Routledge Companion to Christianity in Africa

597 Pages·2016·10.19 MB·English

by  Elias Kifon Bongmba (ed.)

THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION TO
CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA
The Routledge Companion to Christianity in Africa offers a multi-disciplinary analysis
of the Christian tradition across the African continent and throughout a long
historical span. The volume offers historical and thematic essays tracing the
introduction of Christianity in Africa, as well as its growth, developments, and
effects, including the lived experience of African Christians. Individual chapters
addressthethemesofChristianityandgender,thedevelopmentofAfrican-initiated
churches,thegrowthofPentecostalism,andtheinfluenceofChristianity on issues
ofsexuality,music,andpublichealth.Thiscomprehensivevolumewillserveasa
valuable overview and reference work for students and researchers worldwide.
Elias Kifon Bongmba holds the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Chair in Christian
Theology and is Professor of Religion at Rice University and serves as President
of the African Association for the Study of Religion.
ROUTLEDGE RELIGION COMPANIONS
Available:
The Routledge Companion to the The Routledge Companion to
Study of Religion, 2nd Edition Religion and Science
Edited by John Hinnells Edited by James W. Haag,
Gregory R. Peterson, and
The Routledge Companion to Early Michael L. Spezio
Christian Thought
Edited by D. Jeffrey Bingham The Routledge Companion to
Religion and Popular Culture
The Routledge Companion to the Edited by John C. Lyden and
Christian Church Eric M. Mazur
Edited by Gerard Mannion and
Lewis S. Mudge The Routledge Companion to the
Practice of Christian Theology
The Routledge Companion to Edited by Mike Higton and
Religion and Film Jim Fodor
Edited by John Lyden
The Routledge Companion to
TheRoutledgeCompanionto Theism Christianity in Africa
Edited by Charles Taliaferro, Victoria S. Edited by Elias Bongmba
Harrison, and Stewart Goetz
The Routledge Companion to
Modern Christian Thought
Edited by Chad Meister and James Beilby
Forthcoming:
The Routledge Companion to Death
and Dying
Edited by Christopher Moreman
The Routledge Companion to the
Qur’an
Edited by Daniel A. Madigan and
Maria M. Dakake
THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION
TO CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA
Edited by
Elias Kifon Bongmba
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Firstpublished2016
byRoutledge
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©2016Taylor&Francis
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TheRoutledgehandbookofreligionsandglobaldevelopment/editedby
EmmaTomalin.
pagescm.
Summary:“ThisHandbookprovidesacutting-edgesurveyofthecurrentstateof
researchonreligionsanddevelopmentandinteractionsbetweenreligionsand
development.Ituniquelylooksatreligionsincontextwhenthinkingabouttheir
relationshipstodevelopment.Differentreligioustraditionsaresituatedwithinactual
locationsandcasestudiesthusallowingabetterunderstandingoftheirrelationships
todevelopment”--Providedbypublisher.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
1.Economicdevelopment--Religiousaspects.2.Economicdevelopment--Religious
aspects--Casestudies.3.Sustainabledevelopment--Religiousaspects.4.Sustainable
development--Religiousaspects--Casestudies.I.Tomalin,Emma,editorof
compilation.II.Title:Handbookofreligionsandglobaldevelopment.
HD75.R682015
338.9--dc23
2014026988
ISBN:978-0-415-70502-8(hbk)
ISBN:978-1-315-89001-2(ebk)
TypesetinGoudy
byTaylor&FrancisBooks
Dedicated to
Amara Munkeng Nnennya Bongmba
Miriam Munkeng Bongmba
and
Odelia Yuh Bongmba
Mabel Bongmba
Nora T. Bongmba
Beatrice Bongmba
The women of the church in the Bongmba clan
This page intentionally left blank
CONTENTS
List of illustrations x
List of contributors xi
Preface xvii
Introduction 1
ELIAS KIFON BONGMBA
PART I
Selected historical perspectives 23
1 Christianity in North Africa 25
ELIAS KIFON BONGMBA
2 Christianity in Egypt: The Coptic Church 45
YOUHANNA NESSIM YOUSSEF
3 Early Christian discourses and literature in North African Christianities
in the context of Hellenistic Judaism and Graeco-Roman Culture 61
GERHARD VAN DEN HEEVER
4 Historical perspectives on West African Christianity 79
ROBERT M. BAUM
5 Early Central African Christian history: prophets, priests and kings 92
SARA FRETHEIM
6 Christianity in East Africa 108
LOREEN MASENO
7 The cross in Ethiopian Christianity: Ecclesial symbolism and
religious experience 122
JON ABBINK
vii
CONTENTS
8 The Bible in an African Christianity: South African Black Theology 141
GERALD WEST
9 Christianity and translation in the colonial context 156
MUSA W. DUBE
10 Women in African Christianities 173
ESTHER MOMBO
PART II
Modern developments and interreligious encounters 187
11 Mission practice and theory in Africa 189
FRANS WIJSEN
12 Evangelicals: Rereading Ethiopian Pentecostals and evangelism 201
TIBEBE ESHETE
13 African Christianity in the post-Vatican II era 214
CLEMENT MAJAWA
14 Ecumenism in African Christianity 232
J.N.K. MUGAMBI
15 Christianity and African Religion: Historical dynamics of the encounter 252
LAURENTI MAGESA
16 Muslim-Christian relations in Africa: An overview of centuries of
personal encounters 269
FESTO MKENDA
PART III
African initiatives in Christianity 283
17 African Initiated Christianity in Southern Africa 285
EZRA CHITANDO
18 Pentecostalism in Eastern Africa 297
MARTINA PROSÉN
19 Pentecostalism in Southern Africa 317
ALLAN H. ANDERSON
20 African Christianity and transnational religious networks: From Africa
to America and back to Africa 331
MOSES O. BINEY
viii
CONTENTS
PART IV
Christianity, politics, and development 349
21 Christianity and politics in West Africa 351
J. KWABENA ASAMOAH-GYADU
22 Christendom in crisis: The Catholic Church and postcolonial politicsin
Central Africa 365
J.J. CARNEY
23 Christianity and politics in Southern Africa 1960–2013 385
JAMES N. AMANZE
24 Christianity and apartheid in South Africa 400
ROBERT VOSLOO
25 The African church and development 424
RICHARD S. MAPOSA
26 Approaches to religion and the environment in Africa 438
ERNST M. CONRADIE
PART V
Ecclesial life and lived experience 455
27 Church music in Africa: Space for inculturation and transformation 457
EMILY ACHIENG’ AKUNO
28 Christianity and sexuality in Africa 473
MATTHEWS A. OJO AND ADEWALE J. ADELAKUN
29 Christianity and same-sex relationships in Africa 487
ADRIAAN VAN KLINKEN
30 From medical missions to church health services 502
ELIAS KIFON BONGMBA
31 Christianity and healing in Africa: The Anglican Church’s Holy Cross
Community in Zimbabwe 524
TABONA SHOKO
32 Religion, human rights and the future of humanity: Some reflections 538
N. BARNEY PITYANA
33 Studying African Christianity: Future trajectories 555
ELIAS KIFON BONGMBA
Index 564
ix