Evangelical Theological College

Reflection Paper 1
European Discovery of Africa

Submitted to: Wayessa Abdissa

Course: African Church History

Dereje Bezabeh

ID. 2017108

Addis Ababa
October 15, 2018

Summary of European Discovery of Africa

In the European discovery of Africa the role of the Dutch and Portuguese is immense thou their motive
is building their African empire through witnessing the kingdom. Although in different forms and by
different entities Christianity considered as a way of life, civilization and a project building Christian
civilization deserved to be regarded by all including Africa.

The Ethiopian Zara-Yaqob and the Portuguese Henary the Navigator recognizing each other’s effort and
considering Islam as the enemy of their kingdom similarly wanted to destroy Islam and create Christian
nationalism but they were unable to see Christian kingdom realized. In 1441 Henary’s ships landed on
the coast of Mauretania and inaugurated the European discovery of Africa which is a new chapter of the
Kingdom of God in Africa. However, the concept of the kingdom already created in the Byzantium of
Justinian and Ethiopia of Zara-Yakob called Christendom.

In the process of African discovery Henary died but the pace of African discovery quickened after his
death, Cape Verde Islands were discovered in 1460, Benin reached in 1472, in 1471 the equator was
crossed, Diogo Cao reached Congo in 1485, Bartholomew Diaz reached the Cape of Good Hope in 14 86.
In 1457 Diogo Gomez reached Kingdom of Mali the king converted to the Christian faith. In 1460 the
Cape Verde Islands became an important base for African slaves and African priests. Christianity was
introduced in Ghana in 1482 thou the king denied to be converted understanding its political
implication. Portugal granted the right to colonize all of Africa from Pope Alexander V in 1493 which
fueled the fire of exploration further. Following the decision of Portugal in 1498 when Vasco da Gama
made maritime history with the European discovery of the Zambezi, Mombasa, and Malindi the
Portuguese exploration reached its climax. The entire kingdom of Benin was opened to Catholic faith
when Spanish Jesuits baptized the king of Benin in 1655. Afonso king of Congo later called Sao Salvador
claimed he received the Christian doctrine with the help of Holy Spirit that renounced all errors and
idolatries believed by their ancestors. Catholic Christianity continued in Congo under the descendants of
Afonso and Italian eventually sent some 440 missionaries from 1645 and 1835 which is the greatest
missionary in Africa before the modern period. From 1645 to 1700 the Capuchins in Congo and Angola
baptized about 600,000 people. Later from 1758 to 1774 the missionaries baptized about 700, 000 souls.

The missionaries equated African traditional religion as horror. Thus, they considered their act in Africa
the struggle between the power of evil and the power of God. On the other hand Africans complained
that the Portuguese run after women and gold which is against their spiritual movement. The other
obstacle is in the process of discovery Portugal moving along Africa’s east coast encountered the
Kingdom of Islam as a challenge to their movement. However, in 1509 victory over Islam created
European domination of the Indian Ocean. In addition, Churches and chapels were built which is the
most admirable effort. With all the obstacles African discovery continued and in March 1498 Vasco da
Gama discovered the island of Mozambique and knew that Prester John resided not far from this place.
Though the Portuguese had built a fort and a church in 1507 on the island of Mozambique, no African
Christian kingdom had been found.
As a missionary effort to East Africa Vasco Da Gama planted the padrao pillar in 1498 on the coast near
Malinda even if it lacked missionary effort. Thus, the construction of Fort Jesus in 1595 in Mombasa
made the gospel seem more like a threat to flee than a treasure to seek. When da Gama’s grandson,
Francisco, became viceroy of India and for East Africa Mombasa became a center for missionary work
which resulted in 600 converters.

As Jesuit mission to Ethiopia the relentless quest for Prester John finally resulted in success when
European contact was established with the Kingdom of Ethiopia. Even if the then ruler being a learned
monarch defended Catholic version of Christianity, Alexandrian Christology and other distinctive of
Coptic Christianity the second attempt in 1603 exerted a powerful influence on Za-Dangil and his
successor Susenyos. Mendez claimed all Coptic clergy re-ordained and all Ethiopian Christians re-
baptized. Thus fearing civil war Fasiladas rejected Mendez’s idea and expelled the Jesuits in 1632 and
restored the Ethiopian Coptic church.

Rome regretted final failure in Africa and then the Dutch as Protestant nation had their own dreams of
Africa excluding both Prester John and the Catholic Church. Khoisan of South Africa who contacted with
Portuguese and earlier Dutch developed thinking that white people were transients with no intention of
permanent settlement. However, Van Riebeeck as a strict man demanded regular Sunday worship for
all, dealt with permanent settlement and depended on the local Khoisan cattle for meat and their land
for fresh fruit and vegetables which caused severe conflict. Van Riebeeck developed racist attitude and
considered Khoisan as without a conscience and probably without a soul and the Dutch thought of
themselves as a New Israel. In its actual sense the beginning of Christianity in South Africa is from 1652
to 1656. Even if the development of missions attempted in 1662 with the baptized of Khoisan only
periodic attempts were made to evangelize the tribe. Schmidt formed a nondenominational community
in South Africa in 1738 but his theology of universal grace was regarded as heretical and whose mission
work stopped by Dutch authorities in 1748. However, Schmidt’s presence signaled a dramatic change in
the history of African Christianity.

Reflection on European Discovery of Africa

The intermingled act of European on evangelism and slavery as well as their secular motive created
confusion and suspiciousness on Africans over the Europeans. This affected the Africans’ attitude
towards evangelism and Christianity and they confused God’s kingdom with the European earthly
political system. The Europeans undermined the Africans in everything including spiritual, social, and
work ethics or material prosperity. For example, the European leader Van Riebeeck who came to South
Africa as a missionary negatively spoke about the South African stating that “they are without conscious
and without soul”. The Dutch boasted over the Africans to the extent of considering themselves as a
New Israel. As the European strived to create their empire in Africa their effort to create God’s Kingdom
is full of obstacle which made the African to sense more of the European secular and political act rather
than their spiritual act. For example, while Christianity introduced in Ghana in 1482 Ghana’s king refused
to accept Christianity with the fear of its political implication. Among the European Dutch and
Portuguese were made the most effort and secured success in the effort of European discovery of Africa.
On top of this, Protestant’s effort is more successful than the Catholics in the process of evangelizing
Africans and disseminating the kingdom of God in the different corner of Africa. By and large European
discovery of Africa could be successful due to the relentless effort of Dutch and Portuguese citizens as
well as few Africans who have been converted being touched by the kingdom of God which made them
well-come the act of European as positive and helpful.