Page 170 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

The record of the Niger Mission is important in African church history
because it is the first record of West Africans taking the lead in carrying
the gospel inland. Even though Nigeria had been confronted with the
claims of Christ, Bishop Crowther continued his ministry with zeal until
he passed away in 1899, at over the age of 90. We cannot overemphasize
his significance to the history of the African church.

It may surprise some students of African church history to learn
that while the Great Awakening
in the Protestant churches in
Europe and North America
Black missionaries, provided missionaries for Africa,

were key agents in the the church in Africa is not simply
the result of European missionary
establishment and activity. It is unfortunate indeed

spread of Christianity that some historians begin the
story of African Christianity with
in the African context. the coming of colonial powers
in the nineteenth century. As
we have learned, the story of
African Christianity began long before the nineteenth century. Jehu
Hanciles adds:

In the divine providence the abolition movement stimulated
one of the most compelling missionary movements in history.
Critical to that story is the black element, so much overlooked
or marginalized in popular accounts. The European dimension
was hugely significant, but black missionaries, predominantly ex-
African slaves, were key agents in the establishment and spread
of Christianity in the African context. (183)

Liberia

Toward the end of the eighteenth century, many in the United States
raised their voices in opposition to slavery. In 1781, Thomas Jefferson,
who would later became President of the United States and was a slave
owner himself, called slavery “a great political and moral evil” and “a
blot in this country” (quoted in Sanneh 1983, 89). By the early part
of the nineteenth century, there were thousands of freed slaves in the
northern United States. The United States was inspired to follow the

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