Christianity: The treasure that was handed to Africans wrapped in a wrong box

In his autobiography, “The Long Walk to Freedom” the late Nelson Mandela talked of his early experiences with   Christianity, praising its engagements with the society around him: “The Church was as concerned with this world as the next: I saw that virtually all of the achievements of Africans seemed to have come about through the missionary work of the Church.”

Also according to the retired Rt. Rev. Prof Joseph Akin Omoyajowo of the Nigerian Anglican communion, the approach by the foreign missions was largely negative. The general tendency by them was to condemn African things “in toto” and to paint the picture of a dark continent. The missionaries had no respect for the peoples’ way of life, their religion or culture. Here is an illustration of such negative attitudes by a Capuchin missionary in the Congo. “On my way, I found numbers of idols   which   I   threw   into   the   fire.

It is this negative attitude which characterized the missionary work of the foreign missionaries.
It was evangelism that had no regard for the peoples’ culture and religion. They were too simply convinced of the enormous superiority of the European West and came unconsciously, but naturally, as bearers not only of the Christian message, but also of westernization. We are, therefore, little surprised that the Christianity imbibed by the Africans from these foreign missionaries was veneer and in most      cases superficial and hypocritical. It was these weaknesses that the ‘African’ group of Churches and after them, the African “indigenous” Churches exploited in establishing their Churches.

It did not take the numerous African nationalists time to see Christianity as aiding or being in close alliance with the white power structures that have enslaved them. “They therefore denounce ‘Western Christianity’ or ‘White Christ’ because they see this as tied up with the colonialism and neocolonialism that have created ghastly realities of hunger, unemployment, repression, racism and violence in the third world.”  It is only from this perspective that we can understand Basil Moore’s statement that “In South Africa the Christian Church has probably been one of the most powerful instruments in making possible the political oppression of the black people.

While the white colonists were busy with the process of robbing the people of their land and their independence, the churches were busy however, unconsciously, undermining the will of the people to resist. This was done in a number of subtle and not so subtle ways”.

Basil Moore, editor of a book Black Theology which was banned by the racist government of South Africa when it first appeared under the title Essays on Black Theology in 1972, held that “the black people were made to believe not that salvation is in Christ alone, but that salvation is in accepting the new white ways of living.  The effect of this was to internalize in the black people a sense of inferiority of the interchangeability, in religious language, of ‘black’ and ‘evil’ which according to him the black man was made to believe, were synonymous words, and it was therefore not difficult to persuade him that a black man was an evil (and inferior) person; and that his blackness is a sign of his inferiority as an outcast from the Grace of God.” Therefore Moore’s conclusion that the Church helped to colonize the minds of the black people cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand.

The mistake of the early missionaries was, therefore, not that they preached the Gospel through a culture that they were familiar with, but that they first discredited the African culture before preaching the Gospel. They should have undertaken the double operation recommended by   Shorter: “The undressing of Christianity from the foreign culture and the dressing of it in indigenous culture with both processes taking place simultaneously since Christianity cannot exist without a dress on.”

According to the early protestant reformist Martin Luther, tending conscientiously to one’s secular duties, whatever they were, could be seen as humble obedience to God’s will, submission to his authority via submission to things as they are. The obvious benefit of this approach is a prettypowerful “reframing” of how one experiences one’s job.  Even menial   tasks   can be regarded as gestures of obedience towards God. This can infuse one’s whole everyday life with a powerful meaning that had been reserved for particular days of worship.

The reformation left a legacy in western countries of what is called the ‘protestant work ethic’, which emphasizes that hard work and frugality are a result of a person’s salvation. This indeed is the true gospel of Christ that leaves a society completely transformed.

Therefore, the time has come for Church leaders in Africa to zealously but wisely unwrap the gospel of Jesus Christ out of its ugly historical prejudices so that it can bear the desired fruits. Christians must  seize their  God  given  responsibility to restore His glory among His people on the African continent by, 1) instituting purposeful Bible teaching to  Christians with an aim of understanding and applying the word of God (Psalm 119.104 – 106 Through Your precepts I understand; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep your righteous judgments);

2. Encouraging Godly virtues of diligence and responsibility in everyday Christian life as Africans from chronic poverty and perpetual dependency;

3. Playing a leadership role in society by inspiring Godliness in all aspects of life, in families, education, businesses as it is God’s will (truly being the salt and  light  of  the  world. Matthew 5:13-16);

4. focusing on building God’s kingdom and not the narrow view of only building churches and personal ministries (embrace an Apostolic calling) – enthroning heavenly order on earth just like Jesus laid the foundation for an eternal kingdom;

5. Awaken the church to pray fervently for God’s power to overcome evil  (Matthew  26:40  –   41.   And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation, the spirit is willing, but the fresh is weak).

Finally, the call is for Christian leaders to be doers and not just Sayers of Godly things, to which the words of Francis of Assisi come to mind: “Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words.”