AFRICAN RELIGIONS IN EUROPE The globalization concept Globalization is a concept that is gaining increasing prominence in academic discourses such as communication, economics, sociology, political science, cultural studies, advertising, environmental studies, religion etc. Hitherto, a legion of world system theorists have been primarily concerned with politico-economic phenomena, without an adequate approach to so-called issues of culture in such a framework, nor even a unified approach in which cultural specificity is an aspect of other social phenomena. Robertson and Hannerz, for instance, have complained of the lack of culture in the analyses of world system researchers. [1] A marked trend towards the globalization of all sorts of relations has been observed over several decades and has, directly and indirectly, led to a system of extensive international economic and political cooperation. The place of Africa at the periphery and semi-periphery of the global economy and polity is apparent, and was so especially in the 1990s. This somewhat disadvantaged status is probably untrue. Africa has conspicuously demonstrated vigour and vitality, and been pivotal for the dramatization of religion. This paper will show that Africans are involved in the globalization process; they have moved from a local phenomenon to a global context. They are not only searching for more space in the global religious marketplace, but their presence has in fact become conspicuous on the religious terrain. African new religious movements and globalization in Europe There are three basic categories of African Christian religious groups in Europe. In the first and most popular of these are religious groups that exist as branches or parishes of mother churches with headquarters in Africa. Examples are the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, the Church of the Lord -- Aladura, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Church of Pentecost International, and the Kimbanguist Church. The second category refers to those groups that began and have their headquarters in Europe, but also had the intention to establish or open branches in Africa and elsewhere. Examples are the True Teachings of Christ's Temple (Holland), the Christian Outreach Mission Church (Hamburg), the Aladura International Church (London), Victory Ministries e. V. (Oberhausen), and the Born-Again Christ Healing Church (London). The third category of African Christian religious groups is made up of inter-denominational groups or para-church organizations, which exist as somewhat loose groups (prayer/fellowship) without proper or formalized administrative structures. There are also quite a number of Christians without any church or religious affiliation. They either choose to attend services with a denomination of their choice or any church within their locality or within easy reach of their homes. However, a large number of African Christians simply do not attend any church services or programmes due to the nature of their jobs, or because of social, cultural and other reasons. Tendencies towards globalization The characteristics of African initiated churches include their vitality, dynamism and great capacity for incorporating change, such as that witnessed in the contemporary era due to shifts in global migration patterns. One remarkable fall-out of the globalization process is the increasing dispersal of Africans beyond their continental context, thus moving them from a local to a global presence. Consequently, the bridging of the gap brought about several strategies through which religious interchanges were exerted on the worldwide religious landscape. Ter Haar notes that: Their spread overseas has involved these churches in international networks of relations to which they did not have access until the late twentieth century. There is now a two-way channel of communication between churches inside and outside Africa, whether they belong to the first or the second generation of African-initiated churches. …