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2. CHRISTIANITY: CHRISTIANITY IN NORTH AFRICA Although we lack written sources, archaeological evidence suggests an early origin for the North African churches. • 'The Christian period in Mediterranean Africa' by WHC Frend, in Cambridge History of Africa, Ed. Amongst people subdued by Roman authority in North Africa (Aegyptus, Cyrenaica, Africa, Numidia, and Mauritania) Christianity quickly became a religion of protest—it was a reason for them to ignore the requirement to honor the Roman Emperor through sacrificial ceremonies. Because North Africa was heavily under Roman rule, Christianity was spread through the region by the use of Latin rather than Greek. AICs have also demonstrated a strong missionary tendency in that most of the spread of Christianity throughout Africa in the 20 th century can be attributed to African Independent Churches. Even the idea of holy trinity could be related to various godly triads which were taken to be three aspects of a single deity. Saints Felicity and Perpetua are celebrated by a feast day on March 7th. It was partially due to this that the Roman Empire eventually split into two, east and west. The spread of the faith in Africa represents perhaps the most dramatic advance in all Christian history, and yet the names and stories of persons chiefly responsible are largely unknown. His most important surviving work is the trilogy Protreptikos ('Exhortation'), Paidagogos ('The Instructor'), and the Stromateis ('Miscellanies') which considered and compared the role of myth and allegory in ancient Greece and contemporary Christianity. Because North Africa was heavily under Roman rule, Christianity was spread through the region by the use of Latin rather than Greek. This is evident SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY IN WEST AFRICA. Ali Unal . Cyrenaica (the easternmost part of Libya) was known as the Pentapolis, or the five towns: Cyrene (modern-day Shaḥḥāt), Apollonia (Marsa Gona), Ptolemaïs (Tolmeta), Berenice (Benghazi), and Barce (Barka). Christianity found its way to Sudan in the 1st century as well, and the region's Nubian churches had links to those in Egypt. Roman life in North Africa was heavily concentrated around urban centers—by the end of the second century, there was upwards of six million people living in Roman North African provinces, a third of those living in the 500 or so cities and towns which had developed. Origen, head of the School of Alexandria in the early third century, is also noted for compiling a comparison of six translations of the old testament—the Hexapla. The Fall of Rome: How, When, and Why Did It Happen? By the middle of the first century, churches had been established in northern African by early converts to Christianity. It is recorded that in 180 C.E. ), aka Clement of Alexandria, was a Hellenistic theologian and the first president of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Missionaries faced no strong opposition from any region especially in the interior. Some religious scholars believe that Christianity was introduced to Africans by way of the Egyptian city of Alexandria. Mark the Evangelist made history in the year 43 when he became the first bishop to serve in the Orthodox Church of Alexandria. The Church in Alexandria grew quickly in the 3rd century, and Alexandria's Bishop earned the title of Pope, and he was recognized as the senior Bishop in Egypt. What were the causes of this phenomenal success? It was during the reign of Emperor Commodus (161--192 C.E., ruled from 180 to 192) that the first of three 'African' Popes was invested. However, the colonisation of sub-Saharan Africa and the New World provided new outlets for the spread of Christianity. North Africa would, over the first few centuries C.E., become a region for Christian innovation, looking at the nature of Christ, interpreting the gospels, and sneaking in elements from so-called pagan religions. PIOneer mission in Africa greatly discouraged other volunteers who were wilting to come to Africa and carry out missionary work. There has been a notable growth in the population of Christians residing in Africa while on the other hand observance of traditional African religions has been on a decline. Tertullian converted to Christianity in Rome during his twenties, but it was not until his return to Carthage that his strengths as a teacher and defender of Christian beliefs were recognized. Victor I (189-99), the first bishop of Rome to … Once it was introduced to Africa, Christianity slowly spread from Alexandria to Ethiopia. He was an intellectual Christian who debated with those suspicious of scholarship and taught several notable ecclesiastical and theological leaders (such as Origen, and Alexander the Bishop of