Thereafter, its raw materials were dug and taken with ever increasing speed to repair the wests selfravages and to prepare for further struggle. Language is one of the most important aspects of a peoples identity because it is the most common medium of communication. Important africans who influenced the early development of christianity include tertullian, perpetua, felicity, clement of alexandria, origen of alexandria, cyprian, athanasius and augustine of hippo. No single denomination predominates, with mainstream protestant churches, pentecostal churches, african initiated churches, and the catholic church all having significant numbers of adherents.
Christian church with a westernised character has spread all over africa. Its population of about 350 million is projected to grow to 460 million by 2025. He lives in zomba, malawi with his wife and three small children. That theology must be open to the aspiration of the people of africa if it is to help christianity to become incarnate in the life of the peoples of the african continent. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. On 17 august 2016, an article titled, the damning effects of religion in africa, written by kofi asamoah okyere was published on in which the writer sought to establish a case that religion impeded the development of africa he gave two definitions of religion as follows. Christianity and the african traditional religions. From the persecutions of the early church to the papalimperial conflicts of the middle ages, from the religious wars of 16th and 17thcentury europe to the.
It states that the accused have a box which they say contains the books the memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets, and the letters of paul, a righteous man. New perspectives on the history of african christianity. Sociological approach some of the scholars in the sociological school of thought who have written extensively and carried out various. The dawn of the third millennium saw new and critical challenges facing africa. African traditional religion and the coming of christianity. Mugambi introduction the term culture in its widest usage is the totality of a peoples way of life. Islamic resistance in north africa prevented the christian voice from being heard in the rest of africa. This is a short history of africa excluding egypt, ethiopia and dutch and british south africa, which are the subjects of separate histories. Appearances can be deceptive precisely because there are communities in africa that could claim an involvement in the jesus movement from its. At the turn of the 20th century, christianity was virtually nonexistent in many parts of africa but is now the faith of the majority.
Moreover, christianity in africa can be found almost everywhere on the continent and. This article about christianity in south africa today first appeared in the fall 2016 issue of providences print edition. It was not imported into africa neither was it preached to africans rather each person in africa was born into it, lives it, practices, and is proud to make it his own awolalu and dopamu, 1979. Africa had no initiative in the war but was engulfed in it.
This only changed much later, when missionaries became active in africa onyinah 2007. While earlier studies of christianity in africa focused on the roles of european missions and missionaries in establishing christianity in africa, historians now tend to stress the roles of african converts, catechists, translators, and evangelists in interpreting christianity, spreading it to their neighbors, and establishing new christian movements and churches that. Reasons will be explored for the relative marginality of christianity in most of africa before the nineteenth century. By the end of the 2nd century it had reached the region around carthage. From the persecutions of the early church to the papalimperial conflicts of the middle ages, from the religious wars of 16th and 17thcentury europe. Similarly, in the 100 years or so, the religion called christianity has grown exponentially in asia.
From christianising africa to africanising christianity. Importantly, there is significant and sustained syncretism. Christianity, despite its eclipse from most of northern africa in subsequent centuries. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on christian muslim relations in ghana from 1920 through the present. Any african christian who raised it risked victimization. Seventhly, there was considerable hostility to african traditional religion. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. There were echoes of traditional religions to be found in christianity which also proved key in. It suffered greatly, and its whole fabric was rent. Despite the intensity of christian missionary effort and the thousand years of muslim proselytising which have marked the various parts of africa, african religions contiued to manifest vitality everywhere. It is believed that mark the evangelist brought christianity from jerusalem to alexandria in the year 43 before becoming the first bishop to serve the alexandria orthodox church. Publication date 1998 title variation two thousand years of christianity in africa isbn 9966211101 9789966211101.
Christianity in africa began in egypt in the middle of the 1st century. A history of christianity in africa download ebook pdf. Paulines publications africa, 1994, 21, reiterates that it was in. Academic works on the history, growth and development of. Christianity is the dominant religion in south africa, with almost 80% of the population in 2001 professing to be christian. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798 j. In the twentieth century, christianity in africa exploded from an estimated population of eight or nine million in 1900 8 to 9% to some 335 million in 2000 45%, marking a shift in the center of gravity of christianity from the west to latin america, parts of asia and africa. The oldest surviving document of north african christianity records the trial of christians which dates back to july 17, 180.
