"One in worship": the anthropological investigation of an African dispora christian community

Abstract

This thesis investigates an African diaspora Christian community in Calgary, Alberta, to examine the role of the church within Canada's new burgeoning African population. Using social scientific methods this study answers three pertinent questions: 1. How does this particular community relate to the comprehensive African diaspora?; 2. How does the theory and praxis of this African diaspora church correlate with worldwide and African Christianity?; and, 3. What is the role and significance of the church within Canada's African diaspora? Employing the diffusion of innovations as a guide, this study investigates the success of Pentecostalism across the continent and within the African diaspora; multiplying African conceptions of the Prosperity Gospel, demonic forces, power, church services, gender, and a missional and marketing focus. Additionally, it will be demonstrated that the church also serves to cultivate a thriving Christian Pan­Africanism, while providing an avenue by which to deal with discrimination.