2.2. Conversion to Christianity

Question 1

What significant event occurred in 1482 regarding the Kongo?

Answer 1

Portuguese navigator Diogo Cao discovered Kongo and made contact with Nzinga a Nkuwu

This marked the beginning of European influence in the region.

Question 2

What was the purpose of the missionary expedition sent by Joao II of Portugal in 1490?

Answer 2

To shape Kongo society and civilization in the image of European society

This included bringing Portuguese masons, carpenters, soldiers, missionaries, and various goods.

Question 3

What was the significance of the baptism of Nzinga a Nkuwu?

Answer 3

He adopted the name Joao I and established a connection with Portuguese sovereignty

His baptism was a strategic move to strengthen ties with Portugal.

Question 4

What military support did Portugal provide to Kongo during Joao’s reign?

Answer 4

Portugal provided soldiers that helped Joao defend against Teke raiders

This military aid contributed to a decisive victory.

Question 5

Why did Christianity appeal to the mwissikongo?

Answer 5

It was seen as a source of ngolo, or power, which had political implications

The adoption of Christianity was intertwined with the central power of the manikongo.

Question 6

What role did Afonso I play in the establishment of Christianity in Kongo?

Answer 6

He allied with outlying chiefs and converted them to Christianity

This helped him secure the throne during a period of succession disputes.

Question 7

What was the outcome of Afonso’s military victory against Mpanzu a Kitama?

Answer 7

Afonso took the throne by violence and eliminated opposition

He attributed his victory to a miraculous appearance of heavenly horsemen.

Question 8

How did Afonso I contribute to the development of the Catholic Church in Kongo?

Answer 8

He established a well-organized church and appointed his son Henrique as bishop

This integration of church and state was crucial for Kongo’s political structure.

Question 9

What was the significance of the coat of arms designed by Afonso?

Answer 9

It symbolized his victory and the integration of Christianity into Kongo identity

It continued to be used as a seal in Kongo until 1859.

Question 10

What was Afonso’s approach to education and governance?

Answer 10

He built schools, sent students to Portugal, and created a literate class

Education was reserved for the elite, reinforcing social hierarchies.

Question 11

What characterized the relationship between Diogo I and Christianity?

Answer 11

Diogo I tolerated Christianity only when it served his political ambitions

He limited the power of the clergy and used religion as a tool.

Question 12

What happened during Alvaro I’s reign regarding missionary activity?

Answer 12

Missionary activity was reorganized with the arrival of Dominicans

Alvaro I sought to balance Portuguese influence while requesting more missionaries.

Question 13

How did Christianity impact Kongo’s sovereignty according to historians?

Answer 13

It is often seen as undermining Kongo’s sovereignty and serving European interests

This view emphasizes a semi-colonial relationship with Portugal.

Question 14

What was the role of indigenous religion in Kongo during the spread of Christianity?

Answer 14

Indigenous religion continued to be practiced despite the adoption of Christianity

This highlights the coexistence of both belief systems.

Question 15

Fill in the blank: The Kongo emissaries returned to Kongo with a fleet of three _______.

Answer 15

[caravels]

Question 16

True or False: Afonso I’s conversion to Christianity was purely a religious decision.

Answer 16

False

It was deeply intertwined with political strategy and power consolidation.

Question 17

What was the European perception of Christianity in the Kongo?

Answer 17

Christianity was seen as a foreign religion serving European interests and undermining Kongo’s sovereignty.

Historians in the 1960s viewed it as part of a semi-colonial relationship with Portugal.

Question 18

How did David Birmingham characterize the role of Christianity in Kongo?

Answer 18

Christianity was maintained as a façade to enhance Kongo’s diplomatic relations with Europe, while indigenous religions were practiced in most affairs.

This view suggests a limited influence of Christianity.

Question 19

What was the relationship between the number of European clergies and the influence of Christianity in Kongo?

Answer 19

Christianity’s influence was measured by the presence of European clergies, strong under Afonso in the 16th century but weakened in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

The decline was linked to the abandonment of Kongo by Portuguese priests.

Question 20

According to John Thornton, how did Kongo’s conversion to Christianity differ from European control?

Answer 20

Kongo converted to Christianity of its own free will, shaping the Church and its doctrines independently of European influence.

This control made attempts by outsiders to use the Church for political leverage unsuccessful.

Question 21

What evidence indicates the loyalty of Kongo kings to the Church?

Answer 21

Kings wrote to the Pope, requested missionaries, marital dispensations, and divine assistance against invasions of locusts.

This formal loyalty suggests a strategic alliance with Christianity.

Question 22

True or False: Modern opinions doubt the sincerity of Kongo’s conversion to Christianity.

Answer 22

True

Historians like MacGaffey argue that Christianity in Kongo fit into local cosmology.

Question 23

Fill in the blank: Christian priests were called _______.

