Sep 19, 20 impact of islam on west africa islam impacted west africa in many ways. Christianity in west africa 97 evangelical fervor and politics 102. Therefore in order for islam to spread even further, sufi mystics integrated pagan beliefs into islam. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. 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. This chapter will focus on the historical development of christianity in nigeria from. Ethiopianism and afroamericans in southern africa, 18831916 baton rouge. German east africa, german deutschostafrika, former dependency of imperial germany, corresponding to presentday rwanda and burundi, the continental portion of tanzania, and a small section of mozambique.
History of christianity in west africa up to the 19th century. Two thousand years ago the area was inhabited by a people called the berbers, but when the region was conquered by the roman empire, it was also colonized by roman settlers. It changed the peoples views of their rulers, and in some people, even the way they viewed the world. The slave trade was heaviest in the period 17001850, with an average of 76,000 people taken from africa each year between 1783 and 1792. Christianity in africa began in egypt in the middle of the 1st century. Academic works on the history, growth and development of. The spread of christianity in africa timeline created by thejedi. 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. Anglicans, methodists, and baptists were active in sierra leone and, with presbyterians, in nigeria, while methodists also set. Arabs of the rashidun and umayyad caliphates spread islam at the point of the sword all the way across north africa, up the iberian peninsula into france. The missionary factor in african christianity, 1884 1914 10.
In east africa also, another herding people, the masai, have expanded over a large area. Amongst people subdued by roman authority in north africa aegyptus, cyrenaica, africa, numidia, and mauritania christianity quickly became a religion of protestit was a reason for them to ignore the requirement to honor the roman emperor through sacrificial ceremonies. German east africa former german dependency, africa. German south west africa, togoland, cameroon, missions. Impact of christianity it seems clear then that the impact of christianity in africa has by no means come only through christian missions. Boer of the sudan united mission as saying, colonialism is a. Oral tradition says the first muslims appeared while the prophet mohammed was still alive he died in 632. Africa lived on imperial and political favours and the christian missionaries were at. Pdf history of christianity download full pdf book download. This rate rose to 20,000 per year in the last quarter of the century.
Missionary impact on modern nigeria 18421914, a political analysis, london. It included the opening up of africa to forces of change namely commerce legitimate. There were echoes of traditional religions to be found in christianity which also proved key in. Dispersed into christian villages around freetown, many adopted christianity and subsequently returned home along the west african coast as agents of. The countries tend to be concentrated in west africa, eastern africa, and. Apr 28, 2010 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. 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. Liberia is often described as one of two african countries to have remained independent during the european scramble for africa, but this is misleading, as the country was founded by africanamericans in the 1820s. Kalu early christianity in north africa kenneth sawyer, youhana youssef christianity in sudan and. Colonial nigeria was the era in the history of nigeria when the region of west africa was ruled by great britain in from the midnineteenth century until 1960, when nigeria achieved independence. The bible has mentioned the name of africa in several ways and they have witnessed the life of jesus christ. Historical studies of christian missionaries in africa have not prospered in recent years. History of christianity in west africa up to the 19th century tongshinen yohanna wadak, yohanna tongshinen wadak academic trust fund, 2005 africa, west 94 pages. Penetration of the area was begun in 1884 by german commercial agents, and german claims were recognized by the other european powers in the.
A closer examination of the situation in west africa suggests that many tirailleurs senegalais, a name generally given to troops recruited from french west africa to fight on the side of france, numbered 170,891 men. Digitised by the university of pretoria, library services, 20. A survey of surveys, haddington house journal 16 2014. 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. Christianity in africa has consistently been enjoying serious publicity and attention in terms of written literature as from the last quarter of the 19 th century up to the present day. 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. Penetration of the area was begun in 1884 by german commercial agents, and german claims were recognized by the other european powers in the period. Buy expansion of christianity in west africa up to 1914 by oshitelu, g. It is an historical fact that africa was evangelized through colonial machinery. In 1974, the emperor haile selassie of ethiopia was deposed in a revolution. In nigeria, movements were created to arouse muslims to dearabize islam. Christianity would have begun as a religion when the people who have met christ shared their.
