In Africa, many unbelievers have great respect and even fear of the spirits. These people often ask a Christian, “Why should I trust a God whom I cannot see when my family has met with the spirits of our ancestors? We have seen their power. We see that they exist. Why should we worship a God we cannot see?”

Whether it is called “Animism” or “Tribal Religion” or “Traditional Religion,” this view provides a great challenge to Christian apologetics. When you try to evangelize among animists, they are unlikely to ask questions like, “What is the manuscript evidence for the Bible?” or “What is the cosmological argument for the existence of God?”

Randall McElwain once asked a group of African pastors, “How do you prove the existence of God to unbelievers?” They responded with laughter. “Everyone in Africa is smart enough to know that there is a God! Only Americans and westerners are foolish enough to doubt God’s existence. Our people do not ask ‘Is there a God?’ They ask, ‘Which god is the most powerful?’”

How should a Christian apologist respond to animism? We will look at four questions:

What is animism?
What is the difference between animism and Christianity?
Can animism and Christianity be blended?
How can we best communicate the gospel to animists?

What is Animism?

Animism pictures natural forces and human ancestors as living beings with distinct identities. “Nature spirits” inhabit objects such as animals, plants, and rocks. “Ancestor spirits” are family members who have died. They are often treated with respect as honored members of the group.

According to most tribal religions, these spirits are limited. Their power comes from their non-physical state. They are often unpredictable and can cause great trouble for humans. They can operate unseen because they do not have a body, but they do not have unlimited power. Because of this, they can be controlled by a witch doctor or other religious figure. They can sometimes be controlled through “magical” phrases or talismans.

Many animistic practices are focused on appeasing the spirit world. Whether it is money burned as an offering to ancestors or sacrifices to the nature spirits, animists try to appease the spirit world.

What is the Difference Between Animism and Christianity?

(1) Fear instead of love

Perhaps the greatest difference between animism and Christianity is the relationship between God and man. In animism, the relationship between man and the nature spirits or the ancestors is one of fear. Animists often live in constant fear of what their ancestors may do. There is no shared greeting or relationship. The goal of most animists is to give enough respect to the spirits to avoid trouble. Offerings and prayers are used to satisfy the demands of the spirits. Sorcerers or shamans are paid to control the spirit world.

By contrast, Christians worship a God who pursues a relationship of love with his people. God walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve. God sent his Son to live among us and to die to pay the penalty for our sin. Christ has already appeased the just wrath of God. Our sin brought God’s wrath, but God provided an atonement through the gift of his only Son.[1]

Because Jesus has already paid the price for our sin, our relationship with God can be one of love, not fear. If we respond to his offer of free salvation, God has promised that we will spend eternity in his presence. We do not have to live in fear. We can live in a relationship of love.

(2) Fatalism instead of hope

Animists see death as a source of terror. There is no promise of life after the grave. There is no promise of reunion with family. There is no hope of a merciful God.

By contrast, Christians look forward to eternity in the presence of a loving God. To the Christian, life is moving towards a future of unending joy.

(3) Remote spirits instead of a personal God

Another difference between animism and Christianity is animism’s emphasis on spirits rather than on God. Even animists who recognize a supreme God give more attention to spirits than to God.

By contrast, Christians should give their attention to God not to the spirit world. The Bible testifies to the reality of the spirit world. However, the Bible gives few details about this world. The Bible teaches us nothing about how to contact spirits (either good spirits or bad). It says nothing about how we can use the power of the spirits to help us. Why? Because God alone is the source of our power and knowledge.

Can Animism and Christianity be Blended?

Some Christians have said, “Yes, Christianity is the true religion. However, we can blend the Christian faith with the traditional religions of animistic people.” The blending of true Christianity and other religions is called syncretism.

Many “independent churches” in Africa have combined a Christian message with African tribal religion. This often started with a sincere attempt to contextualize the gospel for Africans. Some African pastors recognized the failure of many western missionaries to communicate the gospel in Africa without all of the cultural “baggage” of the west. These pastors wanted African Christians to sing African songs, wear African clothing, and worship in a genuinely African manner.

