The PG movement has spread like wildfire in Sub-Saharan Africa because there is nothing really new about it. Whereas previous generations of Africans lived in constant fear of the ancestral spirits who dwelt among the trees—and sought out a shaman or witch doctor for some form of power to overcome them—newer generations of Africans live in constant fear of the spirits of poverty, sickness, failure and depression. They seek out a “pastor” or a prophet or a bishop for some formula that may give them spiritual power for a breakthrough or a deliverance.
Animism 2.0
In Zimbabwe where I live, “prophets” spray Raid-like bug spray into people’s faces to drive out unclean spirits. Others use an iPad to take selfies with parishioners, which supposedly reveals hidden truths about their spiritual lives. Some are being prosecuted for various forms of abuse enacted in the name of spiritual healing and deliverance. This is certainly not Protestantism. This is not even Christianity. This is animism 2.0, and it is wreaking havoc on the church here in Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa.
“If we want to see a reformation among African churches, we must intentionally and fervently ground our ministry efforts in a grace-alone gospel.”
So what can we do? We can confront false teaching and teachers by name and seek to rid our churches and networks of their vile media content which has flooded this continent. We can vigorously write and publish our own resources that seek to instill sound biblical apologetics to guard our flocks against these heresies. We can work alongside biblically sound African churches to equip pastors and leaders for the next generation. The root of all these efforts must be the same teaching that has always been the root of the Protestant faith—the doctrine of grace alone. If we want to see a reformation among African churches, we must intentionally and fervently ground our ministry efforts in a grace-alone gospel.
Grace Alone
In a 2005 interview, commenting on what (I believe) was his observation of a form of animism in every religion, Bono said,
You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or opposite one. It’s clear to me that karma is at the very heart of the universe.
But for Bono, the answer to this transactional view of faith is simple.
And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so will you sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed… I’d be in big trouble if karma was going to finally be my judge…but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity. The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death.
What Bono is articulating here is nothing other than the true Protestant faith. The doctrine of grace alone destroys every false argument and opinion based in karma or animism, which portrays God as a kind of transactional deity—either rewarding with blessing or punishing with curse on the basis of our performance.
The response to this heresy must be the same as it has been throughout the ages—preaching Christ crucified. Here in Africa, this mandate has never been more urgent. It is time for the church to mobilize. We cannot leave Africans in their “Old-Time Religion” any longer. We must show them the true way—not the way of animism, but the way of the cross and the empty tomb
This article originally appeared here.
