L’islam en Afrique et ses enjeux pour le dialogue islamo-chrétien. Cas de la République Démocratique du Congo
Islam in Africa and the issue of Islamo-Christian dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Summary/Abstract: There are several different Islamic traditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo: ”Swahili Islam”, ”West-African Islam” and ”Arab Islam” of the Middle Eastern provenance. This variety may be explained by the circumstances in which Islam appeared in Africa in the 7th century. Internal divisions within both Islam and Christianity, of which there are at least as many different denominations in Congo as of the former, do not provide for an easy and fruitful dialogue between the two religions. To make the matters worse, people are usually attracted to one or another religion less by religious motivations than the social and economic ones. Interreligious dialogue thus faces a risk of being reduced by the parties involved to the exchange of their views on social and economic issues rather than on their respective dogmatic positions. In consequence, they may have little to build on a peaceful and lasting coexistence. To counter this danger, one should actively encourage initiatives that seek to deepen religious convictions of both Muslims and Christians and facilitate integration of ecumenical relationships into one, common, interreligious dimension.

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