AHC Christian convertion North Africa during colonialism?

KaiserCorax

Banned
Is it possible to have a large Christian minority in North Africa by the modern day if a lot of effort is put in by the church to convert the locals?
 
I think that would require successful North African crusades. Maybe if the Siculo-Norman Kingdom of Africa lasted and eventually Spain targeted Morocco and Algeria. So you'd need something way earlier than just colonialism.
 
Well, IOTL I know that Christian minorities of up to 20% (in Algeria specifically) existed during the colonial period, although these were largely the result of European immigration to the region. These could be kept perhaps with a less violent decolonization (maybe France doesn't get crushed during WW2 and can devote more resources to the colonies), or even perhaps by just having the colonies survive as such.

Native conversions will require a change in the colonial process. France was the dominant power in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and they tended to prohibit attempts to convert the locals. With a French government more interested in spreading Catholicism (maybe restored monarchy does better) we could at least see attempts to convert the people by the church, and the government looking the other way. Whether conversion attempts would be successful I have no idea, but there will always be people who convert to make the colonial authorities like them, so I'd say there is a fair chance at significant conversion.
 
If Coptic Church has extended their influence to Morocco and Algeria, I can see Spainish army attacking and conquering North Africa. Eventually, they will force Coptic Christian to convert to Catholicism
 
Is it possible to have a large Christian minority in North Africa by the modern day if a lot of effort is put in by the church to convert the locals?

Not during colonialism. North Africa only has a century or so under European domination in Algeria, and much less for other lands. Plus it occurred in an era when secularism was more prominent. You could have some minority among the natives, but not a large one (European immigrants is another matter). Not enough time, and not enough state support to convert a large population.

To have a large population of Christians, you need an earlier POD where a large area of North Africa was directly ruled by a Christian power for a long time. As Sevarics stated, a Norman Sicily conquest of Tunisia, or a Spanish Maghreb that lasted a few centuries might lead to a large Christian population.
 
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