Religion and Theology as Cultural and Political Performance

Religion, particularly ChristianityChristianity, holds a significant place in the workMudimbe, V.Y.work of V.Y Mudimbe. For Mudimbe, questioning the real meaning of God or better of ChristianityChristianity as it is lived in Africa, structuring the consciousnessAfricanconsciousness and daily life of African subjects is part of a project of self-hermeneutics and understanding of the cultural and sociopolitical becoming of Africa since its encounter with the Christian West. This chapter explores how, from his agnostic point of view and the background of a critical reflexive thought, Mudimbe deciphers and understands religion and the religious in the political context of Central Africa during the colonial/missionary enterprise and after independence. It shows that, in such a context, religion is a political performance and the religious experience and its theological expression are cultural practices. Finally, the chapter shows how, in the context of anti-colonial nationalism and the claims of the right to cultural difference that animated the African theology of incarnation, the concept of God turns out to be not so transparent.