Christian missionaries benefited from colonial advances because Europeans were interested in the continent of Africa and the wealth it could create for them. The coastal regions were their biggest interest. The coastal regions were perfect for trading purposes and trading posts were established. The Europeans saw Africa and the wealth it possessed and its abundant amount of natural resources and Western Europeans wanted to start trade with Africa. Missionaries tried to spread the Christian religion to Africa while at the same time had the agenda to spread the Western culture in Africa. Europeans exploited the potential wealth of Africa. What started out as a journey for missionaries to spread the Christian religion turned into Europeans trying to force Africans into accepting foreign rule. Europeans tried to colonize as much African land as possible.

Christian missionaries were disruptive in African society because the Africans that they were able to convert no longer followed the authority of their local chiefs. The missionaries gave the European armies useful information and helped support their expeditions against African groups that didn’t want to accept the Christian religion. The Europeans forced Christianity onto the African people and it resulted in some African leaders beginning to regulate contact with the West or ban communication all together. However, due to the trading posts and development of trade within the coastal regions, some leaders and countries became dependent on the trades and could not prohibit contact with the west. Europeans used the strategy of divide and conquer by studying the rivalries between different African groups and forged alliances with some groups against others.

Some of the positive impacts of colonialism on African societies were that the colonial governments developed railroads, ports, roads, technology etc. However, there were many negative impacts such as the European policies hurt the African traditional economics. The changes led to a loss of land ownership and labor which resulted in an increase in the poverty level and less land ownership for the African people. Another effect of colonialism was how the cash crops hurt the neighboring countries in Africa because they stopped trading among their neighbors and instead traded using cash crops. Cash crops made it so there was more trade going on with countries overseas than with the neighboring countries in Africa.

The European colonialism brought the western culture to Africa such as the European education system and religion. The concept of Ubuntu illustrates the point that the African Christians have started to assert their spiritual autonomy from the west because it has allowed there to be connections made between Christianity and Africa’s unique cultural traditions. Ubuntu is an African ancient word meaning “humanity to others”. We are all part of the whole which makes up humanity.

There are a few things that the west can learn from African Christianity. One of which is the power of prayer. African Christians pray on multiple occasions. Prayer is something that African’s participate in multiple times throughout the day. The African Christians are involved with helping others and providing hospitality to people in need. The African people take care of their own family, extended family, and others whether it be by helping to provide shelter or food. The act of hospitality is something that comes naturally and is a constant practice among African people and their communities.

Source: Jacob, Douglas Global Gospel: An Intro. To Christianity on Five Continents

Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Academic 2015