Christian missions were organized efforts to spread the christian faith for the purpose of extending religious teaching at home or abroad. Christianity in northern uganda east africa travel guide. Moreover, christianity had a direct political purpose. Its borders, drawn in an artificial and arbitrary manner in the late 19th century, encompassed two essentially different types of societies. There are improvements in education, health and transport. The new testament of the bible mentions several events in which africans were witnesses to the life of christ and the ministry of the apostles. Christianity, despite its eclipse from most of northern africa in subsequent centuries. Reid examines the political, economic and social history of uganda, providing a unique and wide. There are plans for a threestory museum that will hold artifacts of the history of the anglican church in uganda, a retired anglican archbishop told. New maps of the history of world christianity open access lmu. Britain and germany signed a treaty giving britain rights to what was to become uganda. The bible has mentioned the name of africa in several ways and they have witnessed the life of jesus christ. The spread of christianity in uganda christianity and subimperialism the fact that christianity, in its two rival creeds, became the religion of buganda profoundly affected its spread to other parts of colonial uganda.
An african representing the northern region of uganda joined the legco making the total number of africans 4. Nyerere retires and is replaced by the president of zanzibar, ali mwinyi. It is also possible that islam could have reached uganda earlier through the northern axis, from egypt and sudan. The history of christianity in ghana the arrival of the europeans in 15th century into the then gold coast brought christianity to the land. The best articles from christianity today on uganda. This unprecedented work is the first onevolume study of the history of christianity in africa. History of christianity in uganda discover uganda, tour. Literary data concerning the history of mission in the subsaharan african region.
Other denominations include seventhday adventist, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, jehovahs witnesses, baptists, the unification church, and pentecostal churches. Followers of african religions tend to establish shrines to various local gods and spirits in a variety of locations. Seventhly, there was considerable hostility to african traditional religion. The first anglican missionaries arrived in uganda in 1877. Any african christian who raised it risked victimization. Missionaries first arrived at the court of kabaka muteesa in 1877, almost a century after. The first brought the bantuspeaking peoples from further west in africa, and the second, the nilotic people from sudan and ethiopia. Uganda obtained formal independence on october 9, 1962. However, the real conflict in uganda emerges from the british system of indirect rule, which favoured the kingdom of buganda due to its predominant exposure to christianity pulford 4. He lives in zomba, malawi with his wife and three small children. Reasons will be explored for the relative marginality of christianity in most of africa before the nineteenth century.
A history of christianity in uganda kevin ward buganda and christianity buganda in the 19th century 1 christianity came late to uganda compared with many other parts of africa. The uganda martyrs are a group of 23 anglican and 22 catholic converts to christianity in the historical kingdom of buganda, now part of uganda, who were executed. He did not, however, have the same success with converting local people to christianity. The north of uganda was assigned to the verona fathers, an italian society founded by bishop daniel comboni, whose centre of activity was the sudan. Sep 19, 2015 however, the real conflict in uganda emerges from the british system of indirect rule, which favoured the kingdom of buganda due to its predominant exposure to christianity pulford 4.
A study that both predates and updates hastings 1994, but neglects the recent proliferation of evangelical, charismatic, and pentecostal churches. These broad families are still geographically split today, the bantu in the centre and south of the country and the nilotic peoples in the north. A year later appeared his translation of st lukes gospel into what he called nyika, and in 1850 he translated st marks gospel into kamba. Th e report then proceeds to country case studies of djibouti, ethiopia, eritrea, sudan, somalia, kenya, tanzania and uganda, providing a brief overview of the history of religion and con. First church missionary society cms christians came to buganda. Uganda has followers of christianity, islam, and african traditional religions. A history of christianity in africa elizabeth isichei. The first roman catholic missionaries arrived in 1879. About fourfifths of the population is christian, primarily divided between roman catholics and protestants mostly anglicans but also including pentecostals, seventhday adventists, baptists, and presbyterians. Culture of uganda history, people, clothing, women, beliefs. Death is sometimes interpreted in the idiom of witchcraft. Missionaries first arrived at the court of kabaka muteesa in 1877.
The application to the british governor of uganda for permission to enter the country to do missions work was denied because some religious leaders of that. Paradoxically, although christianity in western uganda early threw off tutelage from buganda, christianity did nevertheless develop a long line first worked out in. Evidence from the paleolithic era shows humans have inhabited uganda for at least 50,000 years. The theology of inculturation and the african church. The history of christianity in africa probably began during the earthly ministry of jesus christ, two thousand years ago. The christian churches, with their presence on the ground and. Christianity came late to uganda compared with many other parts of africa. Uganda religions christianity is the majority religion, practiced by about 66% of the population, with about 90% of all christians being roman catholics or anglicans. After sharing the simple story of christianity with king mutesa, he became very enthusiastic about christianity and asked stanley to write a letter to queen victoria of.
Ugandan muslims make pilgrimages to mecca when they can. History uganda experienced two great waves of migration. Christianity today provides thoughtful, biblical perspectives on theology, church, ministry, and culture on the official site of christianity today magazine. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. The spread of christianity in uganda discover uganda. The forests of uganda were gradually cleared for agriculture by people who probably. Henry stanley, british explorer and journalist, met king mutesa, the kabaka king of buganda a central ugandan tribe in april 1875.
