Addressing the implications of the introduction of the concept of religion to Africa in the colonial era, this essay approaches religion from a relational angle that takes into account the connections between Africa and Europe. Much can be learned about the complexity and power dynamics of these connections by studying religion not simply in but also from Africa. Referring to historical and current materials from my research in Ghana by way of example, my concern is to show how a focus on religion can serve as a productive entry point into the longstanding relational dynamics through which Africa and Europe are entangled. This is a necessary step in decolonizing scholarly knowledge production about religion in Africa, and in religious studies at large.

针对殖民时代将宗教概念引入非洲的影响，本文从关系的角度探讨宗教，将非洲与欧洲之间的联系考虑在内。通过研究不仅在非洲而且从非洲研究宗教，可以了解这些联系的复杂性和权力动态。以我在加纳研究的历史和当前材料为例，我关心的是展示对宗教的关注如何作为进入非洲和欧洲纠缠的长期关系动态的有效切入点。这是在非洲和整个宗教研究中非殖民化有关宗教的学术知识生产的必要步骤。