ABSTRACT
This chapter presents three key phrases: Christianity, democracy, African. Democracy, like Christianity, must sit in a context, specifically the context of Africa. The persisting idea that one-party states and dictatorships derive from African traditional political systems is a definite misreading of history. In the process the church became an accomplice in the brutal suppression of Africans and that, in the name of bringing them “Christian civilization.” The African political scene have often alleged that African ideas of chieftaincy have been contributory to, if not responsible for, the tendency towards dictatorships and undemocratic political organization. One of the things that made Africans doubt commitment of European and American nations to democracy is the matter of land. Democracy then must be sought in a pluralistic context and manner, including dialogue between persons of different political and religious persuasions. Religion’s particular contribution is to give the telos which the other disciplines work towards.
