African Religious Movements

Abstract

The following figures are a measure of the importance of religious move­ ments in Africa. The independent African churches in South Africa alone from 1913 to 1948 increased from 30 to 880 (83). By 1960 they had already exceeded 2000 (84). By 1967 independent church movements were esti­ mated at 6000, of which 5000 were truly independent movements and 1000 were movements within the established mission-derived churches (5). In that year Barrett estimated the adherents of these movements to number about 6,800,000. Despite fluctuation and the disappearance of many churches, the appearance of new movements and the increasing attraction of established movements was adding 300,000 to 400,000 members a year (5, pp. 78-79). Projecting this rate to the present, African religious move­ ments would number at least 10 and perhaps 12 million. Since Barrett, a missionary scholar, was interested only in movements with significant Christian influence, termed Cristocentric, these figures ignore nativistic and other type movements such as regional cults of affliction or periodic resur­ gence of cults within the fortune-misfortune complex. From 6 to 10 million could here be added to Barrett's figures, giving more than 20 million as the number of Africans directly involved in religious movements of one kind or another. Many more Africans, perhaps twice that number, in more casual search for healing, fortune, satisfying worship, or diversion are indi­ rectly involved with religious movements. These numbers alert us to the importance of the topic and animate our inquiry. But they also suggest a vast subject. We sh�ll neither attempt a comprehensive review of all that has been written on these movements [students here enjoy a first-rate bibliography which is constantly updated