The Dynamics of Language Politics in Religious Expression in African Indigenous Churches

Language is never simply a neutral instrument to convey meaning, but rather a culturally subjective system reflecting peoples’ worldview. The importance of speaking to a people in their own language cannot therefore be over-stressed, because language as a system of communicative symbol only receives meaning from its culture and society (Kinge’I 1999, 1). Twentieth-century Africa has produced diverse forms of Christian expression, the core of which is the emphasis on the Africanness of Christianity. Africans have rightly observed that their traditional languages, thought patterns, and worldviews can be adapted to make Christianity relevant to the African situation. How did this come about? Why did Africans turn to indigenous language in the expression of their Christian conviction? What were the main developments in this process?