Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. ;;m]mB"DTSUD[j*3l D{k7@tB0cg]Er+e)skf6cRUiu,WdmlA#OLs81/#qs v(a6lA`O/HvX*3SME_qv&oMm?{{n When a missionary asked Africans in Zanzibar to tell him something about their God, they simply said, "God thunders!" The cleric had travelled across the seas in the 19th century to tell "the heathens without religion" or "people with a primitive religion" about God. These could be caves, forests,mountains and so on. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. OLUPONA: I was raised in Africa during the 1960s, when the Yoruba community never asked you to chose between your personal faith and your collective African identity. Updated: 10 . ^xH&M'YZ7EDi%qN^K Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. OLUPONA: If we lose traditional African religions, we would also lose or continue to seriously undermine the African practice of rites of passage such as the much cherished age-grade initiations, which have for so long integrated and bought Africans together under a common understanding, or worldview. 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. Neglect, it is believed, might spell doom. This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. <> It was believed that Vodun was a representativeof the Supreme God known as Mawu. Some traditional African societies like the Yoruba believed in the existence of lessergods. OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. For all Ghanaian ethnic groups, the spirit world is considered to be as real as the world of the living. I am going to use the research reports of Opoky Onyinah , which he carried out among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 and 1999. The Christian idea of church has similarities with African traditional life in which brotherhood and the extended family play a central role. However, to them, the entire universe is filled with spirit such as trees, rocks, and rivers. African Traditional Religion appears to be a self-sufficient system, both from atheological point of view, in that it provides answers to questions of ultimate reality and meaning, at least to its adherents; and from the point of view of morality, in that it provides the moral rules, norms, and instruction in virtues by which human beings can live upright moral lives. Baptismis by being sprinkled on water or being dipped in water. It is also present in relationships between persons, based on age and function. . The vigor with which the African Traditional Religion (ATR) has continued to resist the onslaught of Christianity is a cause of academic preoccupation. Part two provides a condensed historical survey of the, The Bible and the Third World: Precolonial, Colonial and Postcolonial Encounters, by R. S. Sugirtharajah. Like Mbiti and Green, Magesa notes that the world of African Traditional Religion is a hierarchically ordered place where, On the lowest rung of the ladder are spirits, who are active beings distinct from humans and reside in nature and phenomena such as trees, rivers, rocks, or lakes. Christ Jesus, God's own son, takes the "groaning" of humans to God. It is a counter culture in response to the, The move towards contextual Christianity in Africa is an essential venture if Christianity is to communicate with the African cultural heritage. Most African communities offered animals and not humans as sacrifices. GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? He then reflects on five "essential aspects" of. There is also a mystical order of the universe. Victor Christianto, Veli-Matti Karkkainen, International Journal of African Catholicism, Stan-William Ede, Dominic Okoye, Anselm Jimoh, Gregory Ekene Ezeokeke, Louismary Ocha, Overlaps between Judeo-Christian theology and traditional African religions, Vehicles of Divine Mystery: Paul's Danielic Self-Understanding in Ephesians 3, Teach us to number our days: an exegetical and theological analysis of Psalm 90, The Faith Journey of Paul: An Exegetical Analysis of Philippians 3: 1-14, The Concept of God in the Traditional Religion of the Akan and Ewe Ethnic Groups Compared the Bible, Comparing the Concept of Spirit and Soul in the Traditional Religion of the Akan and Ewe Tribes to that of the Bible, Entries. The Yoruba diviners, for example, draw on this extensive indigenous knowledge every day by consulting Ifa, an extensive literary corpus of information covering science, medicine, cosmology, and metaphysics. of the people which are all together. The traditional cosmology expresses belief in a supreme being (referred to by the Akan as Nyame, or by the Ewe Mawu). He contends that although African Traditional Religion generally refers to God as creator and sustainer of the universe, morally good, omniscient, and caring toward humans, yet even where this is held to be true, the high god in Africa is very often regarded as distanced from human affairs. And even when he is considered benign, the high God is morally otiose, having little direct retributive relationship with humankind. In some situations, the high God is cast in unfavorable terms as one who creates and who kills. The traditional theologians also emphasized that as in all religious traditions, the belief and worship of the Supreme Being in ATR does not just mean the strict performance of certain rituals. When they pray they maykneel down, bow their heads or lift their hands up. Both have initiation rites into full membership. Everything is said to center on them. (Hebrews 1:1,Matthew 5:17,Exodus 34:10-28). This supreme . Magesa discusses the African tradition in its various manifestations: