Christianity In Africa Research Paper
11/10/08
History of Christianity in Africa
Europeans nations such as, Britain, France, Portugal, Italy etc. wanted to expand their territory, spread the ways of their culture and beliefs, find new resources and markets. At that time, Africa seemed like the perfect place to explore. There was not much known about the mysterious continent and this ignited their curiosity. They wanted to know the kind of potential benefits Africa would bring. Since these powerful European nations didn’t know what to expect, they sent in explorers like, Gil Eannes and Mungo Park. The explorers acted like spies. They went to through many different African nations to find out, which people were friendly and which weren’t. Also they were supposed to explore …show more content…
Portugal was hoping that the converted rulers, would trust them and become allies. At first, different African nations were curious about the missionaries, and were only interested in new trading markets but once the missionaries criticized their religious practices, they felt threatened and had many of these missionaries thrown and often killed. During the nineteenth centuries, Christianity started to rise in many African nations. Most of the missionaries, felt that Africa non-Muslim Africans lacked any religious structure. They felt that that their ritual acts were barbaric and believed that it was their duty to bring Christianity, civilize and save the souls of the non believing Africans. They were also hoping to push their own cultural ways on them. For example, the converted Africans had a a certain dress code and they couldn’t dance nor drink. While before they had multiple wives, the now had to limit themselves in monogamous marriage. But in order to do all that they needed the trust of the Africans. They finally found the solution…Slavery. They decided to preach against slavery and the slave trade. The slave traders were very powerful and settled. They also had control over the ivory trade. So the missionaries tried suppress the slave trade by asking for protection fro the British. They were hoping that the slavers’
History of Christianity in Africa
Europeans nations such as, Britain, France, Portugal, Italy etc. wanted to expand their territory, spread the ways of their culture and beliefs, find new resources and markets. At that time, Africa seemed like the perfect place to explore. There was not much known about the mysterious continent and this ignited their curiosity. They wanted to know the kind of potential benefits Africa would bring. Since these powerful European nations didn’t know what to expect, they sent in explorers like, Gil Eannes and Mungo Park. The explorers acted like spies. They went to through many different African nations to find out, which people were friendly and which weren’t. Also they were supposed to explore …show more content…
Portugal was hoping that the converted rulers, would trust them and become allies. At first, different African nations were curious about the missionaries, and were only interested in new trading markets but once the missionaries criticized their religious practices, they felt threatened and had many of these missionaries thrown and often killed. During the nineteenth centuries, Christianity started to rise in many African nations. Most of the missionaries, felt that Africa non-Muslim Africans lacked any religious structure. They felt that that their ritual acts were barbaric and believed that it was their duty to bring Christianity, civilize and save the souls of the non believing Africans. They were also hoping to push their own cultural ways on them. For example, the converted Africans had a a certain dress code and they couldn’t dance nor drink. While before they had multiple wives, the now had to limit themselves in monogamous marriage. But in order to do all that they needed the trust of the Africans. They finally found the solution…Slavery. They decided to preach against slavery and the slave trade. The slave traders were very powerful and settled. They also had control over the ivory trade. So the missionaries tried suppress the slave trade by asking for protection fro the British. They were hoping that the slavers’