Part 2: Christ and Culture
Research I conducted with some traditional leaders revealed concerns about the compatibility of certain traditional practices, such as festivals, libation, sacrifice, and ancestral veneration, with Christian worship. The central issue is how Christians should relate to such practices without compromising their faith. Historically, two extreme responses have emerged. On one hand, some Christians advocate for a complete break from the past, rejecting African traditions outright as pagan or idolatrous. On the other hand, others embrace culture uncritically, blending Christianity and African spirituality in ways that risk diluting the Gospel. Both extremes are problematic: one severs believers from their cultural roots, while the other risks syncretism and theological compromise.
H. Richard Niebuhr identifies five classic ways Christians have engaged with culture throughout history. "Christ Against Culture" urges believers to separate from the world, rejecting practices seen as sinful or corrupt. "Christ of Culture" seeks harmony, affirming cultural values and achievements but risking compromise and syncretism. "Christ Above Culture" presents Christ as the fulfillment of culture’s noblest aspirations, as illustrated in Paul’s sermon at Athens (Acts 17:22–31), where he reinterprets Greek religion in light of the Gospel. "Christ and Culture in Paradox" acknowledges the tension of living as faithful disciples in a fallen world, affirming both God’s grace and human sinfulness. Finally, "Christ the Transformer of Culture" views the Gospel as a redemptive power that renews individuals and reshapes society toward God’s purposes.
A crucial starting point is the recognition that the Bible itself is deeply rooted in cultural contexts. The Old Testament reflects Ancient Near Eastern practices such as bride price (Gen. 24:53), levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5–10), and ritual purification (Lev. 15). Jesus ministered within first-century Jewish society shaped by Sabbath laws, synagogue worship, and temple sacrifices. The early church engaged Roman imperial culture, addressing issues like food sacrificed to idols (1 Cor. 8–10) and legal rights under Roman citizenship (Acts 22:25–29). These examples remind us that God’s revelation did not descend in a cultural vacuum but was communicated through human traditions, practices, and worldviews.
Most importantly, Scripture demonstrates that becoming a follower of Christ does not mean adopting another people’s culture. At the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:28–29), the apostles concluded that Gentiles did not need to become culturally Jewish by accepting circumcision or the full Mosaic Law. Instead, they were instructed to avoid idolatry, sexual immorality, and blood. This principle is vital for Africa today: Africans do not need to abandon their cultural heritage or adopt Western forms of Christianity to be true followers of Christ. Rather, their customs, like those of biblical cultures, must be evaluated, reoriented, and brought under the Lordship of Jesus.
As Akoa Amoateng observes, Jesus’ incarnation into a specific Jewish cultural and historical context (Matthew 1) affirms that God desires all people to encounter Him within their own contexts. Conversion does not erase ethnic or cultural identity; it redirects it toward Christ. Therefore, African Christians can remain authentically African and authentically Christian. What is needed is discernment: embracing what reflects biblical principles, while rejecting elements that contradict the Gospel