The Battle of the Gods: Christianization of Cross River Igboland, 1903-1950

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Periodical article

Title:	The Battle of the Gods: Christianization of Cross River Igboland, 1903-1950
Author:	Kalu, Ogbu U.
Year:	1979
Periodical:	Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria
Volume:	10
Issue:	1
Period:	December
Pages:	1-18
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	missionary history Presbyterian church Igbo Religion and Witchcraft Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) History and Exploration
Abstract:	The Cross-River Igbo communities, ranged along the left bank of the Cross River constitute an identifiable culture area with the same dominant and significant culture traits, complexes and patterns. This paper underscores a particular historiographical perspective and draws attention to certain wider issues. It is argued that the history of Christianity in Igboland is not merely what missionaries did or did not do. Rather, Church history has to be studied within the total context of the lives of communities. A number of intriguing issues which interplay in the interpretation of the data: 1) a missiological factor which points to how the exigencies of the mission field force enermous changes on the goals and structures of the missionary; 2) an ecclesiological issue, namely an explanation of the present structure of the Presbyterian Church in Nigeria, her small size and the weakness of her ministry; 3) a comment on a tinderbox of Igbo politics, namely the dominance of people from a certain North-Western section of Igboland in the civil service and professions. - Notes.