The tension between the traditional African worldview and that of missionary Christianity has long been recognized. In this article, drawn from research in Nigeria, this tension is defined as the African Christian problem and three competing varieties of Christianity are presented as potential solutions. The first two, orthodoxy and heterodoxy, are criticized for their failure to provide a satisfying resolution for the problem. Attention is thus focused upon pentecostal evangelicalism, which offers a new and distinct approach. The major characteristics of this approach are discussed and an example provided to illustrate its impact upon the continuing development of Nigerian Christianity.
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