This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the African experience throughout history, offering a general overview of centers of African civilization from antiquity to contemporary times. Major themes include ancient Northeast Africa, Africa’s impact on Europe, Moorish civilization, the Golden Age of West Africa, Africa and the New World, the Swahili, and Africa’s decline and resurgence. The course emphasizes the fundamental cultural commonalities that African peoples share amidst linguistic and other diversities, while examining the profound influence of African civilizations on global cultures and the impact of cross-cultural contacts on the African experience. Central to the course is an emphasis on participating in the missio Dei (the mission of God), equipping students to engage with God’s redemptive purposes in diverse contexts through a missional lens. Students will explore tools, methods, and systems of thought—such as historical-critical analysis, cultural hermeneutics, and missional theology—to critically reflect on African civilizations and their relevance to contemporary Christian mission.
Students will develop the ability to assess global civilizations through the lens of African contributions, fostering a deeper understanding of historical and cultural dynamics. The course equips Christ-centered students with historical-cultural enrichment skills and missional tools, guided by the Holy Spirit, to discern and fulfill their specific calling in God’s mission. By engaging with African civilizations, students will cultivate analytical and intercultural competencies, enabling them to participate effectively in the missio Dei by promoting unity, reconciliation, and justice across diverse contexts.
This course fulfills the mandate to integrate awareness of Africa’s significant contributions to the development of global civilization, particularly Western civilization, while aligning with the missio Dei—God’s mission to redeem and restore all creation. By exploring African civilizations through a missional perspective, the course empowers students to participate in God’s transformative work, fostering intercultural understanding, dismantling stereotypes, and promoting a holistic vision of God’s kingdom that embraces all nations and peoples.
Rooted in the biblical mandate to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), this course reflects the belief that evangelistic, interracial, and intercultural understanding is essential for fulfilling God’s mission. Drawing from Acts and the epistles, the course validates and activates students called to missional outreach, equipping them with tools to engage diverse cultures in alignment with God’s redemptive purposes.
Christian education, as exemplified in this course, is inherently evangelistic and seeks to uplift, inform, and unify humanity under God’s mission. Students learn to identify and examine elements of African civilizations that unite and uplift humanity, applying missional frameworks to engage in God’s redemptive work. The course emphasizes participation in the missio Dei by equipping students to share the gospel and foster reconciliation in diverse cultural contexts.
Students learn to assess global history and culture within the African context, gaining tools such as historical-critical analysis, cultural hermeneutics, and contextual theology. These tools enable Christ-centered students to understand and clarify their calling within God’s mission. The course challenges the notion that “one experience fits all,” encouraging students to apply context-specific insights to their missional practice.
The course fosters cultural awareness, intercultural skills, and cross-cultural church fellowship, enabling students to engage with diverse communities in alignment with the missio Dei. Through studying African civilizations, students develop competencies in intercultural communication, cultural sensitivity, and collaborative ministry, preparing them to build bridges across cultures in their missional work.
The course integrates the study of history and culture with practical tools, methods, and systems of thought, including:
Historical-Critical Analysis: Evaluating primary and secondary sources to understand the socio-historical context of African civilizations.
Cultural Hermeneutics: Interpreting cultural practices and traditions through a biblical and missional lens to discern their relevance to God’s mission.
Missional Theology: Applying theological frameworks to engage with African civilizations in ways that promote justice, reconciliation, and kingdom values. These tools enable students to develop critical and spiritual reflection skills for effective missional engagement.
Students develop and adapt missional tools and systems—such as contextual analysis, intercultural dialogue, and missional strategies—for the specific contexts in which they serve. By engaging with African civilizations, students are transformed through experiential learning, gaining practical skills to participate in God’s mission and contribute to the renewal of communities worldwide.
