Colonial missionaries misled Africans to ignore societal ills

Police vehicle with colonial traffic police officers in 1960s.

The misrepresentation of the gospel by colonial missionaries left a profound and often detrimental impact on the spirituality of native and contemporary African believers.

Instead of conveying the transformative power of the gospel of the Kingdom of God—centred on righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17)—the missionaries often presented a truncated message that was more imperialistic than liberating.

This distorted gospel emphasised an escapist focus on a distant heaven, alienating African believers from the pressing realities of their earthly existence.

As Tertullian warned, when theology is not firmly rooted in Scripture and the realities of human experience, it risks becoming “empty philosophy,” offering no substantive engagement with the challenges of life.

This “heaven-centred” approach fostered a faith that lacked depth and relevance to the social, political, and economic realities of African societies. Believers were trained to fix their eyes on the afterlife, neglecting the transformative mandate of the gospel to bring the Kingdom of God to bear on Earth.

As Socrates might have observed, such a philosophy encouraged a life unexamined—a spirituality that avoids critical engagement with the world, thus failing to meet the standard of a truly meaningful existence. This disconnection resulted in a form of Christianity that lacked power and influence, particularly in addressing societal ills like corruption, greed, and systemic injustice.

The call for Christians to engage with the world in meaningful ways is echoed in the writings of St. Augustine of Hippo, particularly in The City of God, where he emphasises the dual citizenship of believers, urging them to be active participants in both the heavenly city and the earthly one. Augustine stresses the importance of believers engaging in worldly affairs with the righteousness of the Kingdom of God as their guiding principle.

Yet, the colonial gospel promoted a disconnect between faith and social responsibility, leading believers to separate their spiritual lives from their roles in governance, business, education, and culture. This disconnect has perpetuated a lack of Christian influence in these vital societal spheres, allowing corruption, inequality, and greed to flourish, even in nations where Christianity is widely professed.

Faith has always been understood as a transformative force capable of shaping society, as illustrated by the Jewish historian Josephus, who noted how communities that embraced a vision of God rooted in justice, mercy, and stewardship experienced profound societal change.

In stark contrast, the colonial gospel failed to inspire such transformation. Instead, it cultivated a passive, disengaged form of Christianity, where believers withdrew from confronting societal challenges, rather than actively engaging with them using Kingdom principles.

The idea that moral progress is achieved through action grounded in the common good challenges the colonial legacy, as proposed by Immanuel Kant’s philosophy of moral autonomy.

The Kingdom of God, rightly understood, calls believers to be salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16), influencing every sphere of life with righteousness, peace, and joy.

Yet, the colonial gospel’s focus on salvation as something solely otherworldly undermined believers’ sense of moral and societal responsibility, leaving them ill-equipped to address pervasive issues such as poverty, violence, and systemic injustice.

The result has been the emergence of a generation of Christians who, as you aptly noted, are “so heavenly focused that they are of no earthly good.”

This critique resonates with the teachings of Ignatius of Antioch, who in his letters to early Christian communities, emphasised that true faith is evident not just in belief, but in action—particularly in how believers live out their faith in the world.

African Christians, shaped by the colonial gospel, often struggle to integrate their faith with the demands of their everyday lives, leading to a fragmented spirituality that fails to impact society in meaningful ways.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons offers a vision of Christian life that challenges this passive faith. He taught that “the glory of God is man fully alive,” a perspective that highlights the transformative potential of the gospel to empower believers to reflect God’s glory in every aspect of life.

Yet, the colonial gospel’s separation of spirituality from earthly responsibilities has led many African Christians to be spiritually alive but socially ineffective. This disconnect perpetuates a cycle of spiritual enthusiasm that lacks practical application, allowing vices such as corruption and greed to persist unchecked.

The impact of this misrepresentation is evident in the societal dynamics of many African nations, where the majority claim adherence to Christianity, yet corruption and violence remain rampant.

Leaders who profess faith in Christ often prioritise personal gain over public service, undermining the gospel’s witness. As Augustine might critique, these leaders fail to embody the virtues of the heavenly city, instead succumbing to the vices of the earthly city, driven by pride and self-interest.

In the arts, media, education, and governance, African Christians have often failed to assert a Kingdom influence, retreating instead into isolated enclaves of faith. This withdrawal contrasts sharply with the biblical mandate to “occupy until I come” (Luke 19:13).

Tertullian’s vision of Christians as a transformative force in society remains unrealised, as the colonial gospel’s legacy continues to limit the Church’s ability to engage meaningfully with the world.