DEMONISATION OF AFRICAN CULTURES BY EUROPEAN MISSIONARIES AND THE CHRISTIAN MISSION IN AFRICA: A PASTORAL INTROSPECTION

Abstract

This article highlights the general impact of the demonisation of African cultures by the early European Christian missionaries on the Christian mission in Africa. This is done against the backdrop of the prevalence of inauthenticity and religious syncretism among African Christians. The study believes that the early European Christian missionaries misconceived, misinterpreted, and humiliated African cultures on the course of their missionary activities among the people. And this could have been inspired, among other things, by the European bias and misconceptions against Africa and Africans as a dark continent and a people without civilisation, respectively, as popularized by some of their renowned thinkers and philosophers like Comte, Hegel, Hobbes, Rousseau, and Homer etc. Hence, it is only by unveiling and embracing the shameful truth of this negative approach of the Christian missionaries to African cultures, and making some appropriate adjustments in her missionary endeavours in this light, shall the Christian mission shall bear the desired fruit of authentic Christian life among Africans. This calls for some effective dialogue between Christianity and African cultures.