“I am a Witch in the Holy Spirit”

Abstract

Missionaries have usually responded to witchcraft beliefs either by denying their existence or by diabolizing them. Contemporary cultural anthropology shows that especially in Pentecostalism these beliefs are demonized and thus linked to the devil as part of a moral dualism. In spite of this demonization, the belief in good witchcraft often continues to exist, even though it is stigmatized and thus not addressed in churches. This article analyses the life story and testimony of a male witch who has converted to Christianity and now considers himself a “witch of God.” His example challenges missionaries to rethink the meaning and the importance of witchcraft beliefs in African Christianity.