In African countries like Ghana where people take delight in inscribing cryptic religious statements on their properties visitors find this signwriting culture very revealing. These writing are part of the popular religious culture. A lot of them insinuate the fact that enemies may either be working against people or plotting their downfall. Thus inscriptions like:…

For some scholars, witchcraft in Africa will disappear one day as it did in Europe, thanks to enlightenment, economic prosperity, and cultural evolution. Peter Geschiere, in his book that looks at witchcraft and politics in Africa, thinks it will stay. In the realm of political powers, we have heard of African politicians resorting to witchcraft for…

Witchcraft belief and practice is an African attempt to square the reality of human suffering with the belief in God (theodicy). To the African, God is good and he cannot wish evil or any pain to befall any of his children. Africans generally believe that God is a loving Father who is always blessing his…

In African countries like Ghana where people take delight in inscribing cryptic religious statements on their properties, visitors find this signwriting culture very revealing. These writing are part of the popular religious culture. A lot of them insinuate the fact that enemies may either be working against people or plotting their downfall. Thus one finds…

The Lugbara people live in the Northeast end of the D.R.Congo and in the Northwestern West Nile region of Uganda. They belong to the Central Sudanic ethnolinguistic group. 500,000 Lugbara live in D.R.Congo; almost the same number lives in Uganda. Beliefs in witchcraft among this ethnic group are widespread. It is not surprising that most…

In my posts thus far I have attempted to present the results of research I’ve been engaged in regarding some of the various ways that certain pastors in northeastern Congo (DRC) approach ministry in contexts where many live with a fear of witches. As explained earlier, in conducting this research I’ve interviewed a number of…

While witch accusations bring drama to Nollywood movies, the realities of witchcraft accusations are not merely entertaining. They are deadly. Real witchcraft accusation dramas continue to be played out daily in real people’s lives, in real communities as people are accused around the continent. What is happening? The accusations take on different forms in different…

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from C. Christopher Smith’s book, Reading for the Common Good, now available from IVP. Reading is a practice that is formative for communities of God’s people, especially when we learn to read in ways that are not driven merely by a desire for entertainment or for self-improvement. (Certainly,…

In his new book, Life’s Too Short to Pretend You’re Not Religious, David Dark tries to find a common playing field of human culture and devotion that reclaims the term religious from those who misuse it. Sapientia sat down with him at Calvin’s Festival of Faith and Writing to talk about growing up a culturally engaged Christian, the…

As I have worked with students over the years, I have noticed that many go through seasons of spiritual dryness in which desires for attentiveness are thwarted by feelings that God is distant and unresponsive. Quiet times feel empty, small groups lifeless, worship songs stale, prayers fruitless and tiresome. Such times, of course, were not…

Emerging adults often have their focus directed squarely upon the future. Parents and other concerned adults regularly ask them about the five and ten-year plans they are devising for adulthood. They are preparing for a future career and, at least potentially, a future spouse and children. They develop dreams of what they hope to be and…

“Where is your body taking your heart?” This is a question that I have been asking more and more in my work with emerging adults. I find that it is a startling, and sometimes disconcerting, question for many. We typically assume that the spiritual life works in one direction—a change of heart leads to a…