Reverend Father John Chinenye Oluoma, a Catholic priest based in Abuja, recently took to his official Facebook page to challenge Eurocentric misconceptions about the origins of Christianity in Africa.
In a powerful message, Father Oluoma highlighted the African roots of Christianity, emphasizing that the historical Jesus Christ was not European and that Christianity did not originate in Europe.
“This historical Jesus Christ was not European. Christianity didn’t start in Europe either. Jesus was a Jew, and Christianity began in Israel and spread out,” Father Oluoma boldly proclaimed.
With these words, he sought to correct the prevailing misconception that Christianity was a foreign import to Africa, brought by European colonizers.
He said, “You always spew this falsehood that Christianity was brought to Africa by the Europeans to enslave us. Long before Christianity came to Africa, your ancestors were practicing slavery.”
Father Oluoma’s reminded them of the deep historical connection between Christianity and Africa by emphasizing Jesus Christ’s Jewish heritage and the origins of Christianity in the Middle East, he challenges the notion that the faith is inherently Western in nature.
He said, “You also accuse Jesus of being the reason your people are not developing. You treacherously forget to acknowledge that most of the things you are advertising as solutions to our problems like education, medical facilities, industries etc came to our shore first through Christianity.”
Through his message, Father Oluoma invites his audience to recognize and celebrate the African roots of Christianity. He encourages a shift away from Eurocentric perspectives towards a more inclusive understanding of the faith’s global history.
Leave a Reply