Although these efforts began with good intentions, many churches have adapted practices that are contrary to the gospel. In this “syncretistic Christianity,” God is remote, just as the spirit gods are remote. Ancestors are seen as mediators between worshipers and God. There is little emphasis on Christ’s atoning death. Instead, pastors emphasize power over the spirit world, miraculous healings, and dream interpretation.[2]

If all religions are equal, syncretism would be acceptable. However, as we have seen earlier, there is only one path to God. Humanity can come to God only through Jesus Christ. All other paths are false. They do not lead to God. We cannot follow a false path and the true path at the same time.

Imagine that I offered you a cup of liquid. I said to you, “This cup has two drinks mixed together. One of the drinks in the cup is very healthy. The other drink is a deadly poison that will kill you. I mixed them together, so that you will get some of both drinks.” Would you drink from the cup? Of course not! The poison has ruined the healthy drink.

In the same way, it is impossible to worship God and to worship false religions at the same time. Paul said, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”[3]

In the Old Testament, some people in Israel wanted to worship Jehovah while they also worshiped the false god Baal. Elijah asked them, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”[4]

In our doctrines, in our worship practices, and in our lifestyle, we may follow Christ or we may follow false gods. We cannot do both.

How Can We Best Communicate the Gospel to Animists?

Because the strongest aspect of animism is fear, Christians must show the power of God over fear. By showing Christian love and by carefully sharing the good news of the gospel, a Christian can help an animist overcome their fear of the spirits. Until that fear is overcome, many animists will be afraid to respond to the gospel. Christians must show, through their love for their animistic neighbors and through their confident faith in a good God, that love for God casts out fear. John wrote, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”[5]

Jesus Christ Delivers from Fear

John Seamands told the story of the Iban tribe in Malaysia. This animistic tribe lived in constant fear of dreams, rodents, and even a certain bird. When a group of Chinese Christian came to Malaysia after the Boxer Rebellion, the Ibans were amazed that the Christians walked through the forest without fear. They asked, “Aren’t you afraid of the evil spirits?” The Chinese Christians answered, “No! Our God is alive. He loves us and he is more powerful than any other force.” Today, there are thousands of Iban Christians. Their first testimony is often this, “Jesus Christ has delivered me from fear.”[6]

Because the gospel is not limited to western lifestyles, Christians must not think the gospel is the same as western culture. In the early twentieth century, some missionaries tried to establish a “little Britain” in other countries. People in western suits and ties sang western hymns while sitting on benches in a western style church with a steeple. We must bring the gospel in a way that communicates effectively to those we are trying to reach.

Finally, because syncretism has often weakened the gospel, Christians must communicate the gospel clearly. We must introduce animists to a personal God who loves them and desires relationship. We must introduce animists to Jesus Christ who died to make atonement for our sins and who rose from the grave in victory over death.

We must not replace the core message of Christ’s life, atoning death, and resurrection with efforts to impress animists with miraculous signs and wonders, or prayer techniques to “force” God to do what we ask. Our God is not a tribal spirit to be manipulated; he is the sovereign of the universe. When we teach that God can be manipulated through prayer techniques and “faith rituals,” we bring him to the level of a tribal god. An apologetic for animists must never weaken the gospel for the sake of impressing an audience.

Jesus Christ Is More Powerful than Evil Spirits

Animists who are hearing the gospel for the first time will often compare the power of the Christian God with the power of their tribal spirits. A powerful apologetic for animists is the demonstration of the power of God. While we must not try to manipulate God into working according to our plan, we should be sensitive to allow his Spirit to work through us to demonstrate God’s power.

A missionary to the Philippines visited a little girl who had come down with a mysterious illness. This girl was from a tribe that had only recently heard the gospel for the first time. Everyone in the village knew that that girl’s sickness was demonic. Satan was attacking the village because the people had responded to the preaching of the gospel.

The missionary said, “I could feel the power of evil.” The missionary and Filipino pastors prayed for the girl in the name of Jesus Christ. They sang songs about the power of Jesus’ name and the power of his shed blood. The girl was instantly delivered. Her healing was a great testimony to this animistic tribe. They saw that God was more powerful than their tribal spirits. They no longer feared the spirits.

[1] John 3:16

[2] Winfried Corduan. Neighboring Faiths. (IL: Intervarsity Press, 1998), 156

[3] 1 Corinthians 10:21

[4] 1 Kings 18:21

[5] 1 John 4:18

[6] Much of the material in this section is adapted from John T. Seamands, Tell It Well, (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1981).