Page 156 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

We have noted previously the failure of Christian missions in East
Africa. By the eighteenth century, New Testament Christianity had
made little progress on the continent; however, as noted earlier, good
seeds were sown that would bring a harvest. Meanwhile, Islam was
expanding. Ogot adds:

Turning to Islam, it is evident that its expansion in Africa is an
important theme of the period from 1500 to 1800. In the Lower
Guinea coast, for example, the Manden and Hausa traders
introduced Islam. It spread along the northern trade routes,
reaching Asante and Baule in the 1750s. By 1800, Kamusi had
a thriving Muslim quarter with a Kuranic school. In the Upper
Guinea coast, the Fulbe and the Manden were responsible for
the spread of Islam.… The spread of Islam was associated with
political domination in many regions of Africa.… In the Sudan,
Islamization of the north of the country created an ideological
frontier between northern and southern Sudan that is still very
marked. (446)

In summary, as a result of factors both internally and externally, the
gospel made some progress in Africa between 1500 and 1800. The
Protestant Reformation in Europe did not produce a mighty river of
missions; however, the Catholic branch of Christianity was involved on
the African continent during this period. Meanwhile, the Moravians and
other Protestants were beginning to respond to the Lord of the Harvest.
As a result of the Great Awakening in Great Britain and North America, an
evangelical mission was birthed, and Africans on the continent became
concerned about sharing the gospel. While Christianity advanced slowly,
Islam made significant gains in many places.

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