Christianity in africa began in egypt in the middle of the 1st century. No single denomination predominates, with mainstream protestant churches, pentecostal churches, african initiated churches, and the catholic church all having significant numbers of adherents. During these first few decades after the death of jesus, roman law regarded the new christian movement as a jewish sect. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Recent years have also seen the end of white rule in south africa and rhodesia now zimbabwe, and freedom for angola and mozambique. Christianity, examining its complex relations with changing social and political context in africa and beyond. Here are some maps showing how europe changed every century for the past years. Indeed christianitys links with africa started nearly two thousand years ago, just weeks after the birth of jesus when according to the bible. The effects of traditional and religious practices of. The spread of christianity in africa timeline timetoast. 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. One center was in cyrenaica, within reach of the influence of alexandria. Temple in 70 ce and the beginning of the talmud era 150 years later. The article further describes the impact of christianity on subsaharan africa in terms of education, sociopolitics, and health.
More importantly, his letters give the names of bishops present at the councilsan indication of the development of the churches and the overall expansion of. The spread of christianity in africa timeline created by thejedi. 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. Simon of cyrene in libya, carries jesus cross in jerusalem. Christianity in north africa although we lack written sources, archaeological evidence suggests an early origin for the north african churches. Christianity, despite its eclipse from most of northern africa in subsequent centuries. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app.
Thereafter, its raw materials were dug and taken with ever increasing speed to repair the wests selfravages and to prepare for further struggle. Online historical atlas showing a map of europe at the end of each century from year 1 to year map of hungarybohemia in year 1500. But it is probably the best word available to convey the scope and style of isicheis book, which is informative and readable and will surely become an important reference for historians and others interested in africa, in christianity, or in. 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. See appendix c pdf for more details on the range of estimates available for china. Christianity in africa using information provided in the text and on the map christianity in africa, fill in the following important events and the dates when they occurred. Christianity first came to africa at the end of the second century and was found on the north african coast.
Africa is an extremely large and diverse continent, home to many different people, cultures, languages, and of course, religions. In the 15th century christianity came to subsaharan africa with the arrival of the portuguese. Importantly, there is significant and sustained syncretism with african. With reference to archives, libraries and museums chapter 1 we purposely decided to. 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. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or. Apr 28, 2010 at the turn of the 20th century, christianity was virtually nonexistent in many parts of africa but is now the faith of the majority. Emphasis is placed upon christianitys popular expression rather than formal theology. By the year 750, a hundred years after the conquest of jerusalem, at least 50 percent of the worlds christians found themselves under muslim hegemony. Our bodies are gifts from god and must be protected. Church buildings, church leaders, church life, geography, videos of church life, tapes of sermons and historical information. At the turn of the 20th century, christianity was virtually nonexistent in many parts of africa but is now the faith of the majority. Animated map shows how christianity spread around the world.
Farming communities now fringe its northern flank, and in the valley of the nile, a great civilization has emerged, that of ancient egypt. Christianity is the dominant religion in south africa, with almost 80% of the population in 2001 professing to be christian. Introduction christianity in africa is not a recent happening nor is it a product of colonialism if we go back to the very time of the apostle. In the south of the continent the dutch founded the beginnings of the dutch reform church in 1652. New perspectives on an encounter robert strayer in recent years, the study of mission history has achieved a remarkable vitality, partly owing to the ready availability of material but deriving more fundamentally from a growing integration with the major thrusts of contemporary african historiography. He lives in zomba, malawi with his wife and three small children. The modern idea of developing africa essentially dates to the years after 1945. By the end of the 2nd century it had reached the region around carthage.
Africa had no initiative in the war but was engulfed in it. The complexities of africa are compounded by the fact that there is an ancient and distinctive history of christianity in ethiopia acts 8. The impact of christianity on subsaharan africa1 matsobane j manala department of philosophy, practical and systematic theology university of south africa, pretoria, south africa abstract the aim of this article is to describe the impact of christianity on subsaharan africa. Here, a second element of the christian approach appears. Baur has devoted most of his life to 5 andrew walls, africa in christian history. In christian or islamic communities, religious beliefs are also sometimes characterized with syncretism with the beliefs and practices. Wwii had a great impact on the colonial era, especially in africa. Todd statham is a missionary of the presbyterian church in canada, seconded to the church of central afri ca presbyterian blantyre synod as a lecturer at zomba theological college. Expansion of african independent churches throughout africa. More importantly, his letters give the names of bishops present at the councilsan indication of the development of the churches and the overall expansion of christianity in africa at this time. About one in every four christians lives in subsaharan africa 24%, and.
