So why are there so many problems in Africa if Christianity brings with it God’s blessings? Part 3 of "Are Africans Cursed?"

In the lecture that provoked the claim that the real problem with Africans is that they are cursed, I had made the following points:

1.    One of the main problems with Africa is that African Christians have not learned to apply God’s Word at the worldview level, so even though we claim to be followers of Christ, we still don’t have a comprehensive Christian worldview. I gave several examples:

a.     Frightening violence in supposedly Christian nations – Kenya in 2008 and Rwanda in 1994 (considered to be among the most Christianized nations in the world before the 1994 genocide that claimed almost one million lives).

b.    Debilitating corruption that routinely multiplies the suffering endured by so many. At just the time when there exists the technology to grow enough food for every human being on earth and more, people continue to die of starvation in Africa. Dambisa Moyo’s book, Dead Aid, is helpful in diagnosing some of the problems from an economic perspective. But I would argue the problem is primarily moral/ethical.

2.    We cannot change the structures of any society without nurturing the mind. So apologetics is a task the church cannot afford to ignore.

3.    Three reasons why we can’t ignore apologetics:

a.     We are commanded to nurture the life of the mind.

b.    Nurturing the life of the mind is a form of spiritual warfare.

c.     We can’t apply God’s word to our lives without using our minds.

That, in a nutshell, is what turned out to be quite controversial. I love it when people disagree with me, because, if I’m wrong, I have an opportunity to learn the truth. In this case, though, I don’t think I am.

Mind you, this is only part of the problem. In the spiritual realm, spiritual formation, for example, is a big problem. Teaching the sciences is another problem. I’m sure there are others.