In all its diversity, Christianity has been a powerful force in South African life. From the history of colonial missions, through the development of denominations, to the emergence of African initiated churches, Christianity has assumed a variety of distinctively South African forms. This comprehensive guide offers detailed reviews of over 600 works that have established the importance of Christianity in South African history, society, and religious experience. Of interest to scholars and students of religious studies, cultural anthropology, African Studies, and history, this volume, together with African Traditional Religion in South Africa and Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism in South Africa (both Greenwood, 1997), will become the standard reference work on South African religions.

In each section—Christian Missions, Christian Denominations, and African Initiated Churches—an introductory essay identifies significant themes in the literature. The annotations are concise yet detailed essays, written in an engaging and accessible style and supported by an exhaustive index. The book therefore provides a full and complex profile of Christianity as a religious tradition in South Africa.