The history of christianity in africa probably began during the earthly ministry of jesus christ, two thousand years ago. Christianity would have begun as a religion when the people who have met christ shared their. Here are a few books, websites, and past chm issues recommended by christian history staff and this issues authors as guides to the landscape of early african christianity. Elizabeth isichei, a history of christianity in africa. Submitted by francis acquah to the university of exeter as a thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy in theology in december 2011. This is as a result of the fact that christian catechetical teachings which hails from. Christianity has its roots in africa historical evidence.
What does history say about the first christians of africa. An african history paulines press, nairobi, 1994, 560 pp. With strong cultural ties between roman judea israel and the grecoroman egypt a large jewish population lived in alexandria, egypt, mark the evangelist established a church in alexandria as early as 43 ce. Only nine million christians were in africa in 1900, but by the year 2000, there were an. Early christianity in north africa christianity spread to north africa by early 2nd century. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage. Many early north african christians were ascetics, called desert fathers for living in harsh conditions in the desert, trying to totally overcome sin, sex, their bodies, and satan. Christianity spread in africa nearly two thousand years ago. African church history, african christian theology, the. There has been a notable growth in the population of christians residing in africa while on the other hand observance of traditional african religions has been on a decline. To receive whole copies of future issues, subscribe here on the 12th of september 2014, a sixstory church hostel collapsed suddenly in lagos, nigeria, killing 116 people, 85 of whom were south african. List of books and articles about christianity in africa. Religion can be loosely defined as a belief in a supernatural power or.
The first edition of 2000 years of christianity in african reminded us of the astonishing riches of the cultures of africa, and the profound contribution christianity has made to the continent from its earlier history. The spread of the faith in africa represents perhaps the most dramatic advance in all christian history, and yet the names and stories of persons chiefly responsible are largely unknown. In the story of christianity, acclaimed theologian david bentley hart provides a sweeping and informative portrait of a faith that has shaped the western world and beyond for over 2,000 years. In 1900, nine million christians lived in africa compared to the 380 million in 2000. The church in africa has expressed the need to liberate christianity from western dominance, in its teaching, in structures and power base and in developing forms of worship and communication which are appropriate to africans, and enable them to make the gospel message their own. Outside of the cities, life was less influenced by roman culture. Isicheis thorough study surveys the full breadth of christianity in africa, from the early story of egyptian christianity to the churches of the middle years 15001800 to the prolific success of missions throughout the 1900s. Modern african christians are often faced with a dilemma as regards how to respond to the issue of conflict between christianity and traditional african cultures.
As is the case of the global south, africas christianity has shifted from being a western m ission en terprise into indigenous initiative with its bourgening pentecostalism. The theology of inculturation and the african church. Traditional gods were still worshipped, such as the phonecian baal hammon equivalent to saturn and baal tanit a goddess of fertility in africa proconsuaris and ancient egyptian beliefs of isis, osiris, and horus. View african church history, african christian theology, the study of new religious movements in africa research papers on academia. Christianity arrived in africa in the late 1st or early 2nd century ad, making these christian communities some of the earliest in the world. Kalu introduction since the conversion of emperor constantine, the story of christianity has increasingly appeared to be the story of a western religion. Some of the history of these countries, however, is naturally mentioned in this history of the rest of africa but is kept to the minimum needed to make the rest comprehensible.
Todd statham is a missionary of the presbyterian church in canada, seconded to the church of central africa presbyterian blantyre synod as a lecturer at zomba theological college. The bible has mentioned the name of africa in several ways and they have witnessed the life of jesus christ. Christianity has its roots in africa historical evidence science enthusiast. This paper is an attempt to categorize these scholars based on their approaches to the study of christianity in africa. It also highlighted the enormous potential of the continent. Folk beliefs of blacks in america and west africa that du bois was correct in. By 2050, christianity will be chiefly the religion of africa and the africandiaspora. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan area of the central region. It will additionally examine christianity in subsaharan africa before 1800 including the ethiopian orthodox church and kongo catholicism.