Christianity in Africa
Christianity started in the Levant region between Europe and Africa. The very first encounter with the continent and Jesus, is found in the Bible in (Matthew 2:14-15) and when Jesus was about to be crucified, a man by the name of Simon, a black man from Cyrene, helped him carry his cross (Luke 23:26).
The first sign of a converted African came in the book of (Acts 8:26-27) where Philip meets an Ethiopian. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem. Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture. As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's water. What would keep me from being baptized?" (Act 8:27, 35-36 CSB).
Also King Silko of Nobatia, was the first Nubian King to adopt Christianity in the Late 4th Century. And the kingdom of Alodia in the 6th century. Christianity was declared the state religion of Ethiopia in 330 AD. So we see Christianity in Africa long before colonialism and slavery in the United States. And they were not manipulated, because we learn in the 15th century, Congo in west Africa was introduced to Christianity by the Portuguese, but due to how they felt they were being manipulated, they wanted to learn it for themselves from an African point of view and they accomplished that without corruption.
Christianity was in Africa, 1300 years before colonization and the transatlantic slave trade. Africans freely received the gospel without the influence of white supremacy. In (Acts 2:9-11) we see Nations that are in North Africa coming to God being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. One of them nations being Cyrene which Simon, the black man who helped Jesus carry his cross during crucifixion, was from.
There is a lot of black representation in the Bible, like the prophet Simeon whom was called “Niger”, in Greek (The New Testament was written in Greek) Niger is a masculine noun that means “Black”, and refer to it as a sign of African descent or dark complexion. Also Lucius of Cyrene, which is located in North Africa. (Acts 13:1)
In the 1300’s, we see early prospering of West African Christians of Takrur, which is now known as Senegal and Mauritania. This Christian community was in existence during the reign of King Mansa Musa (lived c. 1312 – c. 1337; reigned c. 1312 – c. 1337) of the Mali Empire in West Africa, but had certainly been established at an earlier time. Their land possessed a lot of gold, and Mansa Musa tried to take over it, but the land lost its favor from God and produced no Gold if it was in possession of other people besides the Christians of Takrur. Here is an excerpt of Ibn al-Dawādārī’s text:
I heard the magistrate Fakhr al-Din, Inspector of the victorious army, say: “I asked the king of the Takrur (ʾāl-Takrwur): ‘What is the source like where the gold grows among them?’ Then he said: ‘It is not in our land which is the property of the Muslims; rather, it is in the land that is the property of the Christians of Takrur (ʾāl-Naṣʾārīy min ʾāl-Takrwur). We send to take from them a collection that is due to us and is required of them. These are special lands that produce gold in this way: they are small pieces of various textures, some are like small rings, some are like carob seeds, and so on.’” The magistrate Fakhr al-Din replied, saying: ‘Why don’t you conquer the land by force?’ He said: ‘If we conquer them and take it, it does not produce anything. We have done this in various ways, but we have not seen anything in it. But when it returns to them, it produces according to its average. This is a fascinating dynamic, and this is perhaps an increase in the dominance (ṭuğīyʾān) of the Christians.’”
— Ibn al-Dawādārī, Kanz al-durar wa-jāmiʻ al-ghurar; translated by Professor Vince Bantu
Book: Kanz al-durar wa-jāmiʻ al-ghurar
(https://www.barronfamilymission.net/2022/02/west-african-christianity-before-1400/)
"By God's grace the whole kingdom of Ethiopia was reached with the gospel. And not only Ethiopia, but by God's grace other countries in Africa were reached. Within the first 100 years of Christianity, churches were established in Egypt." "By the fifth century, churches began to pop up in Nubia, which led to its Christianization in the year 543."
Everett Ferguson
Church History, Volume One: From Christ to the Pre-Reformation
Ezana was the ruler of the Kingdom of Aksum (320s – c. 360 AD). One of the best-documented rulers of Aksum, Ezana is important as he is the country's first king to embrace Christianity and make it the official religion of Ethiopia.
St. Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark, brought Christianity from Jerusalem to Alexandria, Egypt. Before dying there he established the first Christian school of higher learning called “The School of Alexandria” in the mid 2nd century AD, that later produced some of the greatest theologians such as the Great Saint Cyril (Pillar of Faith), Saint Clement, Saint Dionysius, Saint Peter the Seal of Martyrs, Saint Didymus the Blind, Saint Athanasius (the Apostolic and also called “The black dwarf” because of his dark skin), Saint Basil, Saint Ignatius, Saint Severus, and the Great Scholar & Saint - Origen of Alexandria.
The Bible does not command or condone slavery as we know the term based on US history, and slavery in the Bible was not based off race or color, it was based off of poverty, and they were indentured servants. There is no word for slavery in the Hebrew language, so the word that was used in the Bible for Hebrews was “eved” or “avadim” for plural, which meant “to work” or “servant”. We also see in Exodus 21:2 - “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.” And Exodus 21:16 - “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.”
that slavery is clearly not condoned in the Bible as we understand what slavery to be today, and it was not the same.
God does not condone how America was built off the backs of slavery. In Habakkuk 2:12-13 , which is a book about God’s response to evil doings of nations in this world, God says ““Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing?” Habakkuk 2:12-13 ESV. If God did not condone it then, and punished Babylon for it, he still does not condone it now, but we are not to tell God when he should bring judgement.
