Paul’s view of the law in Romans and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church’s (EOTC) use of the law as h?gga l?bbun?, “h?gga Orit” and “h?gga wangle”

Abstract

The EOTC’s view of the law of God as H?gga L?bbun? (the law of heart), “H?gga Orit” (the law of Moses) and “H?gga Wangel” (the law of gospel) could be related to Paul’s view of the law in Romans as the law of Conscience, Torah and the law of the Spirit of life. The three expressions of the EOTC’s view of the law can be mapped with Paul’s view of the law as unwritten law of God (2:14–16), Torah (2:17–29) and the law of the Spirit of life (8:2–4) in Romans. The EOTC’s view of the law as “H?gga L?bbun?” could shed light to better understand Paul’s view of the law as unwritten law given to all humanity (Rom. 2:12–14). Besides, “H?gga Orit” helps to better understand the law of Moses given to Israel with its universal implication because the Ethiopic tradition claims that Ethiopians have received the Torah through the Queen of Sheba. Further, “H?gga Wangel” helps to better understand the continuity between the Torah and the Gospel because the Ethiopic tradition understands that the law of Gospel is a continuation of the Mosaic law rather than making an antithesis of law and Gospel. Therefore, the EOTC’s view of the law contributes to better understand Paul’s view of the law as an alternative reading from the tradition of Ethiopic perspective.