Why, though, does ancestor worship persist in spite of Christendom’s strenuous efforts to eradicate it? Note what the Encyclopædia Britannica says: “Ancestor-worship has its parallels in Christian cults of the dead and of the saints.” Such “parallels” are due to Christendom’s belief in an immortal soul. Ironically, then, Christendom’s missionaries have done little more than reinforce the African belief that dead ancestors can help and harm. Says Dr. Ngubane in the book Body and Mind in Zulu Medicine: “Usually a Christian Zulu living in a chiefdom [tribal area] does not find Christian beliefs and ancestral beliefs incompatible.”

Even some spirit mediums and witch doctors have found a home in Christendom’s churches. A survey taken by Dr. Chavunduka of the University of Zimbabwe revealed that among 145 traditional healers were Methodists, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Seventh-Day Adventists, and members of the Dutch Reformed Church. “Membership of a church does not prevent an individual from participating in traditional religion,” he concluded.

Some health authorities have therefore decided that rather than try to stamp out such “healers,” they should work with them. In 1979, for example, the Catholic Church lent its support to the “Primary Health Training for Indigenous Healers Project” in Ghana. By 1980, 41 traditional healers had been trained in Western medical techniques. “This project,” concluded anthropologist Dr. Warren, “reflects a changing attitude towards the indigenous healer, an invaluable ally in the quest for improved health conditions.”

In the past, the churches opposed spirit mediums and witch doctors. Now they have changed their tactics. While endorsing modern medical trends, they try to retain the support of church members who still cling to ancestral beliefs.