This is a complete history of the Christian Church in Africa. It covers five centuries - from the rise of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the 15th century and the early Portuguese missionaries right through to the Church and its key role in Africa today. The book is written by a leading authority in Church history, who has himself spent many years in Africa. It looks at all aspects of Christianity in Africa, including its relationship to traditional values and customs, politics, and the comparable rise of Islam in Africa during the period.