WEST AFRICA HOLY SPIRIT CONFERENCE II
COMMONWEALTH HALL THEATRE
UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON
CHRISTIANITY: WHITEMAN’S RELIGION
CONFRONTING THE LIE: CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A WHITEMAN’S RELIGION
1990

SYNOPSIS
This paper refutes the claim that Christianity is a Whiteman’s religion, urging Africans to
accept the mission to rebuild Africa and spread the faith.

PREAMBLE
This paper is an edited version of a paper 1 read at a symposium organized by the Bible
Society of Ghana in January this year. May aim on that occasion was to be deliberately
provocative, my anger as it were directed against the proponents of the idea that
Christianity is a Whiteman’s religion and hence, one might deduce, it should be rejected
by people of other pigmentation, Black Africans in particular. Such people may want
Non-White people to take other religions no matter the spiritual, social and eternal
implications.
But the proponents of that theory may not necessarily advocate the total rejection of the
Christian Faith. Their aim might well be to call attention to the need for indigenisation or
for our purposes the Africanisation of Christianity, as if to say, man has a right to interpret
the Divine will as he likes, and also to decide for God what His Truth and Kingdoms should
be.
On the other hand, the charge that Christianity is a Whiteman’s religion may refer only to
the sociological aspects of the faith that is the nature of the living of the way and not
necessarily the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. Thus, it is necessary to seek
clarification of the real intention or motive of any person who says Christianity is
Whiteman’s Religion before you react. Let me assure you from the word “Go” therefore
that I am not a proponent of the concept. I am here to defend the faith and the way.
You may appreciate then why I chose to be provocative on that occasion for I consider
the proposers of the concept on the whole as philosophical and religious frauds, liars
who are seeking not only to impose themselves and their ideas upon our people, by the
shameful appeal to our sentiments. They seem to want us, and this is the inevitable
effect of rejecting Christianity, to be kept in darkness under perpetual domination of
Satan, and the eternal wrath of God. Some many will be agents of wicked men and spirits
who want to keep our people in ignorance, and darkness so that they can exploit and
oppress us with impunity, going by the backdoor of Satanic/Demonic power. Imagine a
witch, or fetish priest telling you it is not proper for Africans to worship the true god, to
receive from God. The implications of such ‘kind’ suggestions are clear – oppression and
domination. Or on the other hand an atheist nationalist advocating African religion?
INTRODUCTION
For as we pointed out in the Keynote address, the Christian faith has not only the most
potent force in human redemption and social transformation, it is the only system that
leads to the establishments of a Spiritual and Social Order acceptable to God, free from
the Divine Wrath and is under the personal supervision, direction and hence protection
of the True and Living God. The Bible says Blessed is the Nation whose God is Jehovah
(Ps. 33: 12). Also, Blessed are all those who put their trust in the Son, the only begotten
and anointed of the Father (Ps. 2:12).
It is only by the Power of the Word and Spirit of God, endowed with the Christian Faith
that liberation and beneficial and lasting cultural change can come to our people. It is
only by the Power of the WORD and SPIRIT of GOD that the people can be liberated from
the satanic/demonic control. Above all, it is Christianity alone that brings God direct into
the centre of human affairs.
My contention therefore is that to advocate the rejection of Christianity is to suggest that
our people should remain in Spiritual, Religious and Moral Darkness with social
advancement coming only from and hence our nations and people dominated by the
Whiteman, who has found favour with God and continues in the Light of God, however
begrudgingly.
For example, if our politicians and military rulers, and their academic bedfellows believe
in atheism and philosophies, political ideologies and religious systems and structures of
foreign origin, Euro-America to wit. If they cherish Marxism/Leninism, Socialism,
Revolutionary redemptive processes, and the Whiteman’s arms and ammunition and
oppressive systems by which they seek to keep their own people in political bondage. If
they teach humanism and philosophy and religion, liberal democracy and Islam for that
matter, what is the funny and silly argument about “Whitemanism”
Are these not liars and frauds? But these are honourable people, most of them genuine
in their search for African liberation and social progress. They may be unaware of the
spiritual and religious undertones of the Whiteman’s philosophies they have adopted.
However, can they be so ignorant of the process of cultural advances? How long should
it take for a foreign cultural practice or behavior to be “assimilated and indigenized”? For
how long has the Christian faith been in Africa? If it came with the white man, which is
not entirely true, then it came along with the English or French or Portuguese or Spanish
or German we speak and have adopted as official/national language. It came with
schnapps and tea, suits, shirts and the sandals we wear, and in any case, before the
fluorescent light in our homes, medical practice and drugs in our hospitals, and football
soccer which is now Africa’s most passionate game.
