Zara Yacob: Rationality of the Human Heart

by Teodros Kiros

Through a rare autobiographical act, Zara Yacob, who acquainted himself with the teachings of the Catholic Church introduced by Portuguese Jesuit missions in Sixteenth-century Ethiopia, becomes the first self-conscious founder of a philosophical tradition in Ethiopia. Indeed, it is a mild exaggeration to assert that it is Zara Yacob who gave the continent of Africa an original autobiography, something that was at that time confined to literate traditions outside of Africa. His treatise is a masterful example of self-presentation, clearly and powerfully expressed in a captivating literary style.

Genres: Philosophy, History

Paperback

Published July 1, 2005

Reviews

[Tony Gualtieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zara Yacob formulated a beautiful Christian philosophy based on rationality and centered on compassion and harmony. This book summarizes his thought and that of his successor Walda Heywat. While there is some repetition in this book, it gives a clear picture of Yacob’s thought, drawing comparisons to other thinkers such as Descartes and Kant. I only wish that Yacob’s own writings were easier to access.

[Sangeetha Iyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that I learned about the author through my daughter—Teodros was her professor at Berklee, so it came highly recommended. Though it took some effort to read, I gained so much insight into Zara Yacob, an incredible rationalist from 17th-century Ethiopia.

[Yafet Kubrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Addition to explaining the works of Zara Yacob, this book engages in important discussion around African philosophy.

[Asnaf Sagad]

Amazing and delightful!