I couldn't have made a more compelling headline myself.Just what we have been discussing here at JWD this summer.
Evangelists win big bucks in Africa's rising tide of religious ...
Financial Times - London,England,UK
... The concern among some is that fraudsters and cults are taking advantage of the poor and desperate, feeding off people's vulnerability. ...
Religion touches almost every facet of life in Africa and Christianity is enjoying growth on the continent like few other places in the world. "There's nothing really to compare with the growth of Christianity in Africa. As far as we know it's a fairly unique phenomenon," says Jonathan Bonk, editor of the US-based International Bulletin of Missionary Research
Reliable statistics are hard to come by, but IBMR estimates there were 8.7m Christians in Africa in 1900, rising to 117m by 1970 and 389m today. The most recent phenomenon is a rising wave of evangelism, driven by Africans and westerners - mainly Americans - that is sweeping across the continent.
And for some it is providing booming business, experts say, as opportunists, many without formal theological training, take advantage of the fertile conditions. "It is the most lucrative business in Kenya. There's more money in proclaiming Jesus than any other commodity," says Professor Douglas Waruta, head of philosophy and religious studies at Nairobi University.
Every Sunday, thousands of Ugandans gather in the Miracle Centre Cathedral - a massive new church that resembles a plush aircraft hanger - where a video screen advertises books, DVDs and videos throughout the services, five each Sunday.
Mr Bonk estimates that at least 1,400 new dominations emerge in Africa each month. In part it is due to the role religion has played since missionaries first made inroads into Africa in the 1800s.
Politicians often use church services as political platforms and western development agencies, recognising the influence of religion, are looking at increasing their work with faith-based organisations, US and UK officials say.
But the rich environment is also a result of Africans' traditional penchant for spiritualism and rituals. The newer churches enable their followers to worship in a manner their traditional Catholic and Protestant cousins do not, offering a combination of exuberant dancing, singing, spiritualism and prayers.
Prof Waruta describes the trend as a "scramble for the African soul". The concern among some is that fraudsters and cults are taking advantage of the poor and desperate, feeding off people's vulnerability. He believes the impact of the evangelism will be "ambiguous." It could have a positive role in helping promote decent values. But the potential negative "is that those evangelists are going to scorch the African continent so much that much of good in the Christian message will be lost and we will have a more secularised Africa."
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footnote from:Danny Haszard-80% of the 900 plus murder victims at Jonestown were African Americans!