Missions and Religion in Cameroon

Cameroon has a blend of religions in its country. Religious freedom and secularism are guaranteed by the constitution and the law of 19 December 1990.¹ Christians in Cameroon take up about 53% of the population, followed by the Muslim faith which accounts for about 22% of the populace. The remainder is accounted as animist or agnostic religions. In reference to geography, Muslims are found mostly to the north and Christians in the South. This geographical distribution of religions is a result of the country’s history.¹ Today, About 60 agencies from 27 countries do missionary work in Cameroon.²

Cameroon missions church circa 1929.

Baptist Church, in Limbé

Christianity arrived in Cameroon in the 19^th century, first in the form of Protestantism and then Catholicism. Baptist missionaries established themselves in Douala starting from 1843 and American Presbyterian missionaries in the South in 1879. Catholic missionaries arrived at the end of the 19^th century and Christianity really began to grow in the early 1900’s.

Joseph Merrick attends an Isubu funeral

Joseph Merrick  along with Reverend Joseph Jackson Fuller were Jamaican Baptist missionaries who  began preaching in Africa in the 1830’s and established the first successful mission on the Cameroon Coast of Africa. Alfred Saker also joined  their Baptist missionary work in the 1840’s. Their Baptist work continued in Cameroon for more than thirty years. ³ To this day they are credited as the founders of African Christian civilization in Cameroon.

Alfred Saker Memorial verbiage

Alfred Saker Memorial, beach of Limbé

Progression of religious missionaries has had a significant impact in Cameroon. On the positive side, European Christian missionaries not only helped to establish faith and churches, but they helped to establish permanent schools for formal education.⁴ On the negative side, the rise of Boko Haram the Islamic terrorist group in Nigeria is spreading radical religious terrorism throughout Cameroon and beyond.

Boko Haram in Cameroon

References

1. “Cameroon: The Threat of Religious Radicalism.” International Crisis Group. Accesses June 24, 2016. http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/central-africa/229-cameroon-the-threat-of-religious-radicalism.pdf

2. Melissa Chang. “Cameroon: Etiquette, Customs, Facts and Vital information.” Missions Launch. Accessed June 24, 2016. http://www.missionslaunch.com/category/facts-and-stats/

3. “Joseph Merrick (missionary).” Wikipedia. Accessed June 24, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Merrick_(missionary)

4. Tamanji, Asenju Callistus, "Three Instances of Western Colonial Governments and Christian Missions in Cameroon Education: 1884-1961" (2011). Dissertations. Paper 106. http://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/106