Christianity in South Africa

In the 1600s, a massive influx of Dutch Christian missionaries brought Christianity for the first time to South Africa. Beginning in the early 1800s, other missionaries came from the United States, Scandinavia, France, Britain, and Germany. These early connections had a significant impact on the religious makeup of South Africa and still do. Currently, 84.2% of South Africans identify as Christians.

The provinces of Northern Cape (97.9%) and Free State (95.5%) have the largest proportions of Christians in the nation, according to StatsSA. In South Africa, Christians frequently play a significant role in their communities. For instance, according to the General Household Survey, 56.4% of those who identify as Christians say they go to church every week.

The largest Christian organization is the "African Independent Church" (also known as the African-initiated Church). This consists of a number of churches and subgroups that are diverse in terms of language, ritual, and denomination. The fact that they were all founded by African initiatives rather than foreign missionaries, however, unites them all. African Independent Churches frequently openly combine Christian practices with elements of ancestral and traditional African religions.

The Zion Christian Church (ZCC), which blends Christian worship with those of indigenous African religions, is the largest church of this type. In this tradition, emphasis is placed on rituals that promote both bodily and spiritual recovery. Additionally prevalent in South Africa are the Methodist, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Pentecostal, and Seventh-day Adventist churches.