Facing Adversity

As discussed in a previous post, Christianity reached Chad in the 1920's. Since then the Church has grown considerably, but its history has not always been "rosy." Missions, existing under the government's shadow, had to face many political issues. [1]

American Baptists, the first denomination, had to work around the French administrations through the monetary support of home churches. [2] The first six missionaries were sent by the General Council of Cooperating Baptists of North America. [3] Paul Metzler, one of the first, began five stations in the southeastern region. [4] They encouraged the new converts to give up their culture and folk religions and settle near Christian missions. They provided schools, clinics, and hospitals to Chadians before the French colonial administration did and produced Western-educated Chadians. [5]

Mission medical clinic

When French Roman Catholics appeared in 1929, friction developed in Europe because the Vatican had previously placed Chad under Italian jurisdiction. Fearing a fight, France discouraged Catholic missionaries from going in and upsetting Italy. The Vatican supported this decision.  It was not until after World War II, when the Italians lost their African colonies, that the French were allowed the freedom to send missionaries. [6]

The scars on Tombalbaye's face are traditional
markings of his tribe [13]

Forty years after missionaries entered Chad the country gained independence from France under the leadership of  President François Tombalbaye. His policies were far from popular with the Muslim north and a civil war began in 1965. [7] During this turmoil, Tombalbaye began his process of eliminating European influence and developing an African identity. He renamed the capital to N’Djamena, which had formally been called Fort-Lamy, changed his his first name to Ngarta, and forced all Muslim males to perform a Muslim “initiation.” Churches were closed and believers persecuted. Thirteen Chadian pastors were executed. Next, he had missionaries outlawed. [8] Of course, nurses and doctors could stay. [9]

Catholic church in N'Djamena

It was not until 1975, when Tombalbaye's regime was overthrown that churches were reopened and missionaries allowed to return. [10] In 1980, an estimated 80,000 Protestant Chadians were in Chad, with a total of 18,000 in N'Djamena, Chad's capital. In addition, 20,000 Chadians, both Christian and non-Christian, were attending Roman Catholic schools. [11]

In a 1993 census, it was confirmed that 20.1% of Chad's 6.542 million inhabitants were Catholics and 14.2 percent were Protestants. [12]



[1] "Christianity in Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Chad.
[2] "Christianity in Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Chad.
[3] "Association of Baptist Churches of Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Baptist_Churches_of_Chad.
[4] "Chad", https://www.bmm.org/country/chad/

[5] "Christianity in Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Chad.
[6] "Christianity in Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Chad.
[7] "Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad
[8]  "François Tombalbaye", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Tombalbaye
[9] "Association of Baptist Churches of Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Baptist_Churches_of_Chad.
[10] "Association of Baptist Churches of Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Baptist_Churches_of_Chad.
[11] "Christianity in Chad", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Chad.
[12] "Religion Statistics by Country", http://www.religionfacts.com/religion_statistics/religion_statistics_by_country.htm
[13] "Francois Tombalbaye", http://www.africans.com/content/francois-tombalbaye-0.