African Christianity Rising

The explosive growth of Christian communities in Africa is the topic of the two documentaries compiled here—Stories from Ghana (which is in the western part of the continent) and Stories from Zimbabwe (some 2,000 miles away in the south)—from filmmaker James Ault. Both feature footage shot over a nearly 10-year period, which in the case of Zimbabwe makes a substantial difference, given the increasingly repressive rule of President Robert Mugabe and the fact that many of the interviewees had left the country (at least temporarily). Ault looks at various types of communities—mainstream denominations that include both old missionary foundations (often Presbyterian) and Roman Catholic dioceses, independent spiritual or prophetic groups that have sprung up locally, and Pentecostal and charismatic organizations of more recent vintage—interviewing their leaders, various theologians, and individual communicants. One interesting insight presented here is about the ways that Christianity has adapted to meet local needs in terms of the forms of service, which often incorporate African music and dance, and customs such as removing curses and evil spells. Emphasis is also placed on how endemic social problems are being addressed by both traditional indigenous faith systems and various Christian communities. The potential spread of African Christianity is undeniably great; although this compilation only focuses on two countries, it also contributes significantly to outsiders' understanding of the subject. Recommended. [Note: this is also available with public performance rights for $175 (or $240 for the four-disc edition with three-hours-plus of bonus features) from the filmmaker's website, www.jamesault.com.]. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)