History of African Christianity: Transmission, Assimilation and Creativity

The advantage of a one-author versus multi-author historical survey is that one voice gives coherence and understanding, versus the detail and complexity that multiple authors bring to the story being told. That advantage is on great display in Professor Musa Gaiya's A History of African Christianity: Transmission, Assimilation and Creativity. Building upon a thorough command of the most recent research and guided by the wisdom and insight of two of the twentieth century's most gifted historians of Christianity, Andrew F Walls and Ogbu Kalu, Professor Gaiya quickly and effectively guides his readers through the long march of the evangelization of the African continent by followers of Jesus Christ. Over twenty years of teaching African students and writing history for African readers allows Professor Gaiya to tell the story of Chrsitianity from the perspective of the questions African Christians most often ask. And the answers Professor Gaiya offers show his awareness of the ways that the Christian faith is evolving in Africa. This short book provides a helpful introduction to the study of African Christian history.
Andrew E Barnes
Professor of History
Arizona State University