Shifting positions between anthropology, religion and development: the case of Christianity

Anthropologists in Africa used to have an ambivalent relationship with missionary Christianity and international development work. Being active in the same areas but with different intentions reinforced mutual stereotypes and added to the uneasiness. This seems to be changing now. Christianity has passed its missionary stage and is now an African religion, interesting to study for anthropologists and ‘applied anthropology’ allows anthropologists to make their discipline more meaningful and relevant to today’s world. The involvement of medical anthropologists in health development is a case in point.