HOW AFRICA SHAPED THE CHRISTIAN MIND

"All Christians on the continent of Africa have a birthright that awaits discovery . But in subtle ways they seem to have been barred access to it as a result of longstanding preconceived notions and biases. So their heritage remains sadly unnoticed , even in Africa. "Not only Westerners but tragically many African scholars and church leaders also have ignored their earliest African Christian ancestors. Some have been so intent on condemning nineteenth century colonialist missionary history that they have hardly glimpsed their own momentous premodern patristic African intellectual heritage . Even black nationalist advocates who have exalted every other conceivable aspect of the African tradition seem to have consistently ignored this patristic gift lying at their feet. "Ordinary African Christian believers deserve to have a much more accessible way of understanding early African Christianity: its faith, courage, tenacity, and remarkable intellectual strength . That is why the story must be told, told now and told accurately." P.11, "Introduction," HOW AFRICA SHAPED THE CHRISTIAN MIND : REDISCOVERING THE SEEDBED OF WESTERN CHRISTIANITY by Thomas C. Oden (2007)