Beloved, you can see why I am angry at the frauds, liars and wicked. But we are talking of
religion and not philosophy or culture per se. This makes the story of ‘Whiteman’s
Religionism’ even the more serious. When one comes into the Light and Truth about God,
and the reality about idolatry in which our people are engaged in, ignorance and the
blinding power of Satan, Abonsam, the Devil. When one considers the spiritual and
religious darkness in other religions, particularly in African religion, the lack of knowledge
about God the Creator’s and the way of salvation, when we think of God’s love in creating
and establishing by His own blood, the path of reconciliation and man’s redemption and
progress, when we consider the true dynamics of superstition and poverty, disease and
death, one cannot help being ‘passionate’, if you like fanatic, about True Liberation. The
Holy Spirit Himself led Isaiah to declare “The Zeal of the Lord shall perform it.” The light
has appeared to dispel darkness and liberate the people in Darkness and the shadow of
death. How can we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation.
It is here that we as Christians need to really stand up knowing not just that we are not
fighting against flesh and blood, but that we have a mission to liberate our people and to
bring the kingdom down or make it a reality in Africa and the world. Above all, our people
need the fruit and blessing of reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ, and
the liberation, peace, and progress inherent in the Christian faith. For in the truth shall
we be liberated, and in the light shall we live. With these introductory remarks, let us
attempt an examination of the truth of the contention from four main angles: –
Philosophical, Spiritual, Historical and Sociological.
PHILOSOPHICAL
Man is seeking for Truth and Progress. Knowledge is growing, ideas are crossing
boundaries, human progress is being shared on a universal basis. It is naïve therefore to
prevent the flow of Truth or the adoption of systems of progress on grounds of not mere
conservatism but sentimentalism. Philosophically speaking therefore, the search for
religious truth must continue.
In this regard, there is need to examine the TRUTH as presented by the Christian faith as
against other religions including African religion. There are goals in religion, human
salvation from sin, condemnation and death, redemption from spiritual and moral
weakness and growth unto perfection, and above all reconciliation and fellowship with
God the source of life and power, peace, protection and prosperity, for the individual as
for society.
It is necessary for everyone and every people to examine all the religions to see the one
which promises and is indeed capable of fulfilling, through faith and practice, the
attainment of the goals of religion. But religion essentially is a spiritual and not a
philosophical proposition. Therefore, the doctrines any religion teaches must be tried
spiritually to see whether it meets both man’s desire and God’s intentions, as revealed
in Jesus’s encounter with the Samaritan woman (John 4).
In this connection, we reject the vain glory in academism and also the lying systems in
occultism and spiritism, and what we might call religionism such as with the New Age
Movement and calls for the harmonization of religions. In these moves, attempts are
being made to dress African and other religions and spiritist ideas in borrowed clothes
using Christian theological and religious terms to confuse and deceive. There seems to
be no effective examination of the foundational beliefs of African religion and the occult
or there is a dishonest and deliberated covering up of things. Without sound spiritual and
scriptural examination, African Theology will do disservice to the faith, betray Christ, and
lead Africans to blaspheme and provoke the True and Living God.
Above all, it will lead many astray. That is to say, any call for the indigenisation of
Christianity can be meaningful and acceptable in language, art forms and worship only
when such changes are marginal and, in any case do not do violence to the Truth, Spirit
and object of the Scriptures and are prompted by, and/or in perfect harmony with the
Holy Spirit.
We must be careful about the idolatry and hollowness in African religion. And the
deceptions of the Eastern spirit/occultist/heathenistic, religions which now seek to use
theological terms and phraseology similar to the Christian faith but have different
meanings. They are seeking to confuse the uninformed and destroy people. We should
guard against doctrines of devil as well as doctrines of men.
That is, philosophically speaking, Africans should search the scriptures for the Truth and
pray for true Divine Revelation regarding spiritual, religious and eternal matters, and their
actions directed by mere sentimentalism. If that is done, the obvious conclusion will be
One God, One Saviour, One Spirit, One Mediator – Jesus Christ: One Truth, One Faith,
One Religions – Christianity.
SPIRITUAL
This brings me to the spiritual analysis. Spiritually speaking, we know from the Christian
Bible of the True God, Creator of Heaven and Earth the way of He has revealed and does
manifest Himself. We know also of Satan/Lucifer/the Devil, and the demons who
constitute the diabolical, rebellious host that rule the world. Again, we know sinful
rebellious man, wicked at heart. We know of the diabolical unholy alliance between man
and spirits not merely to rebel against God, but to hold men and the rest of creation in
bondage and destroy is abandon.
These are the forces behind the philosophies and religions in the world. They control the
world system as we stated in the keynote address.
As Christians, we know that apart from Judaism, which has much light, the religions of
the world are built upon Satanic and Human foundations. And the Satanic and Human
light i.e. Power, wisdom, knowledge and glory is nothing compared to the True Light that
lights all men that come into the world. The writer of Hebrews describes Moses as
Housekeeper, and Jesus as the House owner. Judaism is only a shadow of the True Light
– Christianity (Hebrews Chapter 5).
