How Did Christianity And Islam Affect West Africa
The adoption of Christianity and Islam greatly shaped the development of ancient Africa. The introduction of both religious also affected state formation in Africa. Some states identified with Islam, while others pursued Christianity as the prominent religion. Islam expanded through the trade routes, making a specific impact in West Africa and the Sudan. With the arrival of Europeans, Christianity was already present in Ethiopia. Both religions are still present in current African culture. In the beginning of African history all African societies were collectively stateless societies, or “societies bound together by ethnic or blood ties rather than being political states” (246). Christianity and Islam influenced the formation of states in
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Egypt was the early center of Christianity unlike Nubia that was later converted to Christianity by missionaries in 600 C.E. (251). Later Aksum, a kingdom of Ethiopia and a significant trading state, was considered the center of Christian culture. The spread of Islam into Ethiopia weakened trading in Aksum, which was a Christian center. The Muslims attacked the area causing some to convert to Islam. Others fled to isolation to continue their Christian practices in solitude and secrecy. Frumentius, a Christian trader turned leader, began to encourage and spread Christianity once again around 340 C.E. In the same year he was granted the position of bishop of Aksum and Christianity became the religion of the state (253). With the acceptance of Christianity came the manufacturing of “ecclesiastical documents and royal chronicles” (253). These documents opposed polygamy with the exception of kings and wealthy individuals. Pagan temples and monasteries were constructed with the expansion of Christianity. During the fourteenth century six scribes composed the Kebra Negast, a compilation of oral tradition and Christian texts. These writings were known as an “Ethiopian national epic” and proved the close association between the religion and the state. The scripts described the line of rulers who descended from King Solomon which prospectively led rulers to claim they were of Solomon’s line of succession
Egypt was the early center of Christianity unlike Nubia that was later converted to Christianity by missionaries in 600 C.E. (251). Later Aksum, a kingdom of Ethiopia and a significant trading state, was considered the center of Christian culture. The spread of Islam into Ethiopia weakened trading in Aksum, which was a Christian center. The Muslims attacked the area causing some to convert to Islam. Others fled to isolation to continue their Christian practices in solitude and secrecy. Frumentius, a Christian trader turned leader, began to encourage and spread Christianity once again around 340 C.E. In the same year he was granted the position of bishop of Aksum and Christianity became the religion of the state (253). With the acceptance of Christianity came the manufacturing of “ecclesiastical documents and royal chronicles” (253). These documents opposed polygamy with the exception of kings and wealthy individuals. Pagan temples and monasteries were constructed with the expansion of Christianity. During the fourteenth century six scribes composed the Kebra Negast, a compilation of oral tradition and Christian texts. These writings were known as an “Ethiopian national epic” and proved the close association between the religion and the state. The scripts described the line of rulers who descended from King Solomon which prospectively led rulers to claim they were of Solomon’s line of succession