African church history, african christian theology, the. Martyrs, exegetes, catechumens, and councils enlarge this study of north african christianity, a region often reduced to its dominant patristic personalities. Language is one of the most important aspects of a peoples identity because it is the most common medium of communication. Time will tell whether christian values will continue to have more influence in africa.
The christian communities in north africa were among the earliest in the world. In fact, much of north africa, during the early middle agesthe socalled, dark ages, was under direct byzantine imperial rule. It will additionally examine christianity in subsaharan africa before 1800 including the ethiopian orthodox church and kongo catholicism. Africa, christianity, civilizations, colonialism, imperialism, independence, islam, sahara, transatlantic slave trade. 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. Before we get into the meat of this discussion, we must first examine the mainstream definitions of the word god and its proposed history. As regards the use of this guide we want to make the following comments. African origins of the major world religions, yosef benjochannan, amon saba.
The report, corroborated by the adoption of christian symbolism on ezanas late. The disappearance of christianity from north africa in the wake of the rise of islam volume 29 issue 4 c. Christians are said to have been encountered by muhammad while in exile in ethiopia. All the early forms of christiani ty were present in the four billions of square miles of egypt, sudan, ethiopia, eritrea, libya, tunisia, algeria and morocco, and possibly further south than we know now. The spread of christianity throughout egypt and northern africa, during the first five centuries was rapid and intense, despite the prevalence of false teachings, persecutions and martyrdom. Mugambi introduction the term culture in its widest usage is the totality of a peoples way of life. Christianity in africa goes back to the earliest days of the church, when it spread along the mediterranean and red sea coastlands of north and northeast africa and their hinterlands. 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. 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.
If in the 1980s independent churches were found to be attractive, by african christians as well as researchers. Africa, and specifically nigeria is subject to many problems, including corruption, greed, continued sexual immorality and violence. Tertullian, the father of latin christianity, had labored in north africa during the latter years of the second century and the early years of the third. Christianity in africa began in egypt in the middle of the 1st century. The introduction and beginnings of christinanity in east africa watson a.
Lapiana the first pope, had been north african in origin. Journal of early christian studies, volume 19, number 1, spring 2011, pp. From the precolonial to the modern day toyin falola and tyler fleming department of history, university of texas at austin, usa. 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. Christianity in africa as seen by africans, ram desai, 1962, religion, 5 pages. Chapter three early christianity in north africa university of pretoria. The famed early medieval roman rite christian, saint augustine, was probably of berber ethnic extraction and was originally from either libya or tunisia. Isichei traces the history of christianity in africa from the flourishing church in north africa and nubia.
The oldest surviving document of north african christianity records the trial of christians which dates back to july 17, 180. St paul visited numerous cities and planted churches in modernday turkey. Christianity in north africa today international bulletin of mission. Academic works on the history, growth and development of. This unprecedented work is the first onevolume study of the history of christianity in africa. Although christianity began in north africa several centuries before its introduction in egypt, the church in north africa did not grow as quickly because the north african church used the latin language in its services and literature, rather than the language of the people. The wellknown narrative of the late roman churchhistorian rufinus relates a topdown process of conversion, starting with the ruler himself. African origins of the major western religions, 1991. Some religious scholars believe that christianity was introduced to africans by way of the egyptian city of alexandria. Christianity has clearly not completely taken hold in africa. Today, christianity disappeared so thoroughly from the region as to leave no traces, while it still exists in egypt and syria.
Indepth, illustrated exploration of how early north african christians lived out their faith using a combination of literary and archeological evidence, this indepth, illustrated book documents the development of christian practices and doctrine in roman africa contemporary libya, tunisia, algeria, and morocco from the second century through the arab conquest in the seventh. The earliest known recorded history arose in ancient egypt, and later in nubia, the sahel, the. With the victory of islamic forces in arabia, christianity faced substantial defections and threats by the wars of the rashidun caliphate with byzantium and the invasion. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798 j. Why did christianity disappear in northwestern africa. 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. Christianity in early africa christian history institute. The disappearance of christianity from north africa in the wake of. Egyptian christianity developed distinct dogmas and practices during the more than two centuries that the religion was illegal under roman law. 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. The european contribution to the spread of christianity in subsaharan africa the portuguese attempted to introduce a catholicinfluenced form of christianity between the 16th and 18th centuries in the kongo kingdom, but it did not last for long. This course surveys the history of christianity in africa from the advent of various north african churches in the ancient era, to the growth of afro christian churches in the contemporary era. Omulokoli in this article, proffessor omulokoli discusses the beginnings of christianity in east africa as begun by a trio of missionaries.
