Philip Jenkins has written some remarkably timely pieces before, but perhaps never one as painfully so as his latest essay for TAC, “Third World War,” which looks at the struggle between Islam and Christianity in the Global South and begins with an anecdote about bloody riots in Jos, Nigeria — which this weekend saw more interfaith violence that left up to 500 people dead. (Jenkins notes in his article that the Western media prefer to elide the religious context of the mayhem, and sure enough the New York Times headline on the fighting refers to “ethnic violence.”) The situation in Jos is mirrored by tensions across Africa and Asia, where a rapidly growing Christianity intrudes into territories that many Muslims believe to be their own. Jenkins’s essay is vital reading for understanding this complex struggle.
The Killings in Jos
5 Responses to The Killings in Jos
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Adam Rurik says:
Excellent article by Jenkins. I hadn’t realized the extent of Christian expansion in Nigeria.
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Mad Doc MacRae says:
I hope Christian expansionism is done by voluntary conversion, and not by machete. If Christian Africans are going to take notes from the Christian West I’m not optimistic.
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MattSwartz says:
Who is responsible for the riots in Jose? Can you tell that Chief to talk to me? How can they murder the helpless children and women. I beleive the fury of God will strike this nation anytime.
Nigeria the Lord will judge these cowards and them who are responsible for this massacre. Then they shall know that the Lord has retributed them in their own land. Mercy Lord for the death of the innocent children & women.regards,
DarrylDarryl,
I appreciate your zeal, but if you are an American like I am, I think you might be wise to be careful what you wish for in terms of God’s wholesale judgment on nations.
Other societies may be more oppressive and internally unpredictable than ours, but we still lead the world in terms of killing innocents, both at home with our abortion laws, and abroad with our indiscriminate bombing and drone attacks.
It’s easy to be a prophetic the way Jonah was: telling the people you hate that your God hates them, too. It is much more difficult, but also far preferable, to speak to one’s own nation’s actions, and measure them against God’s standard.
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To qualify the fighting and violence in Jos as “christian expansionism” is a tad shortsighted.
Jos reflects the intersection of religion, tribal distrust, political manipulations and poverty in the worst way possible. While religious distrust is obviously an important element, the other key factors and historical issues that are unique to Nigeria and other African countries should not be overlooked.
Who is responsible for the riots in Jose? Can you tell that Chief to talk to me? How can they murder the helpless children and women. I beleive the fury of God will strike this nation anytime.
Nigeria the Lord will judge these cowards and them who are responsible for this massacre. Then they shall know that the Lord has retributed them in their own land. Mercy Lord for the death of the innocent children & women.
regards,
Darryl