The Cross and the Crown: A Study of the Interplay Between Christian Missionaries and Colonialists in the Gold Coast

2025-04-28T09:26:48+00:00

The nature of the relations between European imperialists and European Christian missionaries in Africa has resulted in various perceptions, opinions, and interpretations about their roles on the continent. While some scholars argue that the missionaries are forerunners of colonialism, thereby paving the way for Europeans to colonise Africa, some are of the opinion that, it was the European imperialists who made it possible for the missionaries to spread Christianity in Africa. Still, others opine that the missionaries were genuine men of God seeking to spread the word without any political inclinations. The findings of some case studies have been used as generalisation for the whole continent, but the issue requires a holistic approach to achieve a more balanced assessment. This paper therefore undertook a study of Ghana to examine the specific role of the early European Christian missionaries in the country. Were they agents of colonialism in disguise or genuine men of God? The paper explored the intersections, conflicts, and collaborations between the European Christian missionaries and the imperialists within the region of modern-day Ghana, tracing from the arrival of the first Europeans up to the period of colonial rule. The evidence from this study revealed that, in the case of Ghana, the Christian missionaries were genuine and not forerunners for the European imperialists. Their interactions and the resultant consequences were accidental and not deliberately orchestrated. This paper contributes to the history of Christianity in Ghana with emphasis on the specific role of early European Christian missionaries.

After Battles then comes War: Juxtaposing the Role of the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland in Gukurahundi Healing and Reconciliation

2025-04-11T17:15:49+00:00

This paper juxtaposed with the unresolved Gukurahundi which affected people from Matabeleland and Midlands between 1982 and 1987. While various attempts have been sought to address the ambivalence faced by the victims, healing and reconciliation have not materialised prompting a need to find alternatives to address the issue. In this case, the paper discussed the various programs by the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland to contribute the healing and reconciliation. The paper is couched in Juan Luis Segundo’s hermeneutics of suspicion. This theory gives a critical framework for examining religious texts and practices to uncover hidden power structures and biases that perpetuate oppression. The paper was guided by the transformative paradigm where qualitative research design was used. Data was collected through interviews and group discussions. The argument of the paper is premised on the notion that Gukurahundi while seems to be an isolated and painful period for the people in Matabeleland and Midlands, has the potential to escalate to other parts of the country as an act of revenge, hence a need to bring all possible mitigation strategies to ensure a healed and reconciled nation and the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland has a critical role to play in positioning itself as a relevant, responsible and caring institute. The paper contributes to knowledge and practices of addressing Gukurahundi by unpacking the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland approach to healing through various church social services.

E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies

The Cross and the Crown: A Study of the Interplay Between Christian Missionaries and Colonialists in the Gold Coast

After Battles then comes War: Juxtaposing the Role of the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland in Gukurahundi Healing and Reconciliation