Page 132 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

The Gospel Comes to West Africa

Portugal as a state had arisen in power during the twelfth century,
when crusading Christians defeated the Muslims. Although Portugal
did not number more than one million people, it became a military
power during the Middle Ages. However, it was unable to capture much
territory in North Africa.

Trade through the Islamic Middle East was difficult and at times
impossible. As a result, Portugal looked for southern routes to obtain
gold, spices, and slaves and perhaps even establish contact with Prester
John, the Christian king in Africa or Asia. Although trade required the
establishment of forts, Christian missionary activity could be linked to
trade, and Islam could be outflanked by spreading Christianity to West,
South, and East Africa. Furthermore, a new trade route to India and the
Orient would be advantageous. Commerce and Christianity linked by
their respective goals would move south.

Students of world history should recall that at this time (A.D. 1492),
Columbus sailed westward and landed in the West Indies (modern-day
Bahamas) in search of a new route to India. His voyage opened the
North American continent to European settlement and to the eventual
development of Western nations.

Vasco da Gama traveled from Portugal on a historical voyage that took him
past the Cape of Good Hope and along the east coast of Africa in A.D. 1497.
On this voyage, he visited Mombasa and Malindi, and an Arab traveler told
him how to travel the Indian Ocean to India. According to Isichei:

When Vasco da Gama reached Calicut, in May 1498, he said that
he came in search of Christians and spices. A sea route to India
would enable the Portuguese to bypass the Muslim middlemen
who controlled the routes through the Near East, and, perhaps
find a new ally in Prester John. (53)

As early as A.D. 1402, the Spanish Franciscans did missionary work
in the Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa, and between A.D.
1456 and A.D. 1460, the Portuguese settled the Cape Verde islands. In
time, these islands became important for trade and for shipping slaves to
the European market.

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