The Challenge of Islam in Africa

Abstract

At present, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. In Africa, as elsewhere, militant, fundamentalist Islam is at the heart of this contemporary resurgence. Perhaps the major characteristic of resurgent Islam is its quest to establish states govemed by the Sharia'ah law. There is no sacred/secular dichotomy, and each area of life is taken seriously in terms of Islamisation, With its inherent opposition to the secular privatisation of religion, resurgent Islam presents a challenge to Christians to explore the relationship between their own faith and all areas of life and think through the implications of societal pluralism in an integral Christian way.