Introduction: religion and politics in post-EPRDF Ethiopia

PM Abiy Ahmed’s politics, his institutional reforms, as well as the civil war and ongoing insurgencies erupting during his tenure have placed significant strains on Ethiopia’s religious communities, even as many initially welcomed his sermonising rhetoric. This article begins with a longer history of religion and politics in Ethiopia, in order to contextualise Abiy’s rise to power and the role of religious rhetoric in his governing platform. It then proceeds to draw out the major developments and challenges encountered since 2018 by the country’s major religious groups. Particular attention is paid to divisions within the Orthodox Church surrounding the Tigray War and the short-lived secession of Oromo bishops. On the Muslim side, the article details the tensions between various factions in the reconstituted Islamic Affairs Supreme Council. For Protestants, it shows why Abiy initially found much support despite a historic tendency of political withdrawal, particularly among his own Pentecostal constituency, and it traces how Abiy’s tenure has furthered Protestant divisions. As such, the article sets out the national frame of religious politics, which is relevant for the urban conflicts studied in the remaining three articles of this special collection.