The Lost African Series: Colonialism In The Church

In Paleoanthropology, the recent Afro origin of modern humans, also called the *"Out of Africa(OOA) theory"*, argues that the human race started from Africa. People migrated to other parts of the world which populated the world by the constant replacement of older human species.

So many things of the world started in Africa. Most theories argue in support of the assertion that the human race itself started from Africa and gradually populated the world through migration. Civilization itself started in Africa precisely Egypt where most renowned philosophers like Plato, Aristotle and etc travelled to to learn from Africa their rich civilization. Imhotep, an Egyptian who was the father of medicine is today been replaced by Hippocrates. It is very obvious that due to our lack of knowledge of our history as a people, We continually perish and belittle ourselves.

Today, the whole world regards Hippocrates as the father of medicine in disguised grammar as the *Modern Father of Medicine* because we as a people have have to recognise our potentials and know our history. A nation with no knowledge of her past is definitely a lost one. Irrigation systems, science, medicine, architecture and even *Christianity* were present in Africa before the coming of the Europeans *(return of our lost brothers who had journeyed away from their home of birth)* yet today, we strip ourselves of all that we have and give credit to *the white man who came with Schnapps in one hand and Bible in the other*.

We revere the white man who condemned our culture of human sacrifice yet threw our life bodies in the cold sea to die_. Is there grading in cruelty and murder? Or do their Bible allow the *carriage of slaves and alcohol in the same ships that carried the Bible?* _While they preached against polygamy, they had illegitimate affairs with the African women bringing forth "mulatto" children._ Until, we go back to our history books where the likes of Egypt, Timbuktu, and other cities were havens of civilization and most especially education, we will continue to be a lost race.

Dr. John Mbuti, an African scholar and Theologian in his book, *THE EARLY CHURCH IN AFRICA*,: stated emphatically that, *"Christianity in Africa is so old that it can be rightly? described as an indigenous, traditional African religion ".* Right from the Bible, one can trace the presence of African Christians. The *Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts chapter 8 got converted long before the apostle Paul took the gospel to Europe and long before colonialism*

_Again, in Acts Chapter 13 where the Believers gathered to fast and pray, some African believers were named among these people which included Some on also called Niger(which means black) and Lucius all from Cyrene( a country known to be in North Africa) Simon of Cyrene is believed to have helped Jesus in carrying his cross in Matthew 27:32)_

Jesus and his family were in Egypt for some years before they returned to Nazareth and is believed to have learnt how to walk and talk while there. It is also a fact many brilliant ancient church fathers such as Augustine, Euthanasia, *Tertullian, the Theologian who first coined the term, *"Trinity"* , Cyprian and others were Africans yet we look down on ourselves as barbaric people until the coming of the *Schnapps Missionaries*. It is an undeniable fact that these European missionaries helped in the wide spread of Christianity but *they were definitely not the ones to introduce Christianity to Africans*. The first Catechetical or theological seminary in the world was in Alexandria in Egypt. *The theological controversies in the 4th Century which brought about the Nicene creed now apostles creed, an important statement of faith which is used by many churches world-wide today has its roots from African theology*

The *Kebra Negast* accounts on the amorous affair between King Solomon of Isreal and Queen Sheba of Ethiopia whose power extended to Egypt which brought forth an offspring called *Menelik* who started the Solomon dynasty in Ethiopia. Queen Sheba converted to *Judaism* as a result of this relationship and this started the spread of Christianity in Ethiopia. The Ark of covenant which contains the two tablets of the Ten commandments is alleged to be in the Ethiopia Church in Axum which together with Egypt Coptic Church existed before the Church of England. The ark of covenant is alleged to be kept under guard in a treasury near the Church of our Lady Mary of Zion.

Unfortunately, Africans of today think otherwise of themselves and succumb to everything western to the extent that *Pastors who speak English are mostly revered and believed to be the true men of God whereas pastors who speak our local languages are seen as fake*. Until we revisit our history as a people, We will forever be lost. *Christianity existed before colonialism and we must purge ourselves off colonialism in the Church*

*©Asamani Mercy(Mercedes)*
_I am a Pan-African and I write on socio-economic issues. Do well to visit me on www.yaagh.com or [email protected]_