Page 135 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

The Middle Ages

many tears of devotion, and with fervent hope that the Church which
they would found there might endure until the end of the world” (4).

Figure 7.1—Early Explorers’ Map of Africa

The Portuguese asked permission from Chief Nana Caramansa to build
a fort at Elmina, but the chief begged them to go elsewhere. However, in
spite his plea, they built a citadel and then a church building, which they
named São Jorge (St. George). The fort soon assumed the name “Castle
of São Jorge.” Thus, the church was established in an enclosure without
the approval of the local residents. Clearly, this method of church
planting differed from the model given in the book of Acts!

In A.D. 1482, Diogo Cão led the first Portuguese expedition south
of the equator. As Edgerton puts it: “Still 150 miles from shore, Cão
was surprised to see the blue-green ocean slowly turning the color of
tea, then dark brown, before, to his amazement, it became covered
by plants of all sorts, including large trees” (9). What they saw was the
mouth of the Congo River, the second largest river in the world. Only
the Amazon River in South America pushes more water into the sea.

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