Church Politics and the Genocide in Rwanda

• Published in: Journal of religion in Africa Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 163 - 186
• Main Author: Longman, Timothy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Netherlands BRILL 01.01.2001; Brill Academic Publishers; Brill; Brill Academic Publishers, Inc
• Subjects: 19th-20th century; African Christianity; African history; Catholicism; Christian history; Christian missionaries; Christianity; Church State Relationship; Churches; Ethnic discrimination; General subjects; Genocide; History and sciences of religions; History-Africa-Western and Central Africa; Institutions; Modern period; Political power; Political Violence; Power Elite; Priests; Religion; Religion Politics Relationship; Religious buildings; Religious leaders; Rwanda; Tutsis; Africa; Rwanda; Church; Discrimination; Church-State; Church policy; Responsability; Genocide

Christian churches were deeply implicated in the 1994 genocide of ethnic Tutsi in Rwanda. Churches were a major site for massacres, and many Christians participated in the slaughter, including church personnel and lay leaders. Church involvement in the genocide can be explained in part because of th...