The church established catechetical school in alexandria in many places and built more churches. During this period, too, the spaniards and portuguese obtained a foothold in the ports of the mediterranean coast. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. The spread of christianity in africa timeline timetoast. Of course, it has not in europe or north america as well. During roman times northwestern africa had a thriving christian community, giving birth to saint augustine and a long lasting heresy. Egypt has continued to loom large in african quest for identity. Krapf, rebmann, and erhardt, all german lutherans who worked under the church missionary society. Since the spread of islam into north africa, the size of christian congregations as well as their number was.
At the turn of the 20th century, christianity was virtually nonexistent in many parts of africa but is now the faith of the majority. Subsequently displaced by islam in the 7th and 8th centuries, the ancient coptic and orthodox churches nevertheless remain active in egypt, ethiopia, and eritrea. Christianity from these areas spread into africa, across the north and into the subsahara. The disappearance of christianity from north africa in the. Because north africa was heavily under roman rule, christianity was spread through the region by the use of latin rather than greek. This is a short history of africa excluding egypt, ethiopia and dutch and british south africa, which are the subjects of separate histories. What does history say about the first christians of africa. The story of christianity in north africa is part of a golden period of. North africa was the first to convert to christianity. 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. Important africans who influenced the early development of christianity. Even early written literature shows the presence of christianity in north africa.
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. 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. 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. Christianity penetrated north africa, the origins of the faith in this region appears to date from before 180 ad, as it was at this time that the church there became famous as a result of the. What has been the impact of christianity in africa. However, christianity in most of the areas of north africa was wiped out with the advent of islam. With reference to archives, libraries and museums chapter 1 we. The ancient east african kingdom of aksum gradually adopted christianity from the early to midfourthcentury reign of ezana onwards. Victor i 18999, the first bishop of rome to write in latin, and, according to prof. 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.
This is the case that will be made throughout this discourse in terms of the word god in english. Christianity had become a prominent religion in africa until the muslim arrived in the middle ages. History of the church in south africa guide to information. 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. Smither provides english readers a quality translation of an important book that captures the. 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. Christianity, despite its eclipse from most of northern africa in subsequent centuries. It has been regarded by some as stretching from the atlantic shores of morocco in the west to the suez canal and the red sea in the east, though this designation is more commonly referred to as northern africa.
Christianity in north africa today international bulletin. This is similar to many christian communities of the time, from egypt to syria. The 15th and 16th centuries in north africa were a period of struggles between dynasties, insurrections, raids, and near anarchy. A history of christianity in africa elizabeth isichei. Christianity in north africa and west asia on jstor.
It was partially due to this that the roman empire eventually split into two, east and west. She contends that, it was a dynamic form of christianity which produced great theologians such as athanasus 298 373 ad, augustine of hippo 354 430 ad, among others. Christianity first arrived in north africa, in the 1st or early 2nd century ad. The first half of the course will explore some north african variants of christianity such as gnosticism, donatism, and coptic christianity, including.
Early north african christians were particularly likely to see the christian life in terms of warfare against the devil and to see their deaths as blood sacrifices imi. Unlike the coptic church in egypt or the syrian and arme nian churches in other parts of the middle east, the north african church did not successfully survive the. North africa, region of africa comprising the modern countries of morocco, algeria, tunisia, and libya the geographic entity north africa has no single accepted definition. An adult convert to christianity, augustine came to be one of the most influential theologians in the history. View african church history, african christian theology, the study of new religious movements in africa research papers on academia. Early christianity in east africa and red seaindian ocean. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage. 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. Shortly after theodosius decree, augustine became bishop of hippo in north africa. List of books and articles about christianity in africa.
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