The insertion of Baptist Christianity in Mozambique: Reasons that led missionaries to choosing only Portuguese settlers as their object of evangelization (1950-1971)

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the insertion of Baptist Christianity in Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony in Africa, between the years of 1950 and 1971. In that context, the Christian missionaries get involved only settlers who lived there. The question that we will try to answer is: why such evangelicals did not include native Mozambicans in their projects? We will consider the historical reasons that explain the socio-racial primacy mentioned, questioning some concepts used in studies about the history of Protestantism, especially those of “mission” and “migration” Protestantism, here questioned from notes of the Italian School of History of Religions, which supports for the main conclusion of the text, namely: instead of an alleged non-missionary nature, this project was, rather, proselytizing. The group’s confessional print media will be our main documentary source. We hope to contribute to the debates on Christian missions in Africa during the 20th century, especially in the scope of the Cultural History of Religions.

Keywords:
baptist christianity; Mozambique; protestantism of mission; protestantism of migration; Cultural History of Religions