Evangelical Christianity and Democracy in Africa

Download or read book Evangelical Christianity and Democracy in Africa written by Terence O. Ranger and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2008-04-17 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What happens when a revivalist religion based on scriptural orthodoxy participates in the volatile politics of the Third World? This volume considers the case of Africa, the region with the world's fastest-expanding population. Christianity, especially in its evangelical and Pentecostal forms, has acquired many millions of new adherents in Africa in recent decades. The attitudes and behavior of these believers could have vast consequences for growth, development and democratization. In his Introduction, editor Terence Ranger provides a historical overview. The book then offers individual case studies of six countries: Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, and Mozambique. The contributors, mainly younger scholars based in Africa, bring first-hand knowledge to their chapters and employ both field and archival research to develop their data and analyses. The result is a groundbreaking work that will be indispensable to everyone concerned with the future of this volatile region.