A “Failure in Love”? Western Missions and the Emergence of African Initiated Churches in the Twentieth Century

Several theories relating to the emergence and development of African Initiated Churches (AICs) are discussed, particularly that propounded by David Barrett, who saw AICs reacting to a “failure in love” on the part of Western European missions. The widespread “reaction to missions” view in missiological writings on AICs, although having some validity, tends to detract from more important underlying causes. This and other causes like Protestant denominationalism, Bible translations, theological and religious causes, and precipitating factors must together be seen as a complex whole and in the context of the macro-history of African Christianity and the innovative contributions of African missionaries.