A Sign of Hope?

According to a recent study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in Washington, at least three out of 10 people across much of Africa say they have experienced divine healing, seen the devil being driven out of a person or received a direct revelation from God. At least half of all Christians in sub-Saharan Africa believe Jesus will return to Earth in their lifetime. Muslims, too, hold fervently to their own beliefs as well. Nearly one in three Muslims in the region expect to see the re-establishment of Islam's golden age before they die.

The Pew study also examined Christian and Muslim attitudes toward one another -- in a region that has seen religious violence between the two communities, as well as attacks on American targets such as the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Across the 19 countries in the survey, Christians and Muslims both associated positive traits with the other religion. Muslims see Christians as tolerant, honest and respectful of women; Christians say Muslims are honest, devout and respectful of women. Many people also said they were more worried by extremists of their own religion than by the other.

The study, "Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa," is based on more than 25,000 face-to-face interviews in more than 60 languages in 19 countries.

"Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in you." St. Augustine of Hippo (an African).