This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. This approach is intended to shed further light on the problem of African cultural influence and . Olupona earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. 75 19 Instances of religious syncretismas, for example, Gnosticism (a religious dualistic system that incorporated elements from the Oriental mystery religions), Judaism, Christianity, and Greek religious philosophical conceptswere particularly prevalent during the Hellenistic period (c. 300 bcec. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Robinson, came out. 0000002884 00000 n
They proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? Ancestors can offer advice and bestow good fortune and honor to their living dependents, but they can also make demands, such as insisting that their shrines be properly maintained and propitiated. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. 75 0 obj Corrections? Authoring or editing more than half a dozen books on religion and African culture (including the recent African Religions: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press), Olupona has researched topics ranging from the indigenous religions of Africa to the religious practices of Africans who have settled in America. Ifa is an indispensable treasure trove of knowledge that cant be duplicated elsewhere; much of its knowledge has been handed down from babalawo [Ifa priest/diviner] to babalawo for centuries. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. 0000003217 00000 n
Nigeria, the most populous country in all of Africa, has the largest number of Muslims as well as the largest number of Christians in the region.3. APUSH Content Quiz #2 Flashcards | Quizlet He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. This chapter includes information on: Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects Download chapter 3 in full (3-page PDF, <1MB) Photo credit: Sebastien Desarmaux/GODONG/Godong/Corbis v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ As the map also shows, the ratio of Christians to Muslims increases the further south one goes in the continent. This is not a biblical distinction. It sensitized my thinking in many areas, one of these being the quest for Christian unity. Corrections? Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. 0000001586 00000 n
There is not space here to argue the case for the role played by African religion in the establishment of the Christian faith in Africa. The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). Anthropologica is published for CASCA by University of Toronto Press. These impinge upon their daily life- and experience of the Christian faith. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. Y.91sC@o9sJL9@XMw`7\`1%nRjBS %U=a{N>. endobj {PB,`s Abstract. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main %%EOF stream Of course, behind all these factors is the Holy Spirit working through them. Ethiopia's Christian population, at 6 million in 1900, will grow to a projected 100 million in 2050. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. Muslim populations are especially concentrated in a large geographic belt running west to east from Senegal to the Horn of Africa.1 Southern Africa is predominantly Christian. In most of the 19 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Centers Forum on Religion & Public Life, 90% or more of the respondents say they belong to one of these faiths. I should add that without claiming to be full members of indigenous traditions, there are many professed Christians and Muslims who participate in one form of indigenous religious rituals and practices or another. One African theologian, Gabriel Setiloane, has even argued that the concept of God which the missionaries presented to the Sotho-Tswana peoples was a devaluation of the traditional currency of Modimo (God) among the Sotho-Tswana. Religious pluralism serves peace. A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. I had it. Many other familial feasts (for the sacred children, for the poor, for particular ancestors) as well as initiations and funerary rituals occur throughout the year. In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). That is anathema to the fundamentalist faith movements that have been gaining momentum in recent decades. I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. Did he then reveal himself only in the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel and other personalities of the Bible? In the cities, local hierarchies of priestesses or priests (manbo and oungan), children of the spirits (ounsi), and ritual drummers (ountgi) comprise more formal societies or congregations (sosyete). 0000014207 00000 n
1996 Canadian Anthropology Society x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N How Africa Is Changing Faith Around the World A conference of mainly African theologians, held in Ghana in December 1977, said in its final communiqu: "The God of history speaks to all peoples in particular ways. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Africans consequently played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. Outline of the Curricular Framework: Anglicanization Atlantic slave trade "Atlantic World" Barbados (sugar) British-American system of slavery the Carolinas (rice) Caste system cereal crops Colonial resistance Dominion of New England Enlightenment Furs Great Awakening Indentured Servants Mercantilism Metis Models of colonization Molasses Act Everywhere he went in southwestern Nigeria, he never opposed or spoke out against African culture including initiation rites, festivals, and traditional Yoruba dress as long as it didnt directly conflict with Christianity. PDF African American Christianity - Harvard University 0 He has researched and written about such diverse religious cultures as the Hare Krishnas, Zoroastrians, Shakers, and the Old Order Amish. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. Author of. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, Next: Chapter 2: Commitment to Christianity and Islam, Chapter 2: Commitment to Christianity and Islam, Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices, Chapter 4: Interreligious Harmony and Tensions, In the U.S. and Western Europe, people say they accept Muslims, but opinions are divided on Islam, In Western Europe, familiarity with Muslims is linked to positive views of Muslims and Islam, Q&A: Measuring attitudes toward Muslims and Jews in Western Europe, Europes Muslim population will continue to grow but how much depends on migration, The Growth of Germanys Muslim Population, Size & Demographic Characteristics of Religious Groups, Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, 60% of Americans Would Be Uncomfortable With Provider Relying on AI in Their Own Health Care, Gender pay gap in U.S. hasnt changed much in two decades. The Story of Africa| BBC World Service - Logo of the BBC I have received much in a short period. Amen. For instance, if we were to lose indigenous African religions in Africa, then diviners would disappear, and if diviners disappeared, we would not only lose an important spiritual specialist for many Africans, but also an institution that for centuries has been the repository of African history, wisdom, and knowledge. