Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines some of the key factors that have contributed to the recent politicisation of homosexuality in African Christian circles. It acknowledges that a longer-term historical perspective is required to fully understand current attitudes towards homosexuality. The book describes the monolithic picture of an African homophobia' that is fuelled by religion. It highlights the public and political role of religion in Africa, and discusses the complex relationship between public religion' and public sexuality' in contemporary African societies. The book represents a variety of approaches and disciplines, such as anthropology, sociology, political science, ethics, biblical studies and theology, and many of them are in fact methodologically rather hybrid. It focuses on Pentecostal strands of Christianity in Africa, analysing them as forms of public and political religion. The book describes Caroline Valois' context of Uganda, another country that controversially passed an Anti-Homosexuality Bill.