Is Africa Incurably Religious?

The contributions in the volume question the widespread thesis that Africa is ‘incurably religious’ by studying both the presence and meaning of secularization in sub-Saharan Africa and among the African diaspora. This exercise requires sustained interest in the notion of secularization itself. It explores whether the understanding of secularization will need to be challenged and enlarged to properly detect and understand the secularization processes in this continent that is known for its religious fervour. The essays in the first part focus on Africa’s cultural and religious traditions. Though the modern term of secularization cannot be uncritically applied here, the different authors argue that there are both signs and seeds of secularization present in Africa’s traditional worldview and practices. Essays in the second part study secularization in contemporary Africa, in for example, the world of higher education and the rise of neo-Pentecostalism. It also contains regional reports from both Africa and the African Diaspora. The final section explores what the reality of secularization in its various expressions means for Christian discipleship in contemporary Africa.

The contributions in the volume question the widespread thesis that Africa is ‘incurably religious’ by studying both the presence and meaning of secularization in sub-Saharan Africa and among the African diaspora. This exercise requires sustained interest in the notion of secularization itself. It explores whether the understanding of secularization will need to be challenged and enlarged to properly detect and understand the secularization processes in this continent that is known for its religious fervour. The essays in the first part focus on Africa’s cultural and religious traditions. Though the modern term of secularization cannot be uncritically applied here, the different authors argue that there are both signs and seeds of secularization present in Africa’s traditional worldview and practices. Essays in the second part study secularization in contemporary Africa, in for example, the world of higher education and the rise of neo-Pentecostalism. It also contains regional reports from both Africa and the African Diaspora. The final section explores what the reality of secularization in its various expressions means for Christian discipleship in contemporary Africa.

The contributions in the volume question the widespread thesis that Africa is ‘incurably religious’ by studying both the presence and meaning of secularization in sub-Saharan Africa and among the African diaspora. This exercise requires sustained interest in the notion of secularization itself. It explores whether the understanding of secularization will need to be challenged and enlarged to properly detect and understand the secularization processes in this continent that is known for its religious fervour. The essays in the first part focus on Africa’s cultural and religious traditions. Though the modern term of secularization cannot be uncritically applied here, the different authors argue that there are both signs and seeds of secularization present in Africa’s traditional worldview and practices. Essays in the second part study secularization in contemporary Africa, in for example, the world of higher education and the rise of neo-Pentecostalism. It also contains regional reports from both Africa and the African Diaspora. The final section explores what the reality of secularization in its various expressions means for Christian discipleship in contemporary Africa.