Western impact on africas economic development and the. Christianity is targeted by critics of colonialism because the tenets of the religion were used to justify the actions of the colonists. The oldest surviving document of north african christianity records the trial of christians which dates back to july 17, 180. The expansion of trade has led to several new kingdoms being established in the western savannah, including songhai and mali. Only one book on missionaries has been published by a major university press in britain or america. This text is a comparative documentary history of christianity for these regions covering the period 14501990. Over 90 percent of west africans recruited in senegal during the war were from the socalled warlike races. 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. The spread of christianity in africa timeline timetoast. In west africa, a herding people called the fulani, who adhere to a strict form of islam, have spread out across a wide area and are beginning to launch jihads against neighbouring states aimed at establishing pure islamic states in the region. Governance in west africa 359 west african reaction to colonialism 365. While some of the themes taken up here relate to certain trends in the south. By 1914 there were barely thirty schools in that vast area. Missionaries and the intellectual history of africa.
Christianity would have begun as a religion when the people who have met christ shared their experiences with other africans. The coptic christians make up a significant minority in egypt. The history of christianity in west africa published. France controlled french west africa including the ivory coast and the sahara britain recognized these claims in return for french recognition of british control of egypt and the sudan. Pagan people made up a large part of the west african population. By 1914, europeans in west africa had identified men from certain areas as warlike and suitable for combat. History of christianity in west africa up to the 19th. An international team of specialists takes seriously the geographical diversity of the christian story, discussing the impact of christianity not only in the west but also in latin america, africa, india, the orient and australasia. Christian church to connect eastern and w estem africa by a chain of missionary stations. The earliest known recorded history arose in ancient egypt, and later in nubia, the sahel, the. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The author also expressed that prior to christianity acculturation of elements of the traditional th african religious experience had occurred precipitated by contact with islam. Pdf history of christianity download full pdf book.
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. Christian missionary activities in west africa history textbook. The impact of former slaves was most profound in west africa where more than 70,000 slaves were freed by the royal navy in sierra leone following the british abolition of the slave trade in 1807. Pdf 2000 years of christianity in africa download read. This book provides a wonderful insight into the early period of christianity in west africa, and articulates its prechristian heritage significantly. Christianity came first to the continent of africa in the 1st or early 2nd century ad. Chapter three an overview of the historical development of the. I just reread this book and would still recommend it as a foundation for understanding the christianity in the west african context. For example, toyin falola asserts that there were some missionaries who believed that the agenda of colonialism in africa was similar to that of christianity. Expansion of christianity in west africa up to 1914 by g. By the end of the 2nd century it had reached the region around carthage. Colonial rule, africa, colonial mentality, european missionaries, imperialism introduction colonialism has become a stigma for christianity in contemporary africa.
In the 1970s, the first self proclaimed marxist leninist leaders took charge in africa, setting up oneparty systems. Expansion of christianity in west africa up to 1914. The age of imperialism 18701914 tamaqua area school. Why did christianity disappear in northwestern africa.
Chapter nine the missionary factor in african christianity, 1884. West africa owes to the christian missionaries not only a new religious faith which has. Christianity in africa has consistently been enjoying serious publicity and attention in terms of written literature as from the last quarter of the 19th century up to the present day. Outside of the cities, life was less influenced by roman culture.
I would think that the main reason for the decline of christianity in north africa since roman times was largely due to the rapid expansion of islam in the first century of its existence. 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. Through them, islam has been brought to west africa, and is spreading amongst the merchant and ruling classes. Madagascar, an island off the coast of east africa, seized by france in 1896. The map of world christianity has changed dramatically, with a large number of christians living in africa, asia, and latin america. Todd statham, the history of christianity in africa. Sanneh traces the history of christianity in africa from the early centuries through to the modern era, showing that christianity in west africa is not solely the product of western missions but the product of a distinctly african process. The journal of african history, which printed six articles on missionaries during the first ten years of its existence, has only printed two articles on the subject in the course of the last ten years. 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. In senegal, for instance, these were mostly the people of the interior. Nigeria, ghana, brazil and south korea view the european church as apostate.
These impacts have come through many different national cultural, economic, and political channels from the west. The embodiment of muscular christianity, biscoe ended up in kashmir where he. 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 are as. From the persecutions of the early church to the papalimperial conflicts of the middle ages, from the religious wars of 16th and 17thcentury europe. Chapter nine the missionary factor in african christianity. European slave trading from west africa began before 1650, with people taken at a rate of about 3,000 per year. These americoliberians governed the country until 1989, when they were overthrown in a coup. The missionary factor in african christianity, 18841914 10. The age of imperialism 18701914 chronology of the age of imperialism 1870 cecil rhodes arrives in cape town, south africa. It is not an overstatement to say that colonialism aided missions in nineteenth century africa. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to british subjects in 1807. Britain annexed lagos in 1861 and established the oil river protectorate in 1884. If in the 1980s independent churches were found to be attractive, by african christians as well as researchers. 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.
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