Engaging Witchcraft Accusations among Christians as a Vehicle of African Traditional Religious Self-Advocacy in African Contexts

Authors

Robert Magoola, Asbury Theological Seminary

Abstract

That African Christianity is growing in numbers has become a familiar fact; testimony to the commitment of African preachers and adherents to the gospel of Christ. However, a disturbing trend is sweeping over many parts of sub-Saharan Africa in places such as Uganda. It is the increased number of witchcraft accusations that are being leveled against Christians and Christian leaders. In this paper, Robert Magoola acknowledges this unfortunate predicament facing the African church as it maligns Christian gospel proclamation and enhances African traditional religion’s self- advocacy. He evaluates the possible credibility of field-based evidence on the basis of a parable of the mole, giving possible responses to both true and false accusations. Magoola contends that it is the church’s responsibility to resolve the accusations through truthful self-examination and responsible engagement with the subject of witchcraft within each cultural context, in order to invite backsliders back, and walking more as disciples of their Lord Jesus, so that such accusations cannot be made against the church in the future.

DOI

10.7252/Journal.01.2013S.09

Recommended Citation

Magoola, Robert (2013) "Engaging Witchcraft Accusations among Christians as a Vehicle of African Traditional Religious Self-Advocacy in African Contexts," The Asbury Journal: Vol. 68: No. 1, p. 97-107.
Available at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/asburyjournal/vol68/iss1/10