The withdrawal of Western powers from former colonies after World War II was accompanied by a developing sense of guilt at Europe's colonial past.
Hand in hand went a progressive disengagement by post-colonial Western societies from Christian mission activities. Within Western societies in general, and even within some parts of the church, mission came to be regarded as controversial at best, and with downright hostility in certain quarters. It came to be seen by many as just another form of colonialism.
Christian outreach to Muslims was increasingly affected by this Western guilt burden. Lamin Sanneh, a former Muslim who converted to Christianity, explains how he came to be seen as a source of discomfort by Western Christians:
