Blacks in the Annals of Church History

By Emmanuel Kofi Bonney

Since the start of the church, from the beginning of creation, Blacks and dark-skinned people have been involved in its spiritual, physical, theological, and doctrinal development. Who were and are the people involved in its development, and in what ways did they contribute? If Africans were involved in the Church’s development from the beginning, why is Africa not mentioned in the Bible?

Blacks in the Annals of Church History examines the roles that Blacks and dark-skinned people played in the formation, development, and growth of the Church—both the church in the wilderness and that birthed by Jesus Christ of Nazareth when His side was pierced and blood and water flowed from Him. From Adam and Eve through the life of Jesus and on into modern times, black and dark-skinned people have formed the foundation of the church, and the vital parts they have played should be recognized.

Uplifting and informative, this Bible study explores the contributions of black and dark-skinned people to the Church over the course of its history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Nov 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781489735300

Emmanuel Kofi Bonney

Emmanuel Kofi Bonney, formally known as Franklin Kofi Bonney, is an International Accountant. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in biblical education from Beulah Heights University (Atlanta, GA, USA); a Master of Ministry degree from the Graduate School of Southwestern Christian University (Oklahoma City, OK, USA); and a Master of Science degree in accounting obtained from the Graduate School of Kaplan University (Chicago, IL, USA). A devout Christian currently trying to plant a church that will hold nonstop services around the clock, he lives with his wife, Edith.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-3529-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-3528-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-3530-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021907811

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 11/03/2021

Unless otherwise noted, scripture taken from the New King James Version®.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP),

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible,

English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing

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Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture marked (MEV) taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright

© 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture texts in this work marked (NABRE) are taken from the New American

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To my mother, Victoria

Ayerko Ababio Bonney

"In the beginning, male and female, black

and white, He created them."

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 The Flood of Noah

CHAPTER 2 The Emergence of Many Languages and the Division Of The Earth

CHAPTER 3 Shem and His Descendants

CHAPTER 4 Japheth and His Descendants

CHAPTER 5 Ham and His Descendants

CHAPTER 6 Father Abraham and Others in the Land of the Blacks

CHAPTER 7 The Mixed Multitude

CHAPTER 8 Jesus and the Modern Church in the Land of the Blacks and Other Prominent Blacks in the Annals of Church History

CHAPTER 9 Mary, the Mother of God

CHAPTER 10 Rivers in Africa in the Book of Genesis

Conclusion

APPENDIXES

The Apostles’ Creed

The Athanasian Creed

The Nicene Creed

Bibliography

Biography

FOREWORD

Serendipitous surprises encounter us in life’s pathway. One still stands out in my memory, that is, the continuing relationships through the years with many former students from the southeastern part of the nation. The connection began when Dr. Sam Chand, president of Beulah Heights University, graciously invited Southwestern Christian University Graduate School, where I served as dean, to conduct classes on the Atlanta campus. This began a beautiful relationship where students could complete their master of ministry degree from Southwestern, located in Oklahoma City, by taking their classes at Beulah Heights as well as at Southwestern. As a result, my life has been enriched by all the wonderful and outstanding students from many countries of the world.

Franklin Kofi Bonney, now Emmanuel Kofi Bonney, stood out in his class at that time. His character and persona, as well as his passion for truth, set him apart. His professional and academic achievements are many, but Emmanuel walks in great humility and strong Christian faith. Professors love lifelong learners, and Emmanuel was such a student as indicated in this recent book, Blacks in the Annals of Church History. His historical and biblical research cites the great contributions of many outstanding blacks in the world. You will meet them on the pages of this book. Also included are pictures, diagrams, and maps of ancient cities. His bibliography will direct readers to many unfamiliar sources.

Emmanuel’s studies make a valuable perspective to the current racial, ethnic, and social debates. Although the Bible teaches we are all one in Adam, those of us who are not black will learn much by reading and studying this book. I highly recommend it and pray we all come together as one.

Dr. Garnet E. Pike, Former Dean

Southwestern Christian University Graduate School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

PREFACE

Song of Songs or Song of Solomon 1:5–6 (New American Bible Revised Edition) (NABRE) ³ reads,

LOVE’S BOAST

I am black and beautiful,

Daughters of Jerusalem

Like the tents of Qedar,

like the curtains of Solomon.

Do not stare at me because I am so black

because the sun has burned me.

The sons of my mother were angry with me;

they charged me with the care of the vineyards:

my own vineyard I did not take care of.

The story of a black or dark-skinned person is fascinating and intriguing. Why is the person black or dark-skinned? How did that black person end up in the Bible, Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon, which forms part of the books of the Holy Scriptures? Do blacks have a history? How long have blacks been in existence? And what are blacks’ contributions to church history, if any? In any case, when did the church begin?

The above questions and many others bugged my mind for a long time so I set myself to find answers to them, and the result of my research is this little book, which I hope has brought out some of the contributions of blacks to world history, especially blacks’ contributions to church history.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My immeasurable thanks go to Jehovah the Almighty God, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, my Lord and Savior, and the Holy