The author explains four patterns concerning the relation between the church and the political institutions in Afrika. Thesepatterns have be seen against the background ofthe original Ontocratic unity in premale societies, which all rulers in Africa favorite in an hidden way. Colonialism promotes the separation between political and religious life, nationalism, however, restores the unity. In South-Afrika a prophetic dualism is turning against the theocratic ideology of the Boers. All in all a relation of criticalloyality is coming into existence in (...) Africa. (shrink)