Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Jesus the Christ in Africa

The Christian religion in North Africa was one of the first Christian communities first arriving in the 1st century AD. In the 15th century, the Christian religion came to sub-Saharan Africa by Portuguese slave traders.

The majority of Africans are Christians. Jesus in Africa means Christ, the Anointed One, Emmanuel, Savior, the Redeemer, Only Begotten Son, Lord, Son of God, Son of Man and Messiah, sacred titles for Africans to call upon God in the name of the Son for evermore.

The Christian religion in North Africa was one of the first Christian communities first arriving in the 1st century AD.

Top Ten Christian African Countries.

Lesotho - Christianity 99%
Sao Tome and Principe - Christianity 99%
Rwanda - Christianity 98%
Cabo Verde - Christianity 98%
Zambia - Christianity 98%
Zimbabwe - Christianity 97%
Democratic Republic of the Congo - Christianity 95%
Angola - Christianity 92%
Gabon - Christianity 91%
Eswatini - Christianity 90%

Here is a percentage chart and explanation of the major African religions.

Twenty-nine African countries are predominantly Christian.

Thirteen are majority Islamic.

One African country is majority Hindu. 

One African country is majority Indigenous beliefs. 

Note: most religions on the African continent are practiced in a combination of religious belief platforms as it is a common scene to see a combination of religious beliefs practiced side by side in many African countries.


Brief description of major African Religions.

Psalms 68:31 KJV
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

Animism.

Animism is the belief that non-human entities contain souls or spirits. Animism the World’s Oldest Religion, in Africa today Animist beliefs and organized religious practices such as Islam and Christianity are practiced side by side. Animism is from the Latin word anima, meaning breath, spirit, and life.

Christianity.

Christianity's central belief maintains Jesus of Nazareth is the promised messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that his life, death, and resurrection are salvific for the world. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Catholicism is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. Orthodox Christianity is the oldest established eastern form of Christianity. The Orthodox Christian faith shares many theological tenets with the Roman Catholic Church, but diverges on some key premises and does not recognize the governing authority of the Pope. The oldest Protestant Christianity’s include Lutheranism, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians, as well as Pentecostal movements.

Hinduism.

Unlike many of the world’s religions Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed set of teachings. The Hindu belief is that gods or divinities can take many forms, but all form one universal spirit called Brahman. The three most important representations of Brahman are Brahma, the creator of the universe, Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, and Shiva, the destroyer of the universe. Hinduism is derived from a Sanskrit word that means dwellers by the Indus River.

Islam.

Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final of all religious prophets beginning with Abraham and that the Qu'ran, which is the Islamic scripture, was revealed to him by God. Islam derives from the word submission, and obedience to God is a primary theme in this religion. The two primary branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia, Sunni Islam accounts for the vast majority of the world's Muslim population, 75 percent. 

Vodun.

Voodoo also known as Vodun is a form of spirit and ancestor worship combined with some Christian faiths, especially Catholicism. Voodoo has no written word; it is a nature based community centered religion that supports and empowers. Voodoo is a religion originating in Africa and is practiced around the world by millions of voodoo practitioners or Voodooists. Batá drums are also the iconic symbol and sound of the Vodun or Voodoo religion. The Epe Ekpe Voodoo Festival has been celebrated in the same area of Southern Togo for over 320 years.

In the 15th century, the Christian religion came to sub-Saharan Africa by Portuguese slave traders.


Acts 8:27 KJV
And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship


African County Largest Religion Percentage
Algeria Islamic 99%
Angola Christianity 92%
Benin Christianity 51%
Botswana Christianity 79.1%
Burkina Faso Islamic 61.5%
Burundi Christianity 85%
Cabo Verde Christianity 98%
Cameroon Christianity 73%
Central African Republic Christianity 89.5%
Chad Islamic 52%
Democratic Republic of the Congo Christianity 95%
Republic of the Congo Christianity 79%
Cote d'Ivoire Islamic 42.9%,
Djibouti Islamic 94%
Egypt Islamic 90%
Equatorial Guinea Christianity 89%
Eritrea Christianity 50% Islamic 50%
Eswatini Christianity 90%
Ethiopia Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%
Gabon Christianity 91%
The Gambia Islamic 95.7%
Ghana Christianity 71.2%
Guinea Islamic 89.1%
Guinea-Bissau Islamic 45.1%
Kenya Christianity 85.5%
Lesotho Christianity 99%
Liberia Christianity 85.6%
Libya Islamic 96.6%
Madagascar Indigenous beliefs 59%
Malawi Christianity 84%
Mali Islamic 93.9%
Mauritania Islamic 100%
Mauritius Hindu 48.5%
Morocco Islamic 99%
Mozambique Christianity 81.5%
Namibia Christianity 85%
Niger Islamic 99.3%
Nigeria Islamic 53.5%
Rwanda Christianity 98%
Sao Tome and Principe Christianity 99%
Senegal Islamic 95.9%
Seychelles Christianity 76.2%
Sierra Leone Islamic 78.6%
Somalia Islamic 100%
South Africa Christianity 86%
South Sudan Christianity 56%
Sudan Islamic 99%
Tanzania Christianity 61.4%
Togo Christianity 43.7%
Tunisia Islamic 99.1%
Uganda Christianity 87%
Zambia Christianity 98%
Zimbabwe Christianity 97%


In summary:

Twenty-nine African countries are predominantly Christian, thirteen majority Islamic, one African county is chiefly Hindu and and one largely Indigenous beliefs. The Christian religion, in North Africa was one of the first Christian communities in Africa first arriving in the 1st century AD. In the 15th century, the Christian religion came to sub-Saharan Africa by Portuguese slave traders and since then Christian missions to Africa have greatly increased.


Acts 7:9 KJV
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him


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