There is a persistent myth among both Christians and Muslims and others that Christianity is a Western religion that is foreign to Africa. And yes, it is true that Western versions of Christianity, such as Roman Catholicism and all forms of Protestantism are all imports from the 15th century onwards (Roman Catholics) and the 18th century onwards (Protestants – Moravians of all people!). And unfortunately it is also true that these imported versions of Christianity were often the vanguard of attempts by European powers to claim, subjugate, exploit and even colonize vast swaths of the African continent. But it is wrong to suggest that, therefore, Christianity is a Western religion (as opposed to Islam or more local traditional religions)….
Read the rest here:
Onesimus Online: Is Christianity African?.
Tags: africa, Christianity, east, west
From here:
A wooden object claimed to be a replica of the Biblical Ark of the Covenant has gone on display at a Zimbabwe museum.
The “ngoma lungundu” belongs to the Lemba people – black Africans who claim Jewish ancestry.
They say the vessel was built almost 700 years ago from the remains of the original Ark, which the Bible says was used to store Moses’ 10 Commandments….
Tags: africa, ark of the covenant, lemba
That’s how it is described, anyway.
I am interested in how other cultures depict the narrative of Christ which helps us to see how it has been reflected by the West and our own subcultures.
This movie promises to entice me, I believe.
Continue reading “Smarter than the Passion of the Christ – The Son of Man”
Tags: africa, Jesus Christ, liberation theology, son of man
Christian attitudes toward polygamy are more controversial today than they have been for many years. As Euro-American churches debate the issue of same-sex unions, African Christians attack Westerners for their moral laxity and for caving in to secular hedonism. In response, some Western liberals retort that Africans themselves need to put their own house in order. Do African churches define marriage as a sacrosanct union between one man and one woman? If so, then why do their leaders tolerate polygamous unions?
It is a very interesting article, one which I hope you read.
http://christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=8169.
Tags: africa, gay marriage, polygamy
I will be posting this from time to time until I hear back from Michael that he has collected enough.
I had the delightful opportunity of eating lunch with Michael Halcomb in New Orleans during the SBL conference. Almost immediately after SBL, Michael had the wonderful chance to fly to Ethiopia and meet his son. While he was there, he was given an opportunity:
Continue reading “Care to Help a Brother do Something Good for God?”
Tags: africa, help, missions
I only began to truly understand the magnitude of this crisis on my recent trip to Uganda. I have ministered in Nigeria many times, but I had always thought Nigeria was a special case – that the awful poison I saw there had not spread so far in other places.
Continue reading “The New American Imperialism – The Prosperity Gospel in Africa”
Tags: africa, prosperity gospel, uganda, word of faith
Not really within the scope of the blog, but pretty cool nevertheless.
A 35-mile rift in the desert of Ethiopia will likely become a new ocean eventually, researchers now confirm.
The crack, 20 feet wide in spots, opened in 2005 and some geologists believed then that it would spawn a new ocean. But that view was controversial, and the rift had not been well studied.
Continue reading “Giant Crack in Africa Will Become New Ocean”
Tags: africa, Ethopia, oceans, science
A synod of African Catholic Bishops is currently meeting in Rome. This report is based on an article in Nigrizia magazine.
Nigrizia says that in Africa there are many priests who stick faithfully to celibacy but added that in many African countries cultural factors make acceptance of the “Tridentine priest”, or celibate priest difficult.
Continue reading
Tags: africa, catholic church, celibacy, Pope Benedict XVI, Special Assembly of the Synod of the Bishops of Africa
