Brief history of christianity in west africa pdf

The history of christianity in africa probably began during the earthly ministry of jesus christ, two thousand years ago. The first christians came in contact with nigerians in the fifteenth century, when roman catholicism was introduced by the portuguese. Christianity spread in africa nearly two thousand years ago. Outside egypt, more in west africa, people seemed to worship one single god like the sky god or the. History religion south africa religion abiche, tefera talore community development initiatives and poverty reduction. 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. Written by elizabeth isichei, a leading scholar in this field, a history of christianity in africa examines the origins and development of christianity in africa from the early story of egyptian christianity to the spectacular growth, vitality, and diversity of the churches in africa today. The bulk of the work of christian missions in northern nigeria was in this area until the early 1930s. Everyone recognized crowthers personal stature and godliness. Many christians and muslims in subsaharan africa describe members of the other faith as tolerant and honest. In this article, the author challenges the popular public conception that christianity in africa is a latecomer introduced only with the advent of colonialism. The first attempts to bring christianity to the area where the modern country is today date back to the 1470s and 1620s.

Pobee rightly noted that in rewriting the history of the church in africa, one thing that the reader cannot miss is that the hero of. While christianity had spread through much of north africa and the middle east, the unexpected rise of a new monotheistic faith meant the end of some christian communities, especially in the arabian peninsula. The christian period in mediterranean africa by whc frend, in cambridge history of africa, ed. History, faith, and gender in roho religion in western kenya. Although more than half of the ghanaian citizens are christians which makes it a christian nation with the denominations including catholics, methodists, anglicans, presbyterians, lutherans, seventhday adventists, pentecostals, baptists etc, many know too.

Christianity first arrived in north africa, in the 1st or early 2nd century ad. Christianity entered the west coast of africa where slave trading and slave raiding abounded. By tracing the origins of the christian faith in both north and subsaharan africa including, northcentral and west africa, this paper seeks to show that christianity has been in africa. Email citation a brief popular account that focuses on both the worlds missionaries came from as well as the african worlds in which they worked, including the critical roles played by african evangelists, catechists, and teachers in developing the new faith. Christian theology, history, economics, comparative religion, etc. Christianity in ghana has all through the history overshadowed other forms of religion. Kids learn about the history of traditional religions in ancient africa including. The debate the debate, controversy, polemic or argument on polygamy is not doubt a hot one raging for quite some years in the history of the church. Learn about the history of christianity, its doctrines, and the major christian. For a brief period christian kingdoms were established in the holy land and.

Th e report provides a brief overview of the religious landscape of africa with a special focus on the role of religion in the continents several con. Academic works on the history, growth and development of. The earliest reference of religion in africa can be made in egypt. It has become the largest of the worlds religions and, geographically, the most widely diffused. Where islam traces its history in western africa to the eleventh.

He has also championed comparisons of israel to apartheid south africa and has promoted divestment. Christianity in west africa west african christianity. North africa in this history refers to what is now morocco, algeria, tunisia and libya. Christianity is one of the dominant religions in the african continent, the other being islam. It can neither be accepted outrightly and wholeheartedly by the european missionaries nor can it be rejected outrightly or wholeheartedly by the african christian. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. The earliest known recorded history arose in ancient egypt, and later in nubia, the sahel, the. Anglicans, methodists, and baptists were active in sierra leone and, with presbyterians, in nigeria, while methodists also. This is a short history of africa excluding egypt, ethiopia and dutch and british south africa, which are the subjects of separate histories.

By tracing the origins of the christian faith in both north and subsaharan africa including, northcentral and west africa. In most countries, relatively few see evidence of widespread antimuslim or anti christian hostility, and on the whole they give their governments high marks for treating both. 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. Colonial rule, africa, colonial mentality, european missionaries, imperialism introduction colonialism has become a stigma for christianity in contemporary africa. The article further describes the impact of christianity on subsaharan africa in terms of education, sociopolitics, and health. When one begins to look at the history of christianity in nigeria, one might expect to find its origins in europeans bringing this new religion across to africa. Read pdf the history of christianity in west africa the christian church began with jesus and his apostles. It is an historical fact that africa was evangelized through colonial machinery. Pdf christianity in ghana west africa joseph zotoo. History of christianity in west africa what is the truth. By the end of the 2nd century it had reached the region around carthage. Christian communities could be found as far west as the british isles, south to north africa and ethiopia, north to the danube and modernday romania, and east from modernday turkey into armenia and even in india. In the 4th century the aksumite empire was christianized, and the nubian kingdoms of nobatia, makuria and alodia followed two centuries later. Scientists believe that africa was the birthplace of mankind.

Christianity began in the 1st century ad after jesus died, as a sect of jewish people in judea, but quickly. Christianity, major religion stemming from the life, teachings, and death of jesus of nazareth in the 1st century ce. The new testament of the bible mentions several events in which africans were witnesses to the life of christ and the ministry of the apostles. However, despite all the efforts of the portuguese missionaries, there was not much fruit from this. Christianity in africa began in egypt in the middle of the 1st century. Towards southern africa, the kushites seemed to have their own religion and worshipped their own gods. Christianity in west africa quick reference the first europeans arrived on the coast of w.

It then proceeds to look at east africa, where the three religious families of traditional religion, islam and christianity are all present in large numbers. The bible has mentioned the name of africa in several ways and they have witnessed the life of jesus christ. In 3000 bc, people were worshipping gods like isis, horus, osiris, ra, and hapi. In the 4th century the aksumite empire was christianized. A conversation between christian history and thomas oden of the center for early african christianity on how africa formed early christian teaching. Today the religious landscape of the west is again being affected by developments within the history of european nationalism. Brief history of christianity in africa how africa news. It is not to be confused with present day mauritania. Christianity is now one of the two most widely practiced religions in africa. The history of christianity is really the history of western civilization. Legend has it that christianity was brought from jerusalem to alexandria on the egyptian coast by mark, one of the four evangelists, in 60 ad. The spread of christianity in africa timeline created by thejedi. By 100,000 bc modern humans lived by hunting and gathering with stone tools.

A brief popular account that focuses on both the worlds missionaries came from as well as the african worlds in which they worked, including the critical roles played by african evangelists, catechists, and teachers in developing the new faith. It is not an overstatement to say that colonialism aided missions in nineteenth century africa. Download a pdf file of this issue for free download 12866 kb support this ministry. The oldest surviving document of north african christianity records the trial of christians which dates back to july 17, 180. The history of africa begins with the emergence of hominids, archaic humans andat least 200,000 years agoanatomically modern humans homo sapiens, in east africa, and continues unbroken into the present as a patchwork of diverse and politically developing nation states. A history of christianity in africa elizabeth isichei. Christianity would have begun as a religion when the people who have met christ shared their experiences with other africans. In roman times mauretania the land of the mauri or moors coincided roughly with modern morocco. Important africans who influenced the early development of christianity include tertullian, perpetua,felicity, clement of alexandria.

The challenge of islam, yet many cases of tolerance. Jd fage, volume 2, cambridge university press, 1979. Walls, crowther, samuel adjai or ajayi, in biographical dictionary of christian missions, ed. Christianity is the religion that is based on the birth, life, death, resurrection and teaching of jesus christ. Besides, the work does not take cognizance of contemporary. This unprecedented work is the first onevolume study of the history of christianity in africa. 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. The christian communities in north africa were among the earliest in the world. The spread of christianity in africa timeline timetoast. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. Christianity has had an allpervasive influence on society at largeart, language, politics, law, family life, calendar dates, music, and the very way we think have all been colored by christian influence for nearly two millennia. History of religion in africa history, american history.