Who is Jesus in African Christology?

Christ our Ancestor gives an in-depth look at the Bantu’s image of the “ancestors”. These ancestors guide you through life and help you make the right decisions at every turn. One of these ancestors is Jesus himself. Many people look at Jesus as an inspiration and role model, and in the world of Bantu Christianity he is exactly that. 

The Bantu’s vision of Jesus as a mediation between God and the people really spoke to me. That is how I see Jesus and whenever I need guidance I look to him. I appreciate how the Bantu pay respect for Jesus so he will look at for them currently, but also for how he died for everyone’s sins. I feel like this way of paying respect can be lost and be seen as less important in some cultures. The Bantu’s genuine appreciation for Jesus and what he did inspires me greatly.

The African women from the prayer group also see Jesus in this way, but with more of an emphasis on his role as a protector. While everyone describes Jesus differently and has different major roles in their lives, guidance is involved in every description. The common theme of Jesus as a guardian angel of sorts is not only in this group of African women, people everywhere admire Jesus and use him as a guiding light for their life decisions.