Men therefore ought to know and be told whom they are serving. Our people need
salvation from sin and redemption from the rebellious, wicked and “little-light” religious
systems of the world. They are entitled to the good news and the Salvation Grace that
has appeared to all men.
For anyone to deny them the joy and hope of salvation, the victory over Satan and the
Redemption from human imperfection and weaknesses, and Reconciliation with God is
not only wicked but Satanic, the serpentine system that always says; “Has God Said?”
That is to say, we must examine the spiritual structures of the religions, and take not only
the one With the Truth, but that which assures the True and Eternal Goals of Religious
Endeavour. That is Christianity by the New Birth and Perfection through and by the
Incoming, Indwelling Jesus Christ.
HISTORICAL
All Religious people are seeking for the True God and Path of Perfection. The course of
the Christians Mission, from the Middle East – Palestine to Africa and Europe and back
to Africa. God has revealed Himself to Post Noah world through Abraham and Moses. To
the entire world in Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer. Christianity a Religion of
Universal and Eternal significances and Worldwide Need. It is a Human Need – Not a
cultural proposition, just as Travel is a human need and not “culturally as such. God is
seeking and has found Africa through Christ and the church.
SOCIOLOGICAL
Sociologically speaking, the coming of Christ and the Christian faith in every society
leads or must lead to social transformation in the Wisdom, Knowledge and Power of the
light that has appeared. Europe found the light accepted it adopted it, changed social
processes, had a culture or social situation depicting The Light and Truth of God. This
sociological reality of Jedeo-Christian European culture reflects the humanity and
wisdom of the Whiteman and the consequent liberation of man. Hence, the logical,
cultural, scientific and technological heritage being shared by the whole world. God is
the doer not man; but God found humble man to use. They came to Africa and are still
going to the world as God’s chosen vessels of Hope.
Paul’s sermon to the Greeks on Mars Hill demonstrates the Truth of the Historical and
Sociological Reality we are referring to in acts 17: 16 34
“For as I was passing through and considering the objects
of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription;”
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing Him I proclaim to you.
‘God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in temples made with hands nor is He worshipped with men’s hands, as
though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has
made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has
determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, so that
they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grape for Him and find Him,
though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our
being, as also some of your own poets, have said, for we are also His offspring.
Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature
is like gold or silver r stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these
times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by
the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all, by raising Him
from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked,
while others said, we will hear you again on this matter. So Paul departed from among
them. However, some men joined Him and believed, among them Dionysius the
Areopagite, a woman named Dararis, and others with them.” Acts 17: 23-34
Idolatry was common in Europe. But some men believed and accepted the Truth… and
through them, what a blessed cultural heritage for mankind. Now, the translation of the
Bible into Greek and later to English and German has been a blessing first to Europe and
later the rest of the world. The translation of the Bible into Ga, Twi, Yoruba, Dagbani is not
an abomination. It is a right and blessed move.
CONCLUSION
In summation, we are saying that Christianity is not a Whiteman’s religion. It is God’s
revelation of Himself unto mankind through His Son Jesus Christ. It is for all men and
creation. It is fools who say there is no God.
Therefore, if there is God and all men everywhere are searching for Him, let us as Africans
join the search, and when we find the Truth, let us accept, adopt and cling to it. This is
the Sure Claim and Reality of the Christian Faith. The Christian Faith is in a Divine Belief
and Redemptive System and the Answer to Human, Spiritual and Religious Need as no
other. All Men Everywhere Need the Christian Faith. Christ Jesus Died for All Men. Behold
The Lamb That Taketh Away the Sins of The World.
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in the
flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on
in the world, Received up in glory.” (1st Tim. 3: 16)
Beloved, our people are being held in darkness and bondage by two strong
spiritual/social systems – Lies and Witchcraft; Satan and Death…Where is Hope except
in Christ Jesus…. Where is Truth and Power except in the Christian Faith…. Where is Love
except in the Spirit of Christ.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in
the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God
and Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
(Titus 2: 11-14)
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“For by grace you have been save through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
Is there any one here, who wishes to avail himself of this Free Gift of Forgiveness of sins,
salvation and peace, eternal redemption and perfection? Don’t reject life because of
blind sentimentalism or unexamined cultural identity. Flee from Satan, wicked men and
idolatry.
To those who believe, if God found faithful men in Europe to use for the redemption of
Europe and the world, He has found you and I in Africa. Let us receive Christ, accept the
mission to liberate one people and rebuild Africa, and carry the banner further to Europe
now bewitched and beyond for God’s glory.
There can be no glorious time for the Christian Faith and God’s Kingdom than NOW!