Book Review: The Kingdom of God in Africa: A short history of African Christianity by Mark Shaw

The Kingdom of God in Africa: A short history of African Christianity by Mark Shaw. I recommend it to those who want a digested history of Christianity in Africa from the 1st century. It is fascinating... hmmm and will refresh your Africa history lessons.
Mark Show says that throughout the complex witnessing to the Kingdom of God, three aspects of the kingdom have been emphasized and have consequently produces different results:

1. The Kingdom as sovereign reign of God - this is by mainly trying to institutionalize God's law (theocracy) - including trying to produce Christian nation-states. (Danger: Advancing the Kingdom by force)

2. The Kingdom as the redemptive rule of Christ: The emphasis is made on personal salvation, inner spiritual experience and reconciliation with God (Danger: Escapism, accepting the status quo)

3. The Kingdom as the coming Kingdom of peace and justice: The emphasis is made on human liberation and fulfillment. Building a Kingdom as a just society and earthy paradise. (Danger: Using human effort and means to build the Kingdom of God)

Book quote "Though the Church's struggle to bear a balanced witness to the Kingdom has consistently failed, God has taken the defeat of the church and in surprising and gracious ways raised up to life a three-dimensional witness to the kingdom in spite of his people's failures. The cross is not just the place of our salvation; it is a pattern of the church's life in the world. The apparent defeat of Good Friday becomes the astonishing victory of Easter Monday. God may bring his kingdom witnesses low but it is only to raise them high once again."

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