as a research associate on this project.
What is Qene?
Qene, treasured for centuries in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, is a genre of improvised poetry with metaphors, rhythm, and rhyme. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) has one of the longest continuously running systems of traditional education in the world. EOTC traditional schools serve as a cornerstone for the existence and furtherance of the Ge’ez language and its culture. Qǝne is one of the most original expressions of the Christian Ethiopian literature, being composed after long pondering on sacred texts.
Symposium Qene Poetry
This video has a unique gathering of symposium participants: Tsehay Adema (a doctoral candidate at Addis Ababa Univesity who has trained in EOTC traditional schools), composes a qene which is translated and interpreted by Dr Daniel Assefa (professor of theology at Addis Ababa University, and leading scholar on Ethiopian Christian literature, from the Catholic tradition) join Calum Samuelson, (from the Protestant tradition and OCMS and Sankt Ignatios College research associate).