Jerusalem). By Joseph Kiprop on September 21 2017 in Society. The ancient East African kingdom of Aksum gradually adopted Christianity from the early- to mid-fourth-century reign of Ezana onwards. In the early years of the church, especially after the Siege of Jerusalem (70 C.E. Given the slow progress of Romanization of North Africa, it is perhaps surprising how quickly Christianity spread across the top of the continent. Under Augustus, the two provinces of Africa, Africa Vetus ('Old Africa') and Africa Nova ('New Africa'), were merged to form Africa Proconsularis (named for it being governed by a Roman proconsul). • Chapter 1: 'Geographical and Historical Background' & Chapter 5: 'Cyprian, the "Pope" of Carthage', in Early Christianity in North Africa by François Decret, trans. Most of the people lived close together in crowded tenements. Factors Which Influenced the Spread Of Christianity, Alexandria as an Early Center of Christianity, Latin as the Language of Western Christianity, 6 Important People in Ancient African History. Alistair Boddy-Evans is a teacher and African history scholar with more than 25 years of experience. Within a short time the missionaries spread their activities inland. King Ezana of the Ethiopian/Eritrean Kingdom of Aksum gave Christianity official status and facilitated the establishment of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Explain the factors involved in the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire both before and after the conversion of Constantine. Christianity enjoys widespread popularity in Africa particularly in the nations situated in the Southeast, Southern, and Central regions of the continent. A bishopric was established by the disciple and gospel writer Mark when he established the Church of Alexandria around 49 C.E., and Mark is honored today as the person who brought Christianity to Africa. 1. But, like Egypt, Africa and its neighbors Numidia and Mauritania (which were under the rule of client kings), were recognized as potential 'bread baskets'. Explain six factors that favoured the spread of Christianity in East Africa. The Spread of Christianity and Factors that Contributed to the Political and Religious Separation of the Early Church Points Rubric Notes A: Thesis/Claim (0 – 1) Al-Bakri, a renowned Arabic Scholar and merchant wrote in 1067, that the capital of ancient Ghana was already … The positive intentions of Christianity were however overshadowed by the ills of the slave trade and commercial exploitation. There were many social, geographical, historical and religious issues prevailing at the time of Christ and all of which were favorable to the spread of Christianity. From the fall of Carthage in 146 BCE to the rule of Emperor Augustus (from 27 BCE), Africa (or, more strictly speaking, Africa Vetus, 'Old Africa'), as the Roman province was known, was under the command of a minor Roman official. Important Africans who influenced the early development of Christianity include Tertullian, Perpetua, Felicity, Clement of Alexandria, Origen of Alexandria, Cyprian, Athanasius and Augustine of Hippo. By the end of the second century, Carthage had produced a pope (Victor I). • General History of Africa Volume 2: Ancient Civilizations of Africa (Unesco General History of Africa) ed. One center was in Cyrenaica, within reach of the influence of Alexandria. Poor infrastructure system led Portuguese man power filed to spread the Christianity in the coast of east Africa is lacking man power … The spread of the religion was rapid and was due to many factors. Two thousand years later, Christian presence has left indelible marks on the continent—some positive, some less so. 1993-10-01 00:00:00 . Titus Flavius Clemens (150--211/215 C.E. Nearly 200 years after the first wave of missionaries arrived in Africa, Christianity is growing faster here than anywhere else in the world. Alexandria was also home to the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament which traditional has it was created on the orders of Ptolemy II for the use of the large population of Alexandrian Jews. remarked that he added Egypt (Aegyptus) to the empire. This was another action that led to the spread of Christianity among a broader scope of audiences. Outside of the cities, life was less influenced by Roman culture. