Lived Islam in Africa and Its Missiological Implications for Pentecostals

Dieudonne Komla Nuekpe

• Publisher: Langham Monographs
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN:
  9781839737466
• eBook ISBN:
  9781839739491
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Islamic Theology

Islam and Christianity are often presented as violent rivals facing each other across a gulf of insurmountable differences. Yet if Christians are to effectively engage Muslims with the gospel, they must learn to build bridges across this divide.This study explores the Muslim presence in Ghana, a nation once believed to be resistant to Islam, and analyses the missiological implications for Pentecostals, the fastest growing group of Christians in the country. Dr. Dieudonne Komla Nuekpe examines the shared spiritual heritage of Ghanaian Pentecostals and folk Muslims within the broader context of African traditional religion. He proposes that this shared heritage – with its emphasis on supernatural encounters and the spiritual realm – can provide common ground for Pentecostals seeking to peacefully and respectfully engage Muslims with the gospel. Identifying the existential, experiential, and theological needs at the heart of folk Islam, this book offers a practical guide for constructive Muslim-Christian engagement in Ghana and beyond. This study also challenges missiologists – both scholars and practitioners – to engage in critical contextualization that considers a culture's indigenous religious practices when seeking to build bridges to the gospel.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Contents
• Foreword
• Abstract
• Abbreviations
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 The Historical Development of Christianity in Ghana and the Impact of Pentecostalism
• Chapter 2 The Development of Islam and the Nature of the Christian–Muslim Relationship in Ghana
• Chapter 3 The Influence of Animism on the Beliefs and Practices of Ghanaian Folk Muslims
• Chapter 4 Existing Methods of Sharing the Gospel with Folk Muslims
• Chapter 5 Pentecostals’ Engagement with Folk Muslims in Ghana
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• About Langham Partnership
• Endnotes