African women are joining new churches as a clever way to protect their businesses from being targeted by witchcraft rumors.
March 26, 2026
Original Paper
Shaking the Traditional Order: Women's Conversion to New Christian Churches in Sub-Saharan Africa
SSRN · 6469380
The Takeaway
In many Sub-Saharan communities, economically successful women are frequently targeted by witchcraft threats from jealous peers. These churches provide a social and spiritual 'emancipation' that allows women to challenge patriarchal norms and keep their wealth without facing traditional community retribution.
From the abstract
In sub-Saharan Africa, women constitute the majority of new Christian membership (including Evangelical and Pentecostal denominations), and this gender gap exceeds that of any other religion. Existing explanations for conversion to these churches emphasize demand for mutual help or informal insurance. We instead show that emancipation is central: these churches provide services that support women's economic advancement and help them challenge patriarchal norms. Using experimental data from Benin