History of uganda lonely planet travel information. The spread of christianity in uganda discover uganda, tour. A decade later the country is back under the rule of law apart from some northern regions, where rebellion rumbles on. Jun 29, 2015 on the other hand, in lango, odora of aduku did actively promote protestant christianity. History of pentecostalism in uganda in the winter of 1955 56, during a week night service, god gave a prophetic call to glad tidings take the full gospel to uganda, east africa. Expansion of african independent churches throughout africa christianity introduced to aksum portuguese missionaries arrive in africa christianity introduced into egypt. His subjects were able to join the religion of their choice. One historical fact that is widely held by church historians is that christianity started well before the era of colonialism. The uganda martyrs are a group of 23 anglican and 22 catholic converts to christianity in the historical kingdom of buganda, now part of uganda, who were executed between 31 january 1885 and 27 january 1887. The spread of christianity in uganda christianity and subimperialism the fact that christianity, in its two rival creeds, became the religion of buganda profoundly affected its spread to. However, christianity appeared in uganda in western dress.
The application to the british governor of uganda for permission to enter the country to. But the catholics also struggled to make an impact. Abridged syllabus the history of global christian traditions anne blankenship course. I am in the midst of a project to understand the formation of catholic communities in eastern africa todays uganda, kenya, and tanzania. Todd statham is a missionary of the presbyterian church in canada, seconded to the church of central africa presbyterian blantyre synod as a lecturer at zomba theological college. Uganda and relates the history of the break the silence campaign. Written by elizabeth isichei, a leading scholar in this field, a history of christianity in africa examines the origins and development of christianity in africa from the early story of egyptian christianity to the spectacular growth, vitality, and diversity of the churches in africa today. Culture of uganda history, people, clothing, women. Melani mcalisters new history aims to capture what the familiar political. A history of christianity in uganda research paper. That theology must be open to the aspiration of the people of africa if it is to help christianity to become incarnate. Krapf was a skilled linguist in 1847 he translated genesis into swahili. Buganda in the 19th century 1 christianity came late to uganda compared with many other parts of africa.
A history of modern uganda this book is the rst major study in several decades to consider uganda as a nation,from its precolonial roots to the present day. Christianity in uganda began with contacts between. Krapf, rebmann, and erhardt, all working under the cms. The historical fact is that christianity came to africa before it came to europe and north america. Evidence from the paleolithic era shows humans have inhabited uganda for. Mutesa let the muslims, catholics, and protestants operate openly.
In 2009, the northern and west nile regions were dominated by roman. Uganda is a religiously diverse nation with christianity being the most widely professed religion. According to the 2014 census, over 84 percent of the population was christian while about 14 percent of the population adhered to islam, making it the largest minority religion. Early african christianity regrettably, some scholars of african culture and religion have acquired a persistent habit of assuming that christianity began in africa only a couple of centuries ago. Christianity would have begun as a religion when the people who have met christ shared their experiences with other africans. Uganda mission would doubtless have been the most brilliant record of the spread of the gospel. Christianity spread in africa nearly two thousand years ago. Missionaries first arrived at the court of kabaka muteesa in 1877, almost a century after the missionary impetus from europe had begun. The history of christianmuslim relations, texts and studies presents the surviving record of past encounters in a variety of forms. Their coming of christian missionaries to east africa and africa in general was based on a number of motives which were humanitarian, economic, political and social in nature. Also, in line with british ideas of social darwinism and racial science, buganda was favoured as it had a more advanced system of political organisation than. So, two years later, christianity first came to uganda when eight missionaries from the church missionary society arrived in 1877.
But christianity is not a recent arrival in africa. A history of christianity in uganda buganda in the 19th century christianity came late to uganda compared with many other parts of africa. After sharing the simple story of christianity with king mutesa, he became very enthusiastic about christianity and asked stanley to write a letter to queen victoria of england, appealing for missionaries. Uganda under amin never had proper relations with tanzania, and tensions eventually boiled over in the late 70s, the two countries went to war, by the end of that war the amin regime was ousted from power in uganda and he was driven into exile. On the other hand, in lango, odora of aduku did actively promote protestant christianity. First white father french catholics visited buganda. Essay on a history of christianity in uganda 11554 words.
The history of the introduction of christianity and islam into uganda has been described in books and articles too numerous to be mentioned here. Although islam was not introduced in uganda through a well. The history of uganda comprises the history of the people who inhabited the territory of presentday uganda before the establishment of the republic of uganda, and the history of that country once it was established. The christians not only wanted to teach the principles of the christian religion, but also aspired to inculcate western civilization and uproot the local customs. Not only sierra leone, but also the uganda church, were por. There were many different cultural groups across the west african region who were practicing different forms of spirituality.
The white missionaries anglican, white fathers and mill hill fathers introduced christianity in this part of africa as a result of kabaka muteesa i. Christianity in east africa owes an immense debt to this trio of german lutherans. The christians not only wanted to teach the principles of the christian religion, but also aspired to inculcate western civilization and uproot the local. It will additionally examine christianity in subsaharan africa before 1800 including the ethiopian orthodox church and kongo catholicism. How christianity developed uganda monday february 27 2017 pilgrims pray before the monument that marks the place where the rev fr simeon lourdel and brother amans landed at kigungu landing site of. A history of christianity in uganda dictionary of african christian. The war in northern uganda is both rooted in religion and reinforced by. Exploring the history of uganda and the effects of british. The economy is making vast strides an annual growth rate of 5% in the early 1990s and of more than 8% in 1996. Using information provided in the text and on the map christianity in africa, fill in the following important events and the dates when they occurred. Riots in buganda challenging the by passing of government price controls on the exports sales of cotton. Shortly afterwards the first missionaries came to uganda.