Youd see a lot of changes when looking at a map of present day europe and comparing it to a 30 year old one. Islam, however, penetrated early into subsaharan africa from libya and morocco and crossed the red sea from the arabian peninsula to zanzibar to reach trading. Christianity in africa is so old that it can be rightly described as an indigenous, traditional and african religion, says dr. Though persecuted, their presence is testimony to the historicity of christianity in africa. Christianity in north africa1 for purpose of definition, north africa refers to the part of africa forming th e southern shore of the miditerranean, to the west of egypt. Christianity in northern africa essay 1582 words bartleby. By the year 1960, sixteen different african countries declared independence from their colonial rulers and by 1970 the map of africa resembled much of the map that we see.
Academic works on the history, growth and development of. The christian population in the six african countries alone will account. Only nine million christians were in africa in 1900, but by the year 2000, there were an. Christian nubian kingdoms survived for 700 years, resisting attempted domination by muslim conquerors for 600 of those years. Booklist the word encyclopedic seems somehow inadequate for a book whose subject spans 2,000 years on a continent as large and diverse as africa. An african history 621992 by john baur 1994 0101 john baur on. 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. I shall start by first examining the key words in the title of this. Academic works on the history, growth and development of christianity in africa.
Introduction the center for early african christianity. From the start, ideas about development generally overlooked the role of religion. The size and distribution of the worlds christian population pew. This unprecedented work is the first onevolume study of the history of christianity in africa. Although the religious beliefs were quite diverse, many shared the idea of a. Cyprians correspondence certainly documents well the church councils that took place at carthage between 220 and 256. Africa is set to be the global center of christianity for the next 50 years. If in the 1980s independent churches were found to be attractive, by african christians as well as researchers. Christian missions and development in subsaharan africa vox.
It suffered greatly, and its whole fabric was rent. Religion in africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on art, culture and philosophy. Figure 1 detail of a map from the geography and atlas of protestant missions. Reasons will be explored for the relative marginality of christianity in most of africa before the nineteenth century.
It will additionally examine christianity in subsaharan africa before 1800 including the ethiopian orthodox church and kongo catholicism. However, we must distinguish between two obvious centers in the first century of the preaching of christianity on the southern shores of the mediterranean. The standard map of africa for the last quarter of the sixteenth century in 1570, ortelious published the theatrum, an atlas of fiftythree maps, the first collection. Outside of the cities, life was less influenced by roman culture.
In some regions, most notably north africa, christianity went into precipitous decline. Includes an ample bibliography, an appendix of statistics, maps, and an index. Map of islamic population densities throughout africa. Though christianity came to mediterranean africa in the second century, with the exception of ethiopia and nubia it did not spread south into the continent. Northern africa has continued to get dryer, and the sahara desert has reached roughly its present size. History of the church in south africa guide to information. Before the spread of christianity and islam, africans followed more traditional african beliefs that varied throughout the continent. After 1500, the centers of power in africa a began to shift to the north. Christianity face to face with islam by robert louis wilken.
It also highlighted the enormous potential of the continent. The dawn of the third millennium saw new and critical challenges facing africa. As regards the use of this guide we want to make the following comments. 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. Using information provided in the text and on the map christianity in africa, fill in the following important events and the dates when they occurred. Nov 12, 2009 map of islamic population densities throughout africa. Publication date 1998 title variation two thousand years of christianity in africa isbn 9966211101 9789966211101. To its south farming has also spread to nubia, reaching the southern limits for agriculture based on wheat and barley. The story of christianity in north africa is part of a golden period of african cultural prominence in the world stage, including the role of africans in the formation of christianity as it emerged from the jesus movement, a sect within judaism. Westerners are often unaware of the existence and the spread of eastern christianity and the influence of the nonwestern churches from 400 to 1400 a. Chapter sixteen gender and power in african christianity. The egyptian coptic church in the sudan and the ethiopian orthodox church still exist today. Christianity face to face with islam by robert louis. Expansion of african independent churches throughout africa christianity introduced to aksum.
There were echoes of traditional religions to be found in christianity which also proved key in the spread of. A history of christianity in africa elizabeth isichei. See world maps weighted by christian population in 1910 and 2010. The term asia was used by the greeks long before the turks were there to refer to the people inhabiting the western edge of the peninsula we now call turkey. What was africa like before the introduction of islam. 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. 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. Pentecost godfearing jews from egypt and parts of libya near cyrene observe pentecost in jerusalem, receive the outpouring of the holy spirit. Digitised by the university of pretoria, library services, 20.
When the pauline father john baur wrote 2000 years of christianity in africa in 1994, it was the first history of christianity in africa published from a roman catholic perspective. Christianity has been handling epidemics for 2000 years. 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. During the roman times, north africa comprised 4 roman provinces or colonies. Today, the continents various populations and individuals are mostly adherents of christianity, islam, and to a lesser extent several traditional african religions. Christianity in most area was confronted during the centuries after the struggle by islam, the christian religion suffered in some measure, but did not. In the former, the apartheid system was brought to an end in a peaceful transition to multiracial rule, largely brokered by the charismatic nelson mandela.