Christianity in South Africa

Christianity is the dominant religion in South Africa, with almost 80% of the population in 2001 professing to be Christian. No single denomination predominates, with mainstream Protestant churches, Pentecostal churches, African initiated churches, and the Catholic Church all having significant numbers of adherents. Importantly, there is significant and sustained syncretism with African Traditional Religion among most of the self-professed Christians in South Africa.[1]

Christianity has played an important role in South African history.[2] Some Christian denominations and Churches theologically supported inequality, subjugation and racial segregation (Apartheid), while other denominations and Churches others opposed segregation.[3][4][5]

  1. ^ Simpson, Diane (1995). "Syncretism in Two African Countries". Totem: The University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology. 2 (1). University of Western Ontario.
  2. ^ Richard Elphick (1997). Christianity in South Africa: A Political, Social, and Cultural History. University of California Press. pp. 11–15. ISBN 978-0-520-20940-4.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference rita1996 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference vosloo400 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Adrian Hastings; Alistair Mason; Hugh Pyper (2000). The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought. Oxford University Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-19-860024-4.