Answer 23

nganga

Question 24

What practices did Christian priests adopt from traditional nganga?

Answer 24

Healing, witch-finding, and organizing religious processions.

They instructed people not to consult traditional nganga.

Question 25

What was the kimpasi initiation, and how did it relate to Christianity?

Answer 25

Kimpasi involved the death and resurrection of initiates, resembling the Christian resurrection narrative. ## Footnote Priests struggled against it but didn't eliminate it.

Question 26

Why was Christianity able to intertwine with traditional beliefs in Kongo?

Answer 26

Reasons include: * Inclusive conception of religion by missionaries * Adaptation of Christian terms into Kikongo * Priests filling roles similar to traditional nganga

Question 27

What was the Church's income structure in Kongo?

Answer 27

The Church's income came mainly as a moradia, with the state controlling revenue collection. ## Footnote This setup prevented Portugal from using the Church as a political tool.

Question 28

Who was Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita, and what was her significance?

Answer 28

She revived the Kingdom of Kongo through Antonianism, claiming to be possessed by Saint Anthony and advocating for a Kongo-centered Catholicism. ## Footnote Her movement recognized papal authority but opposed European missionaries.

Question 29

How did Afonso I use Christianity to strengthen his rulership?

Answer 29

He sought priests to maintain order and suppress the influence of Portuguese merchants threatening his authority. ## Footnote He emphasized the need for religious support to stabilize his kingdom.

Question 30

What was the relationship between Christianity and Kongo's sovereignty?

Answer 30

Christianity did not threaten Kongo's sovereignty; rather, it conferred diplomatic leverage in Europe. ## Footnote The Kongo's allegiance to Rome helped secure papal support against invasions.

Question 31

What role did local education play in the Church's establishment in Kongo?

Answer 31

The local educational system created a literate clergy that facilitated the spread of Christianity and maintained Kongo's unique interpretation of it. ## Footnote Literate students entered the priesthood and assisted in religious practices.

Question 32

What barriers did polygamy present to Christianity in Kongo, and how were they addressed?

Answer 32

Polygamy was transformed into concubinage, allowing Kongo nobility to maintain multiple wives under Christian rites. ## Footnote This adaptation prevented conflict between traditional practices and Christian doctrine.

Question 33

How did tensions arise between Portuguese clergy and the Kongolese?

Answer 33

Tensions developed due to the Portuguese clergy's attempts to exert control over the Kongo Church, which the Kongo resisted. ## Footnote This conflict was rooted in differing religious and political interests.

Question 34

What is the main issue addressed regarding the trade of slaves in the Kingdoms?

Answer 34

The corruption and licentiousness leading to the depopulation of the country

Question 35

What does the letter request from Your Highness to help prevent slave trade?

Answer 35

To send no merchants or wares to the Kingdoms

Question 36

What are the desired goods mentioned for the holy sacrament?

Answer 36

Wine and flour

Question 37

What happens to people kidnapped for the slave trade upon capture by white men?

Answer 37

They are ironed and branded with fire

Question 38

Fill in the blank: The law passed requires white men to inform _______ of noblemen before purchasing goods.

Answer 38

three

Question 39

Who are the noblemen mentioned that must be informed of goods being purchased?

Answer 39

* Dom Pedro Manipanza * Dom Manuel Manissaba * Goncalo Pires

Question 40

What is the consequence for white men who do not comply with the new law regarding purchasing goods?

Answer 40

They will lose the aforementioned goods

Question 41

What health issue is prevalent in the Kingdoms according to the letter?

Answer 41

Lack of physicians and surgeons to treat diseases

Question 42

What do the people in the Kingdom primarily use to treat their ailments?

Answer 42

Herbs and ancient methods

Question 43

What specific request is made for medical assistance in the letter?

Answer 43

To send two physicians, two apothecaries, and one surgeon

Question 44

Fill in the blank: The Kongo cosmology includes the term _______ for God.

Answer 44

Nzambi Mpungu

Question 45

What was the initial perception of the Portuguese by the Kongo people?

Answer 45

Welcomed as ancestors from the North and spirits of the water from the South

Question 46

What does the Kongo cross symbolize?

Answer 46

The cyclical nature of the natural world

Question 47

What concept in Kongo cosmology is similar to the preaching of the resurrection of Christ?

Answer 47

Kimpasi

Question 48

True or False: The adoption of Christianity in Kongo was immediately welcomed.

Answer 48

False

Question 49

What are the sources suggested for further reading on religious change in Kongo?

Answer 49

* John Thornton The Development of an African Catholic Church * John Thornton Demography and History in the Kingdom of Kongo * Richard Gray A Kongo Princess, the Kongo Ambassadors and the Papacy * Anne Hilton European Sources for the Study of Religious Change in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Kongo * John Parker Great Kingdoms of Africa, Chapter 7