A viral Instagram post by cultural educator and wellness advocate Aaya Samadhi Badue is sparking renewed conversation around the deep African roots of Christianity and how reclaiming that history may be key to both spiritual and biological healing.
“Most of us were taught that Christianity was introduced to Black people through slavery,” writes Badue. “But the truth is, its roots trace deep into Africa long before colonization.”
Through a compelling mix of historical insight and modern science, Badue’s post and accompanying video are pushing back against long-standing myths, reminding millions that Christianity is not a faith borrowed through chains — it’s one rooted in ancestral soil.
Christianity’s African Origins
Christianity arrived in Egypt by the 1st century AD, decades after the death of Christ. By the 4th century, it had become the state religion of the Kingdom of Aksum, located in present-day Ethiopia, making it one of the earliest Christian nations in the world.
African theologians like Tertullian, Origen, and Augustine of Hippo were not only contemporaries of early European Church figures — they were foundational voices in shaping Christian theology as we know it.
“Africa wasn’t just a recipient of Christianity. It was a foundational part of its early history,” says Badue in her video.
Weaponized Faith, Colonial Legacy
Centuries later, during the 15th century and beyond, European colonizers twisted the Christian faith to justify the transatlantic slave trade and cultural domination. Christianity was often used as a tool for forced assimilation, and with that, many African-descended people were severed from the very faith their ancestors had helped shape.
This colonial manipulation has left behind a complex legacy — one that still reverberates across the Black diaspora, where the church has been both a sanctuary and a site of deep trauma.
Faith, Neuroscience, and Healing
But Badue doesn’t stop at history. She offers a 21st-century solution rooted in neuroscience.
Modern studies show that spiritual practices like prayer, worship, and meditation help regulate the nervous system. These practices reduce cortisol levels, calm the brain’s fight-or-flight response, and promote emotional and physical healing.
“Reclaiming faith on our terms isn’t just spiritual. It’s actually scientific. It’s neuroscience-backed healing,” she explains.
Rediscovering Sacred Roots
Badue points to scholars and texts helping uncover this hidden lineage, including:
- How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind by Thomas C. Oden
- A History of Christianity in Africa by Elizabeth Isichei
- The Early Church in Africa by John Mbiti
These books are part of a growing movement among Black Christians and spiritual seekers to reclaim faith as both ancestral and revolutionary — a tool of resistance and restoration, not submission.
“Understanding this history and embracing faith… can open a door for many of us to find peace, strength, and belonging,” says Badue.
