Christianity in Africa: The Dynamics of Conflicts in Africa in the Early 21st Century

Abstract

In recent years, as a researcher of African history and society, I came across with a statement which emphasized that Christianity is completely averse from the black continent, clinging only as the religion of the colonisers, or a sort of weed to the soil of Africa. During the African peacekeeping missions I served on, and the visits I paid to a number of African countries, I realized that this statement does not entirely fit reality. Not only because Christianity is one of those religions, which deeply influenced and still influences African affairs in general, but simply because it had also been present before Islam arrived to the continent. Though it is hard to deny that many negative events should be linked to empires and dictators who considered themselves Christians, Christianity brought many positive factors into Africa, so we cannot squarely condemn or talk about it only in a negative context. Since the last decade the fault-line between the two biggest and most intensively growing world religions, Christianity and Islam, has become deeper, it is also important to raise the question: does it generate more bloody conflicts? To prevent and settle these conflicts is a task for all actors of the international system. In my argument, I would like to demonstrate the historic tracks, the present-day activities and the role of Christianity in Africa.

Keywords: Christianity, Africa, Islam, Egypt, Ethiopia

JEL Classification: Y90