Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, raises the question whether Christianity and British colonization had a unifying or disruptive impact on the Igbo community. Initial reading suggests to the reader that the influence of Christianity produced only a negative impact on the Igbo since the British colonists took over the Igbo community’s way of life, government, and disposed of their religious-cultural traditions in order to build Christian traditions. However, under the surface the missionaries of Christianity actually guided and empowered the unification and development of the village. This empowerment brought together, respected clansmen, ostracized people (the osu), and the titleless men (the efulefu) into the form of a new religious community.
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On the contrary, introduction of Christianity to the Igbo people empowered the Igbo to work together under the church towards the development of the village. Although a main reason for missionaries to spread the religion to African was for the benefit of the European imperialism, it still taught the many Igbo villagers to accept everyone in their community under
God instead of ostracizing specific groups of people due to customs of the native religion. Mr.
Kiaga stated to new converts “How are you different from other men who shave…..Only the words of God are true” (91). His unwavering conviction was able to convince the new converts and clansmen not to reject Christianity because the osu have joined their new faith. Additionally,
Mr. Brown was able to successfully spread Christianity and greatly stimulate development of
Umuofia. The narrator stated:
From the very beginning religion and education went hand in hand. Mr. Brown’s mission grew from strength from strength, and because of its link with the new administration it earned a new social prestige. (103)
Unlike Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown was able to peacefully endorse Christianity to the …show more content…
The missionaries were “rescuing twins from the bush”, giving the gift of life to children who were ostracized from birth due to the religious tradition of viewing them as bad omens. The church accepted their first woman who was also pregnant, Nneka who was neglected by her husband and family because her four previous pregnancies bore twins (87).
Although the impact Christianity and British colonization brought forth disaster and corruption in the Igboid villages, it can be inferred that there was still a large positive impact of their arrival. Christianity divided villagers and families from each other due to their conflicting faiths but it still brought people like the outcasts, the osu, into a community where they were finally accepted. The new government and religious reform caused for violent mistreatment of the native people but at the same time it was able to introduce education, trade, commerce and village development through new laws and regulation. Thus, we can see that although
Christianity and British settlers negatively impacted the Igbo through colonization, they still brought unification and positive reform to a large portion of the Igbo
On the contrary, introduction of Christianity to the Igbo people empowered the Igbo to work together under the church towards the development of the village. Although a main reason for missionaries to spread the religion to African was for the benefit of the European imperialism, it still taught the many Igbo villagers to accept everyone in their community under
God instead of ostracizing specific groups of people due to customs of the native religion. Mr.
Kiaga stated to new converts “How are you different from other men who shave…..Only the words of God are true” (91). His unwavering conviction was able to convince the new converts and clansmen not to reject Christianity because the osu have joined their new faith. Additionally,
Mr. Brown was able to successfully spread Christianity and greatly stimulate development of
Umuofia. The narrator stated:
From the very beginning religion and education went hand in hand. Mr. Brown’s mission grew from strength from strength, and because of its link with the new administration it earned a new social prestige. (103)
Unlike Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown was able to peacefully endorse Christianity to the …show more content…
The missionaries were “rescuing twins from the bush”, giving the gift of life to children who were ostracized from birth due to the religious tradition of viewing them as bad omens. The church accepted their first woman who was also pregnant, Nneka who was neglected by her husband and family because her four previous pregnancies bore twins (87).
Although the impact Christianity and British colonization brought forth disaster and corruption in the Igboid villages, it can be inferred that there was still a large positive impact of their arrival. Christianity divided villagers and families from each other due to their conflicting faiths but it still brought people like the outcasts, the osu, into a community where they were finally accepted. The new government and religious reform caused for violent mistreatment of the native people but at the same time it was able to introduce education, trade, commerce and village development through new laws and regulation. Thus, we can see that although
Christianity and British settlers negatively impacted the Igbo through colonization, they still brought unification and positive reform to a large portion of the Igbo