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com, The Origin And Growth Of Christianity In Africa, African Countries Where Christianity is the Largest Religion, Types Of Crimes By Number Of Offenses In The US, The 10 Biggest Shopping Malls In The World. This meant, of course, that the otherwise 'open-minded' Roman Empire could no longer take a nonchalant attitude to Christianity—persecution, and repression of the religion soon followed, which in turn hardened the Christian converts to their cult. However, Emperor Decius ordered the persecution of the adherents of Christianity in mid-3rd century forcing Christians to seek refuge in the desert. The Biblical Scholar Jerome (347--420 C.E.) The oldest of these churches is the Tewahedo which enjoys a membership of around 45 to 50 million people. Twelve Christians of African origin were martyred in Sicilli (Sicily) for refusing to perform a sacrifice to the Roman Emperor Commodus (aka Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus). The spread of Christianity throughout Egypt and Northern Africa, during the first five centuries was rapid and intense, despite the prevalence of false teachings, persecutions and martyrdom. (There was also the problem of increasing ethnic and social tensions which helped fractured the empire into what would become the Byzantium and Holy Roman Empire of medieval times.). North Africa, however, Christianity was not merely eclipsed, it was supplanted.1 Tertullian, the "Father of Latin Christianity," had labored in North Africa during the latter years of the second century and the early years of the third. Geographical location and the patterns of caravan trade tied these five towns more closely to Egypt than to Carthage and the rest of the western states of North Africa. was another prolific Christian. The religion also grew in northwestern Africa where the churches maintained links with the Church of Rome. Answers. Just as Christianity provided a driving force during the Kingdom of Aksum, leading Ezana to conquer neighboring lands, Islam likewise became a unifying and potent force throughout both North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Reformers in the missionary churches, as well as independent church leaders, agitated for changes in the institutionalized church. Mark the Evangelist made history in the year 43 when he became the first bishop to serve in the Orthodox Church of Alexandria. In his early years, he traveled extensively around the Mediterranean and studied the Greek philosophers. At the turn of the 20th century, Christianity was virtually nonexistent in many parts of Africa but is now the faith of the majority. Reportedly, the city boasted a very large Jewish community, which was located in close proximity to Jerusalem. It had a mostly friendly rivalry with the School of Antioch which was based around a literal interpretation of the Bible. JD Fage, Volume 2, Cambridge University Press, 1979. The Alexandria-based church initially used Greek, and it was not until the late 2nd century that both the liturgy and the scriptures were translated into three native languages. Despite those efforts, the spread of Christianity was very slow. The Portuguese attempted to introduce a Catholic-influenced form of Christianity between the 16th and 18th centuries in the Kongo Kingdom, but it did not last for long. These evils were fought by champions like Henry Venn and Thomas Fowell. Christianity appealed to a disaffected Egyptian populous through its representations of resurrection, an afterlife, virgin birth, and the possibility that a god could be killed and brought back, all of which resonated with more ancient Egyptian religious practice. The well-known narrative of the late Roman church-historian Rufinus relates a top-down process of conversion, starting with the ruler himself. Philip encountered a man from Ethiopia on a road leading from Jerusalem to Gaza. by Edward Smither, James Clarke, and Co., 2011. records that Tertullian was ordained as a priest, but this has been challenged by Catholic scholars. However, Christianity in most of the areas of North Africa was wiped out with the advent of Islam. Christianity was also very attractive because it set out a code for morality. Alexandria considered the second city after Rome, had 150,000 inhabitants by the third century. The religion is also present in some nations in the Northeast and also the Western region. Christianity arrived in Africa in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, making these Christian communities some of the earliest in the world. ), the Egyptian city of Alexandria became a significant (if not the most significant) center for the development of Christianity. The Catechetical School of Alexandria was founded in the late second century by Clement of Alexandria as a center for the study of the allegorical interpretation of the Bible. Factors Which Led to the Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire Christianity was not born in a vacumn. One of the most important Christian theologians and biblical scholars was Oregenes Adamantius, aka Origen (c.185--254 C.E.). Tertullian became a member of the heretical and charismatic Montanistic order around 210 CE, given to fasting and the resultant experience of spiritual