African continent has experienced changes in its religious practices and people’s behaviors from the effect of religious conversion. African region left its traditional beliefs at the incoming of new religion (Isichei and Thomas, 2010). African indigenous religion, which was community- based had no basis to sustain itself from the influence of conversion to other religions. Majority of the African continent has ended up converted to other religions of the world. Christianity is the most spread religion on the African continent today with significant impacts. The paper describes the Christian religion conversion in Africa. Christianity arrived in Africa through missionary work at the end of 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. The arrivals of missionaries to convert Africans to Christian faith got back up from the colonization of the continent by Europe. According to Isichei and Thomas (2010), the Northern part of Africa was the first region to receive Christian missionaries, Egypt being the first country in which Christian religion ended up established. Christian missionaries arrived with the aim of preaching the good news of Jesus Christ to Africa. Christian missionaries were well equipped with the best strategies for the implementation of the Christian religion in Africa. They used open-air crusades in declaring the good news of salvation to through faith in Jesus to Africans. People attended open-air crusades and ended up converted to Christianity (Isichei and Thomas, 2010). The converts underwent a system of teachings called discipleship to turn out rooted in the faith. They also walked from village to village a process called pastoral visitations while teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The conversion to Christian religion in Africa has led to lasting impacts in the region. Building of hospitals by Christian missionary is the basis for improved healthcare and medication system in Africa. School establishment during the conversion has led to illiteracy reduction in Africa that ends up seen up-to-date, as many scholars of the world today are Africans (Isichei and Thomas, 2010). Bringing people together as a church has led to peace in Africa hence reducing tribal conflicts. The arrival and increase in the conversion of Africans to Christianity had contributing factors. Isichei and Thomas (2010) argued that the civilization brought by the colonization of Africa by Europe contributed to the arrival and growth of Christianity in Africa. The African way of living including faith basis turned out deemed as outdated. Additionally, the nature of Christian missionaries in fighting social injustices, illiteracy, poverty and inadequate health care also contributed to the arrival and growth of Christianity in Africa. The Christian faith in Africa competes with the African traditional beliefs and practices. Africans had different ways of worship especially referent of nature to a deity. Africans had their way of religion that believed in offering of human sacrifices and accustomed to certain traditional taboos like Yoruba community in Nigeria. Isichei and Thomas (2010) argued that the traditional beliefs posed competition to the Christian faith. The coming up of Islam in Africa in the middle ages also competed with the Christian faith leading to conversion of many Africans in North Africa to Muslim. Christianity gain stability against its competitors in different ways. Firstly, the presence of proponents (missionaries and evangelists) helps the Christianity gain stability against the traditional beliefs and practices (Isichei and Thomas, 2010). The proponents could walk to different places teaching people to ensure proper establishment into faith. Secondly, there is stability in Christian faith in Africa out of its similarities with the traditional beliefs that had a basis of respect of life as sacred.
Conclusively, Christianity was the first religion that brought conversion in Africa. Christianity arrived through missionary work. The implementation of Christianity in Africa was through crusades and pastoral visitations. Christianity had contributing factors that helped it to gain stability in Africa despite the presence of other belief system competing with it.
References
Isichei, E. A., & Thomas, L. K., (2010.). A history of Christianity in Africa: From antiquity to the present. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.
