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Christianity in Sudan
Christianity in Sudan has a long and rich history, dating back to the early centuries of the Christian era. Ancient Nubia was reached by Coptic Christianity by the 1st century. The Coptic Church was later influenced by Greek Christianity, particularly during the Byzantine era. From the 7th century, the Christian Nubian kingdoms were threatened by the Islamic expansion, but the southernmost of these kingdoms, Alodia, survived until 1504.
Southern Sudan (including what is now South Sudan) remained long dominated by traditional (tribal) religions of the Nilotic peoples, with significant conversion to Christianity during the 20th and 21st centuries.
Christianity reached the area of present-day northern Sudan, then called Nubia, by the first century after Christ. By tradition it was St. Matthew the Apostle was said to have visited the region and been active in the establishment of the church south of Aswan. It greatly developed under the influence of the bishops of Alexandria and missionaries form the Eastern Roman Empire. Indeed, Byzantine architecture influenced most of the Christian churches in lower Nubia.
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527 to 565) helped to make Nubia a stronghold of Christianity during the Middle Ages by securing the region with strategic alliances. By 580 AD Christianity had become the official religion of the northern Sudan, centered around the Faras cathedral.
During the 19th century, British missionaries re-introduced the Christian faith into South Sudan. British imperial authorities somewhat arbitrarily limited missionary activity to the multi-ethnic southern region. The Church of England and other parts of the Anglican Communion continued to send missionaries and other assistance after the country became independent in 1956, although that also precipitated decades of civil war and persecutions as discussed below.
At the 2011 division which split off South Sudan, over 97% of the population in Sudan in the north, adheres to Islam. Religions followed by the South Sudanese include Christianity (over 60%), traditional indigenous religions and Islam although many Muslims from the south migrated to North Sudan after the independence of South Sudan in 2011. The last census to mention the religion of southerners dates back to 1956 where a majority were classified as following traditional beliefs or were Christian while 18% were Muslim.
Scholarly and some U.S. Department of State sources state that a majority of southern Sudanese maintain traditional indigenous animist beliefs.
Roman Catholic missionaries began work in Sudan in 1842; while Protestantism (both Anglicans and American Presbyterians) began in Sudan in 1899.[citation needed] The Anglicans through the Church Missionary Society had their base in Omdurman, while the Presbyterians began in Khartoum but developed ministry both in the north and in the south. The Sudan Interior Mission began working in the country in 1937. The Africa Inland Mission launched the Africa Inland Church in 1949. In 1964 all foreign missionaries were made to leave southern Sudan because of the civil war. A few groups maintained missionaries in the north. The Sudan Pentecostal Church, which has grown significantly in the south, was started later by the Swedish.
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Christianity in Sudan
Christianity in Sudan has a long and rich history, dating back to the early centuries of the Christian era. Ancient Nubia was reached by Coptic Christianity by the 1st century. The Coptic Church was later influenced by Greek Christianity, particularly during the Byzantine era. From the 7th century, the Christian Nubian kingdoms were threatened by the Islamic expansion, but the southernmost of these kingdoms, Alodia, survived until 1504.
Southern Sudan (including what is now South Sudan) remained long dominated by traditional (tribal) religions of the Nilotic peoples, with significant conversion to Christianity during the 20th and 21st centuries.
Christianity reached the area of present-day northern Sudan, then called Nubia, by the first century after Christ. By tradition it was St. Matthew the Apostle was said to have visited the region and been active in the establishment of the church south of Aswan. It greatly developed under the influence of the bishops of Alexandria and missionaries form the Eastern Roman Empire. Indeed, Byzantine architecture influenced most of the Christian churches in lower Nubia.
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527 to 565) helped to make Nubia a stronghold of Christianity during the Middle Ages by securing the region with strategic alliances. By 580 AD Christianity had become the official religion of the northern Sudan, centered around the Faras cathedral.
During the 19th century, British missionaries re-introduced the Christian faith into South Sudan. British imperial authorities somewhat arbitrarily limited missionary activity to the multi-ethnic southern region. The Church of England and other parts of the Anglican Communion continued to send missionaries and other assistance after the country became independent in 1956, although that also precipitated decades of civil war and persecutions as discussed below.
At the 2011 division which split off South Sudan, over 97% of the population in Sudan in the north, adheres to Islam. Religions followed by the South Sudanese include Christianity (over 60%), traditional indigenous religions and Islam although many Muslims from the south migrated to North Sudan after the independence of South Sudan in 2011. The last census to mention the religion of southerners dates back to 1956 where a majority were classified as following traditional beliefs or were Christian while 18% were Muslim.
Scholarly and some U.S. Department of State sources state that a majority of southern Sudanese maintain traditional indigenous animist beliefs.
Roman Catholic missionaries began work in Sudan in 1842; while Protestantism (both Anglicans and American Presbyterians) began in Sudan in 1899.[citation needed] The Anglicans through the Church Missionary Society had their base in Omdurman, while the Presbyterians began in Khartoum but developed ministry both in the north and in the south. The Sudan Interior Mission began working in the country in 1937. The Africa Inland Mission launched the Africa Inland Church in 1949. In 1964 all foreign missionaries were made to leave southern Sudan because of the civil war. A few groups maintained missionaries in the north. The Sudan Pentecostal Church, which has grown significantly in the south, was started later by the Swedish.