Join us as Constantine discusses "Gods, Kings, and Missionaries: Legacies of Ancient States and Christian Missionaries on Religion in Africa"

Abstract: Today, nearly all Africans identify as Christian or Muslim. However, existing scholarship has often overstated the role of external actors— such as Christian missionaries— in shaping African religious beliefs and practices. It has also emphasized public goods provision as a key mechanism for the spread of Christianity. Yet this focus overlooks the persistence of indigenous beliefs alongside Christian affiliation— a form of syncretism that remains under-explained. This paper argues that African Initiated Churches (AICs) are central to the development and endurance of this syncretism. It traces their emergence to the legacies of ancient African states and their engagement with Christian missionaries. In politically centralized ancient societies, elites used religion to legitimize their authority and later served as intermediaries, adapting Christian doctrines to fit existing traditions. Drawing on primary and secondary data and using quantitative, historical, and qualitative case study methodologies, this paper finds that in areas with significant missionary exposure, ancient political centralization positively correlates with religious syncretism today. Further, because Africans who are more syncretic are also more likely to be tolerant of others, these results have important implications for our understanding of African politics. 

Bio: Constantine Manda is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Irvine where he specializes in political economy and comparative politics, with a regional focus on Africa. His work is published in seminal journals like the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Politics, and Comparative Political Studies, among others. Constantine is affiliated with the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), Tanzania's Economic & Social Research Foundation (ESRF), among others. He holds degrees in political science, public policy, and economics from Yale University, the University of Chicago, and Xavier University, respectively. 

*If you would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Constantine during his visit, please email Chad to schedule a time.