Christian Churches and National Integration in Cameroon since Reunification: A Historical Survey

Abstract

The reunification of Cameroon in 1961 heightened the need to forge a sense of national accommodation and common citizenship. The country’s multi-ethnic make up and its disparate colonial heritages (British and French) pose insuperable impediments to viable nationhood. Worse still, the country’s unity is marred by religious cleavages and differences (Muslim north vs. southern Christian; Muslim vs. animist; Christian vs. animist, etc.). Indeed, religious cleavages and differences were threats to the integrative process of the country. These differences were also reflected in the parochial and regional character of Christian churches (Catholics and Protestants) resulting from the ecclesiastical colonial mould. Thus, there was need for practical and effective methods aimed at bridging denominational gaps and differences in view of fostering national unity. This paper examines the contributions of Catholic and Protestant churches to the process of national integration in Cameroon from different perspectives: institutional-structural, ecumenical, and evangelical. It sustains the argument that churches did not only foster national unity, but were equally affected by it. The paper concludes that the churches’ structures, ecumenical bodies and evangelical initiatives, in spite some pitfalls, transcend the multi-ethnic differences and the dual colonial heritages, coinciding with the boundaries of the nation state.