His own Zimbabwean research has led to the same opinion. Islam and Christianity, the two main universalist religions which interacted with the African traditions, are missionary and systematic and have brought to Africa a magnification of the God concept. The holy spirit is included in the African hierarchy of spirits, family, territory, high God. African religions have adopted and adapted as have Christianity and Islam. Some African initiated churches have incorporated aspects of traditional spirituality from the indigenous African traditions.
African society is complex and multi-stranded in which indigenous religions have an important place.
He also said that Islam and Christianity have very deep roots in Africa. There were many questions from the floor on a range of issues including syncretism, witchcraft, evangelism and African churches. It was felt that some of these are western connotations. What really works in a practical sense is what matters to people in Africa. There are lessons for all of us drawn from the African experience of Inter-faith relations.