This work investigates the historical development and theological framework of African Indigenous Churches (AICs) through the lens of conciliarism between 1815 and 1987. David B. Barrett, a noted scholar of religious statistics and African church history, utilizes extensive archival data and demographic research to argue that these independent movements represent a significant shift in ecclesiastical authority. The text examines how these churches navigated colonial pressures and internal schisms to establish a distinct indigenous identity within the broader Christian tradition.

Scholars of African religious history recognize this text as a vital follow-up to foundational studies on church schisms in the region. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the extensive reliance on bibliographic references to support the author's historical claims.