bliss and prophetic visitations. Historical records, which come partially from a narrative believed to have been written by Perpetua herself, describe in detail the ordeal leading up to their death in the arena—wounded by beasts and put to the sword. Missionaries first arrived at the court of Kabaka Muteesa in 1877, almost a century after the missionary impetus from Europe had begun. In Africa Proconsularis and its neighbors, there was a resonance to traditional Gods through the concept of a supreme being. It is some of these Christians who stayed in the desert for prayers after the end of the persecution and founded Christian monasticism. Economic factors. One person who brought Christianity to an African is Philip, as recounted in Acts 8:26–40. (There was also the problem of increasing ethnic and social tensions which helped fractured the empire into what would become the Byzantium and Holy Roman Empire of … In 1900, nine million Christians lived in Africa compared to the 380 million in 2000. Explain six factors that favoured the spread of Christianity in East Africa. The spread of Christianity throughout Egypt and Northern Africa, during the first five centuries was rapid and intense, despite the prevalence of false teachings, persecutions and martyrdom. Missions has been a part of Africa’s story since just after Jesus ascended into heaven. The Main Factors in the Spread of Islam. According to tradition, the evangelist Mark was a native Jew of Cyrene, who came to Alexandria by way of the Pentapolis and, afte… It was partially due to this that the Roman Empire eventually split into two, east and west. After the crucifixion, the disciples spread out across the known world to take the word of God and the story of Jesus to the people. Early Christianity was primarily an urban faith, establishing itself in the city centers of the Roman Empire. Although Jesus was dead, his teachings were still very much alive and thriving within his followers. Tertullian, the “Father of Latin Christianity,” had labored in North Africa during the latter years of the second century and the early years of the third. Develop an argument that evaluates how such factors led to the emergence or spread of one or more religions in this time period.” Maximum Possible Points: 6 . Many Messianic and syncretistic sections have also formed across the continent including the Nigerian Aladura churches and the Nazareth Baptist Church situated in South Africa. There were echoes of traditional religions to be found in Christianity which also proved key in the spread of the new religion. He is said to have laid down the foundation on which Western Christian theology and expression is based. e g. the death of Coillard and his Wife in 1904 led to the collapse of the evangelical mission in Barotseland. This agitation resulted in both reforms and the sprouting of "African Initiated Churches." Clement attempted to mediate between the heretical Gnostics and the orthodox Christian church and set the stage for the development of monasticism in Egypt later in the third century. 1. And yet within 25 years Uganda had become one of the most successful mission fields in the whole of Africa. The impetus for expansion and exploitation came with the transformation of the Roman Republic to a Roman Empire in 27 B.C.E. The most significant record of Christian martyrdom, however, is that of March 203, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus (145--211 C.E., ruled 193--211), when Perpetua, a 22 year old noble, and Felicity, whom she enslaved, were martyred in Carthage (now a suburb of Tunis, Tunisia). Joshua Takes Steps Against The Spread Of Ebola Christianity gave something to the people of the Roman Empire that they had never experienced before. Related but distinct from that are the historical reasons why Christianity was able to be successful. Traditional Gods were still worshipped, such as the Phonecian Ba'al Hammon (equivalent to Saturn) and Ba'al Tanit (a goddess of fertility) in Africa Proconsuaris and Ancient Egyptian beliefs of Isis, Osiris, and Horus. The date of his death is unknown, but his last writings date to 220 C.E. Born in Carthage, a cultural center much influenced by Roman authority, Tertullian is the first Christian author to write extensively in Latin, for which he was known as the 'Father of Western Theology'. And what kind of lives did they lead? From the seventh century onwards, Muslim traders from the Maghreb and the Sahara started settling first in some of the market centres in the Sahel and then in the Savanna areas. Mark arrived in Egypt around 42 C.E., Philip traveled all the way to Carthage before heading east into Asia Minor, Matthew visited Ethiopia (by way of Persia), as did Bartholomew. 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