There have been several debates on the worship of Jesus within the context of monotheism, with viable theological and historical evolutions of the worship directed towards Jesus in African Christianity. The worship or no-worship arguments of Jesus elucidate the dualistic relationship between the affirmation of Jesus’s divinity and the traditional commitment to monotheistic tendencies, particularly how early Christian communities have addressed these doctrinal dynamics. This study focuses on situating the Jesus-worship discourse within African Christianity, considering both doctrinal and lived religious experiences. Using comprehensive historical analysis and engagements with nuance of scholarly discourse, this work engages New Testament texts, current theological debates, early Christian practices, and both historical trajectories in contemporary Christian expressions. This work discusses the highlighted perspectives that emerged in the quest for the legitimacy and the parameters of Jesus-worship. It evaluates whether the veneration of Jesus is situated in the internal development of classical monotheism or a deviation from it. It also argues that there is an interplay between inherited Christian theology and African indigenous concepts of divine mediation, whereby a quest into Jesus’ worship should consider the realities of religious diversity and continuous dialogue between tradition and innovation.
