EPISODE 7 – “Is Jesus a Foreign God? African Spirituality vs. Christianity” – Christianity has it been part of the continent’s history for centuries. That as it may, many Africans today see Christianity as a Western import, disconnected from their indigenous cultures and spirituality. This perception has led some to reject Jesus, believing Him to be a foreign deity irrelevant to African realities.
In this thought-provoking discussion, we unpack the historical, cultural, and theological factors behind this belief. We ask the question – is Christianity truly a foreign religion in Africa? We’ll explore how colonialism shaped perceptions of Christianity, the tension between African spirituality and biblical faith, and how believers can reclaim and contextualize the gospel within an authentic African identity.
Key Topics We Cover:
The historical link between Christianity, colonialism, and Western influence.
The struggle of African identity within the Christian faith.
How African Adventists can present Jesus as relevant to African culture.
Join the conversation! Share your thoughts in the comments: Is Jesus a foreign God, or does He belong in the African spiritual heritage?
What do you think? Is Jesus a foreign God, or is He for all people? Let us know in the comments!
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Amen
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As a Caribbean person i agree 💯 with the answers Pastor Papu gave. I know some blacks people think Jesus white and Christianity is for whites
Many Caribbeans looks to Ethiopia as the real birth place for our religion hence Rastafarian
Thank you so much Melvee and Dr Papu for enlightenment
So the Christian Religion existed before the Europeans came?
I just love this! Blessings!😊
March 30,2025:
Very important and needed. But, I have a perspective and invite a little more research. God always works from east to west. When last I checked Europe is west of Africa and much less endowed with spiritual roots. I invite us to read a book called: “ African Roots: The African Connections” by Charles E. Bradford. Which expands the Sabbath roots of Africa not only to Ethiopia in the east, but to north and west Africa! Long before there was a Christian fartherless a Sabbath keeper in Europe. Africans have Sabbath in their DNA! That’s why they take to it so readily. Be encouraged, there is history though hidden. Seek and you shall find.
Amen! We all look and act like Him when we accept and obey Him.
Galatians 3:26-29.
Maponga needs to research more about these things
I believe the whole point of bringing Christianity in Africa was to brainwash us.
I like hearing Mfundisi saying read the Bible because that is an eye opener
Knowledge increases, men run to and fro, Jesus is surely coming again. Thanks to you men of God for these insights stay blessed
God has always spoken to societies in ways they understand, even before Abraham was called or people began writing scriptures. Sacrifices were not originally required by God but were part of Israel’s cultural practices. God allowed them to continue in this because it was what they could relate to—just as the Messiah had to be an offspring of David for the people to accept Him. The Magi were already studying the stars, showing that God engaged people within their existing contexts. The fact that some recorded their experiences while others did not does not invalidate the truth of those experiences.
The commission that began with the apostles and Jewish converts was later taken over by Europeans, shaping their interpretation of Christianity. Today, the Jews—who were originally entrusted with spreading this message—are largely absent from this mission.
If Jesus preached on earth for three years, why was there still a need for Paul’s experience and his commission? Was Christ’s message not already sufficient?
The book of Revelation describes the New Jerusalem, where the temple imagery suggests a distinction between Jews and Gentiles, with Gentiles remaining outside the inner court (Revelation 11vs2
As Africans, we need to examine these matters with a broader perspective.
There is different between God and the Creator's.
"The sun never forgets a village no matter how small.' -African Proverb. "I and the Father are One." – Jesus of Nazareth. Father Sun? Mother Earth? Are men confused about Creation? And if humanity was born in Africa, are all foreigners just older Africans?
How does Christianity free African societies of corruption, tribal division, political fragmentation, poverty & other ills they face?
When individuals and religious leaders continue to discuss the authenticity of Christ and whether he is a foreign figure, it reveals that they have not yet fully understood him. True understanding only comes when one becomes aware of him and begins to live with him in their consciousness. It is not about debating his existence that brings comfort or understanding of him. But rather discovering his presence within oneself.
Instead of looking outside, look within to find Christ.
Profound nuggets thank you
Jesus and Jehovah are foreign Gods in Africa
There is no such as universal God or God that created there is no such thing even if you read king James Bible carefully genesis 1 you see that there was no creation rather preparation putting things in order and the original script instead of God it says alahayam or elohim which is Gods in plural but because king James the I of England and VI of Scotland the gay king and his colleagues had thier evil agenda to control the whole world thier God Jehovah or Jesus Christ became the only true God and the creator trust me had Amaxhosa colonized the whole world Qamata would be the only true God and the creator had Nigerians colonized the whole world Amadioha would be the only true God and the creator had Chinese colonized the whole world Bhudda would be the only true God and the creator but because Europeans colonized the whole world thier Gods Jehovah and Jesus Christ are the only true God and creator while those who were colonized by Arabs Allah is the only true God and the creator
LET US START FROM THE HISTORY
JESUS, become a Foreign God to any country or group of people simply because they want to walk away from God's Word or Recreate God's Word to suit their want. Wisdom too has become a source of division among church members because they think they are wiser among the church members they can be easily accepted with their ideas and what they say. God's word easily accepted, if it is taken away or easily added on, that is the falling away begins. JESUS SAID, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER, EXCEPT THROUGH ME. (JESUS BECOME A FOREIGN GOD BECAUSE YOU STARTED OR BREAKING UP HIS WORD TO SUIT YOURSELF OR CULTURE)
Insightful, I am impressed by the thought provoking, direct questions brought to the table. The topic has been an attraction and point of argument nowadays between those who believe in the Bible and those who believe in African religion.
Thank you for this series, Melvee. I will differ from Dr Papu. Jesus and Christianity are foreign to Africa. Here are the premises to support my submission:
1. The compositional nature of the Gospels imitates the Greek classics, as has been shown by bible scholar Denis MacDonald.
2. It is not compositional level, but the imagery and the motifs found in the Greek classics are found in the gospels
3. The idea of the rising and dying gods is more Hellenistic than African (except Osris' mythic idea, which is African)
4. The idea of Virgin birth is also dominant in ancient Western culture (Justin, in his Apology, acknowledges the similarities between Greco-Roman heroes which predate Christ but then goes on to claim these were demonic influences
5. The Gospels and the Letters of Paul (Christian theology) have been proven to be influenced by Plato and Stoic philosophy. (The reading of Meditations by Aurelius will show this). Furthermore, church fathers (who, by the way, were mostly Africans, particularly Augustine, who was well-versed in Plato, stated that “I found that whatever truth I had read [in the Platonists] was [in the writings of Paul] combined with the exaltation of thy grace.”
6. The concepts of Heaven (Paradise) and Hell can also be traced from the Greek and Hellenistic ideas.
7. It is extremely fallacious to argue that because certain literature is translated into vernacular language, therefore, the subject matter of that literature must be regarded as part of that culture.
8. The New Testament critical scholars, both Christians and Skeptics, raise serious questions about the gospels being a historical fact [Instead, they claim that there is a mixture of accurate, fictional and legendary content in the gospels.
To conclude, Christianity's genealogical substructure is informed by Greco-Roman ideas. However, because it is a universalising religion, it found itself in different geographies and has also been influenced by the cultures of those geographies.
Please do not read this as a call for Africans to reject Christianity because of its foreignness. There are many ideas that we have espoused that are not African. If Christianity has been used as a tool to fight many forms of oppression, then it is functional, and we can continue to use it as that tool.
Dankooo.
Amen
Without the SUN and the MOON there is no life on earth and therefore the issue of Jesus Christ is meaningless to me .
If the SUN dies everyday , who we are not to die .