A recent rise in the number of people accused of witchcraft””particularly African children””isn’t just an issue for missionaries to address, say scholars. It’s also a problem they may be contributing to.
An entire track of the annual missiology conference at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School this February was devoted to witchcraft, a topic usually neglected by the field.
“We had thought this was a phenomenon that would die out,” said Robert Priest, professor of missions and intercultural studies at Trinity. “Instead we are finding that the conditions of modernity””urbanization and social differentiation under capitalism””are contributing to accusations getting stronger and stronger.”
This professor doesn’t seem to believe in the occult. He should be seeking to teach people proper discernment not unbelief. I seriously doubt missionaries are contributing to the problem of false accusation and suspicion. Rather, they are finally becoming aware of the dangers of witchcraft and not crashing and burning in the field so easily under demonic assault as they once often did. I wonder, does he include the OT in his description of “biblical”?