Post by Tigress on Sept 27, 2005 19:39:14 GMT -5
How Africa's Churches Are Changing Christianity
Grappling with everything from disease to evil spirits to polygamy, African churches are vibrant and growing.
Interview by Laura Sheahen
Filmmaker James Ault's 1987 documentary, "Born Again," examined a fundamentalist church in Worcester, Mass. His follow-up book "Spirit and Flesh" provided a first-person account of his relationship with the Worcester church. His latest documentary focuses on Christianity in Africa, where he filmed it. "Toward a New Christianity: Stories of African Christians in Ghana and Zimbabwe" (working title) features all-night prayer meetings, healing services, ceremonial dances and interviews with prominent African church leaders. Ault spoke with Beliefnet recently about these vibrant churches--and how they are influencing Christianity in the United States.
What should Western Christians know about African Christianity? What are surprising things you discovered in making this documentary?
When people note the explosion of Christianity in Africa—that the number of churches in Ghana has been doubling every 12 years, that there are more Episcopalians in Nigeria than there are in England and the US combined—they think this is a result of missionary work, missionaries from the U.S. or Europe. » Continue...
Grappling with everything from disease to evil spirits to polygamy, African churches are vibrant and growing.
Interview by Laura Sheahen
Filmmaker James Ault's 1987 documentary, "Born Again," examined a fundamentalist church in Worcester, Mass. His follow-up book "Spirit and Flesh" provided a first-person account of his relationship with the Worcester church. His latest documentary focuses on Christianity in Africa, where he filmed it. "Toward a New Christianity: Stories of African Christians in Ghana and Zimbabwe" (working title) features all-night prayer meetings, healing services, ceremonial dances and interviews with prominent African church leaders. Ault spoke with Beliefnet recently about these vibrant churches--and how they are influencing Christianity in the United States.
What should Western Christians know about African Christianity? What are surprising things you discovered in making this documentary?
When people note the explosion of Christianity in Africa—that the number of churches in Ghana has been doubling every 12 years, that there are more Episcopalians in Nigeria than there are in England and the US combined—they think this is a result of missionary work, missionaries from the U.S. or Europe. » Continue...