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. AR-Ndhdnn}H\{%jC!a,]c8F`1LE(3%"w+tj}](q w[,p8i$dd$GrMRD K4wLG4@h\WfPY The rural Bira of northeastern Zaire have been exposed to the Christian message for well over half a century. ), In addition to expressing high levels of belief in the protective power of sacrificial offerings and sacred objects, upwards of one-in-five people in every country say they believe in the evil eye, or the ability of certain people to cast malevolent curses or spells. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. Belief in the power of such objects is highest in Senegal (75%) and lowest in Rwanda (5%). 0000005005 00000 n
It is here that I have discovered the church in Burma, in the Pacific islands, the house church in China, the basic Christian communities in Latin America, the struggling church in South Africa, plus countless other endeavors of Christians all over the world. The introduced religions of Islam (in northern Africa) and Christianity (in southern Africa) are now the continents major religions, but traditional religions still play an important role, especially in the interior of sub-Saharan Africa. Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender. Some of these African diaspora religions include Cuban Regla de Ocha, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. In the 17th century a movement led by the German Protestant theologian George Calixtus aimed at reconciling the differences between the Protestants in Germany, but his efforts were disparaged by orthodox Christian leaders as syncretistic. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. "The success of Christianity and Islam on the African continent in the last 100 years has been extraordinary, but it has been, unfortunately, at the expense of African indigenous religions," said Olupona. Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. Indeed, ten years ago I had no significant theological position. Orthodox Christianity, although influenced by other religions, generally looked negatively upon these syncretistic movements. Indigenous African practices tend to be strongest in the central states of Africa, but some form of their practices and beliefs can be found almost anywhere in Africa. degree at Harvard Divinity School. Vodou represents a syncretism of the West African Vodun religion and Roman Catholicism by the descendants of the Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other ethnic groups who had been enslaved and transported to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and partly Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Take em with a grain of salt. I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. I told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. Ancestors also serve as intermediaries (see ancestor worship). It is in this complex of religiosity that the preaching of the gospel makes sense; it is this preparedness that has undergirded the spreading of the gospel like wildfire among African societies which had hitherto followed and practiced traditional religion. The Encounter of Christian Faith and African Religion This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. Black Americans who identify with a religion are most likely to say belief in God is essential to what their faith means to them (84%), while large majorities say the same about opposing racism (76%) and sexism (71%). startxref African scholars Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. Christianity: An African traditional religion - ghanaweb.com African spirituality is truly holistic. They have also fostered a greater feeling of individual self-worth by acknowledging important milestones in ones life, including becoming an adult or an elder. Indigenous African religion is primarily an oral tradition and has never been fully codified; thus, it allows itself to more easily be amended and influenced by other religious ideas, religious wisdom, and by modern development. This re-ligion is found in almost all the activities of the African man. In lieu of these traditional African ways of defining oneself, Christianity and Islam are gradually creating a social identity in Africa that cuts across these indigenous African religious and social identities. Faith in The One God in Christian and African Traditional Religions: a Vodou ritual activity (e.g., prayer, song, dance, and gesture) is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and between people and the spirits of the unseen world. So the church which exists on the African scene bears the marks of its peoples backgrounds. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Some African diasporans are returning to the continent to reconnect with their ancestral traditions, and they are encouraging and organizing the local African communities to reclaim this heritage. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. In most countries surveyed, at least three-in-ten people believe in reincarnation, which may be related to traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions. PDF Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The postcolonial I want to reflect and write on this topic, but somehow it makes me feel frightened. Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. I want to see his healing hand, to hear his word that exorcises evil spirits. For over 200 years, Africans, largely from the west coast of Africa, were brought to the United States in the slave trade. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. This number has since grown rapidly, to the point that in 1980 there are estimated to be 200 million Christians (or about 45 per cent of the population). The Pew Forums survey found 52% of the population is Muslim. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. % The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. hb```b``g`a`.ef@ aV68+ +$.0t9$r8A2Or}6=<4. After that date there will be more Christians in the south than in the north. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. African spirituality simply acknowledges that beliefs and practices touch on and inform every facet of human life, and therefore African religion cannot be separated from the everyday or mundane. 0000008365 00000 n
This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition of the region about 100 years ago, when, according to a Pew Forum analysis of historical information from the World Religion Database, less than a quarter of the population identified as either Christian or Muslim.