The Identity of Sub-Sahara African Christians in Finland

Finland has become a culturally plural and complex society, with many people
of different cultural backgrounds having migrated to the country for various
reasons. As of the end of December 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the
number of African foreign residents was approximately 42,408 (Statistic
Finland, 2022). Although this proportion is not as large as in other European
countries, it shows a constant growth of the foreign population in the
relatively traditional and culturally homogeneous society. In a situation of
displacement and conflict, the search for a comfort zone and identity is very
important. Moreover, the issues of identity and interactions between
newcomers and the local populations have become a key concern in every
society. This study aims to investigate the identity of sub-Saharan African
Christians and its implications for Finnish society. The argument is presented
through an analysis of existing literature and documents on the matter. In this
study, the term "African Christians" is used to include all Christian people
from sub-Saharan Africa who consider themselves black Africans or Afrique
Noires, regardless of their cultural or national origin. Moreover, while the
terms anglophone and francophone are often used in literature, the term
“Pan-African” is used in this study to emphasize relatedness and closeness to
Sub-Saharan Africa.