Understanding African Socio-Cultural Context: Contemporary Challenges to Christian Missions in the 21st Century.

Abstract

Heuristically, the paper seeks to understand the religious perception of Africans otherwise regarded as the indigenous people and their contact with the missionary message. It adopts a historical, hermeneutical, and critical interpretation of some preconceived ideas about Africans as well as their reactions to the gospel message. It discovers that the introduction of the faith was done with clear intentions; slavery and economic exploitation, prejudices, and hence the demeaning attitude and bastardisation of the rich socio-cultural background of the people. However, the wisdom of the continent paved the way for the accommodation of messages. The paper concludes by recommending the following as some of the way forward: the messenger bearing the message should seek to know the socio-cultural background of African tradition, the Jesus’ attitude of non-condemnation should be adopted as a global standard for all missionary volunteers to present-day Africa in order to put on record the right perspective about the people and lastly, African charismatic which has played a dominant role in the daily lives of the people has been enculturated into the life of the churches in Africa as evidenced in the dance pattern and gospel music, these should be greatly encouraged.