It has been a while since the last post. However, the PanGeographic blogger is back.
When many people think of the Christian faith, there are certain images that come to the mind. One idea is that Christianity is often considered a religion founded by Europeans. If one looks at historical geography, it should be obvious that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, in modern-day Israel, a place in Southwestern Asia. The peoples here are people of Middle Eastern descent, of the Arab peoples.
However, speaking from a geographical perspective, there is something else to consider. The diffusion of the Christian faith needs to be considered. The teachings of Christ started in Israel, and spread into Lebanon, into other parts of the Mediterranean to the north, into modern day Greece and Italy. Another pattern of diffusion was sent into the Caucasus Mountains. Another pattern of diffusion went to the South, into the African continent, into modern-day Ethiopia. Ethiopia is the first place in Africa where Christianity was practiced.
Early Christians even went as far east as the western coast of India and into China. Early Christians were proselytizing as far east as China in the early days.
Why bring this up? This is why. When many people think of how Christianity got to Africa or anywhere else outside of Europe, most people think of the missionaries who went to Africa from Europe to bring Christianity, Commerce, and Civilization to the continent. When many people do not know is that the Christian faith had arrived in Africa thousands of years before. That part of history is never considered.
What does any of this have to do with geography? Well, this leaves alot to consider. In a sense of historical geography, hierarchical diffusion meant that Ethiopia would be the first place in Africa where the Christian faith was being proselytized. Its relatively close location to Israel compared to the rest of Africa means this would make sense. However, the arrival of the Christian faith in Ethiopia might raise another question. Could the Christian faith have been spread even further into the African continent before the arrival of colonialism? Could it have reached every end of the earth before colonialism started?
http://www.palgrave.com/history/shillington/resources/maps.html
http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era4.php
http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=1553&C=1363
http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum213/Maps/Maps2HistoryAncient.htm