There is a long-standing narrative that suggests Christianity, particularly as it was introduced to enslaved Africans, was distorted and manipulated to serve the interests of slaveholders. Many people believe that Christianity was intentionally altered, or even "created," to support the institution of slavery. This idea often points to the actions of Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nicaea as the starting point for what some perceive as a “false Christianity.” While there’s much speculation around these historical events, there’s another part of the story, particularly regarding African slaves in America, that deserves attention.
During the time of slavery in the United States, European colonizers did, in fact, manipulate Christian teachings to enforce a narrative that justified slavery. One of the most well-known examples of this manipulation is the creation of the "Slave Bible," a version of the Bible intentionally edited to remove passages that could inspire rebellion or dissent. In this version, 90% of the Old and New Testaments were omitted, leaving only those parts of Scripture that could be twisted to support obedience, submission, and the idea that slavery was divinely sanctioned.
However, despite these efforts to control and distort religious belief, the truth about Christianity and God remained a cornerstone of resistance and liberation for many enslaved people. The oppressive narrative that sought to convince slaves that their condition was ordained by God did not work, because the slaves began to recognize the falsehoods. As history shows, African Americans, even in the face of oppression, found ways to reclaim their spirituality and learn the true teachings of Christ.
One of the most compelling critiques of the "slaveholding religion" comes from Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved person and prominent abolitionist. Douglass famously argued that the Christianity practiced by slaveholders was a perversion of true Christian values. He drew a sharp distinction between the religion of the oppressor and the teachings of Christ. In his autobiography, he wrote:
> “What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to the slaveholding religion of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference—so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the other.”
Douglass continued:
> “I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ; I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial, and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels.”
These words speak volumes about how enslaved people, and later African Americans, recognized the falsehoods in the religion they were being taught. They understood that the Christianity they were being forced to follow bore little resemblance to the teachings of Christ, which emphasized love, equality, and freedom. Instead, they began to reclaim their faith, turning to the Bible for its true message of liberation, justice, and equality.
The Black church became a vital space for spiritual resistance. Enslaved Africans who were forbidden from reading the Bible found ways to learn and pass down its true teachings, often through secret gatherings or through the oral traditions of their communities. The church became not just a place of worship, but a sanctuary of empowerment, where African Americans could connect with the true, liberating spirit of Christianity.
It is important to note that this spirit of resistance and liberation continues today in the Black church and African American communities. The image of a “white, blue-eyed, blonde-haired God” — a false portrayal often used by slaveholders to perpetuate a distorted version of Christianity — is one that African Americans have long rejected. Today, Black Christians worship a God who is inclusive, just, and liberating, a far cry from the version of Christianity that was used to oppress them.
In conclusion, while the "Slave Bible" was a tool used to manipulate and control, it ultimately failed to erase the truth of Christianity. Enslaved people found ways to connect with the real message of Christ, which centered on love, justice, and freedom. This resistance is part of the rich history of Black spirituality and the ongoing journey to reclaim faith from those who seek to distort it for their own purposes. The true Christianity that emerged from the struggles of slavery is not a false religion — it is one that continues to inspire and uplift today.
Counsel of Nicaea and Constantine
Is the Bible corrupt because of Constantine?
Prior to Constantine, it was illegal to be a Christian. He issued the edict of Milan, which decriminalized Christianity. What this allowed was Christian tolerance, that stated they were able to worship freely and in public, and anything that was taken in the era of persecution was given back to them. Constantine is important in Christian history, but that doesn’t translate to him corrupting Christianity. Constantine also did not help choose the books of the Bible in any way. Constantine had no role in the choosing of the canons of the Bible. You can track the canonization of the Bible from 2nd-4th century up to the counsel, and what were the Gospels was very clear in the church already, and takes places before Constantine is even born. You would have to ignore what happened in the 2nd and 2rd centuries on what is scripture and what is not, and what is being used to edify the church. Also some state that Constantine changed the Sabbath day which is also not true. Because of the decriminalizing of Christianity, it did allow Christians to celebrate on Sunday without punishment, but there are instances that we have recorded of the fact that Christian’s were being arrested and put on trial on the Holy day (Sunday) and Constantine stops that from happening, so they could worship on that day. There’s a writer named Justin Martyr, in the 2nd century who wrote a document on weekly worship of the Christian, long before Constantine. He wrote “and on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together, to one place, and the memoir of the apostles or writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits. Then when the leader has seized, the president verbally instructs and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.” The book of acts also say Christian’s worshipped on the first day as it symbolized Jesus raising from the dead. Christians didn’t worship on Saturday as the Jews did, they worshipped on Sunday as if every weekend was resurrection weekend, according to early church writers. John in revelation also mentions the day of the Lord, and it appears he’s alluding to Sunday.
Counsel of Nicaea
The counsel did not determine the content of scripture in the books of the Bible or what books are in the Bible. They weren’t debating whether scripture is authoritative, they already recognized it as authoritative, so it had to already have been established before this took place. The canon of the Bible was already established years before then. There could have been as many as 1900 church leaders there including bishops and deacons. The whole reason for the counsel was to hash out theological differences, and Constantine called it together to establish peace and truth in the church. It was to formerly establish what was already the majority position in the churches and put it on paper, and to safeguard against heretical views of who Jesus is. Everyone at the council knew Jesus was divine, the question was how and what is the relationship between Jesus and the Father.