its understanding of the human person and of life in general; aesthetics, politics, ethics, and of course religion, which he shows to be the architectonic basis of these other expressions or manifestations of African tradition. In the part two of my writing, l will expand on the world populated by spirits called Vodou alongside that of the Akan. Villepastour, Amanda endobj The numerous traditional African religions have in common the notion of a creator god, who made the world and then withdrew, remaining remote from the concerns of human life. ), 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. Consequently, traditional Africans have different ideas on what role the ancestors play in the lives of living descendants. Christian teaching forbids making of any kinds ofimages to represent God. Paulinus Ikechukwu Odozor, C.S.Sp., is Professor of moral theology, the theology of the world church, and Africana studies at the University of Notre Dame. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. SUMMARY OF REFORMED THEOLOGY IN 10 THEOLOGICAL BOOKS. All work unless implicitly stated is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Christians observe the Lords supper. GAZETTE: How have ancestors played a role in traditional societies? There is even a community deep in the American Bible Belt in Beaufort County, S.C., called Oyotunji Village that practices a type of African indigenous religion, which is a mixture of Yoruba and Ewe-Fon spiritual practices. hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. Eternal Rest of the Soul. x + 306. 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. Hence, it cannot be avoided in the interaction between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. This is called the Trinity. The action of the living, for example, can affect the gods or spirits of the departed, while the support of family or tribal ancestors ensures prosperity of the lineage or state. For this reason, they can come to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through the teaching of the Word of God because it is home going time. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. The Church also combines those who have died and those who still live. Exodus 20:3-5 tells us not to make or worship images ofanything in heaven or on earth. These shrines were built near waterbodies, next to big trees or near other sacred places. A sacrifice refers to an animal that is offered to God, e.g. The Supreme Being is usually thought of as remote from daily religious life and is, therefore, not directly worshipped. Some ancestors may even be reincarnated to replenish the lineage. Palmi, Stephan Traditional African religion does not show any belief in the Trinity. Those to whom this power is accessible can use it for good, such as healing, rainmaking, or divination, while others can use it for harm, through magic, witchcraft, and sorcery. 2 0 obj African Spirituality, Politics, and Knowledge Systems - Toyin Falola 2022-03-10 Focusing on the three leading religious traditions in Africa (African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity), this book shows how belief in the supremacy of sacred words compels actions and influences practices in contemporary Africa. 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. Barrenness is, therefore, considered a great misfortune because it prevents ancestors from returning to life. Wendy Sherman, who was the lead U.S. negotiator in the nuclear deal with Iran, was welcomed by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School. Marshall, Ruth It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. Areas of interest to read in the part one was how Christianity has found an inroad into the lives of so many who were living in deep darkness and slavery to the evil powers. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. Such a project, however, is only significant if it is not only executed by religious leaders, By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. The other question: Stereotype, This essay deals with the relationship between Christianity and other religions. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. Traditional Africans had to go to specific sacred placesfor them to worship but Christians can worship God anywhere at any time. 4 0 obj Religion is part and parcel of daily life. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. This should make it clear why some African intellectuals would question the relevance of Christianity on the continent. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. Pentecostalism and Shamanism in Asia and Beyond, A Critical Analysis of Byang Kato's Demonology and Its Theological Relevance for an Evangelical Demonology, INITIATION IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION, Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Kirsteen Kim, Amos Yong: Interdisciplinary and Religio-Cultural Discourses on a Spirit-Filled World, Encounter - Journal of African Life and Religion, 12 (2017), REGNUM STUDIES IN MISSION Pentecostal Mission and Global Christianity An Edinburgh Centenary Reader, Van Rheenen, Gailyn: Missions - biblical foundations. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) as a burnt offering. An important preoccupation of Mbitis work has been to show that knowledge of God and the worship of God have been staples of African life from the earliest times on the continent. Thus, to assert as Mbiti does that there are no secret sins or that something or someone is bad or good only according to outward conduct is too careless a statement to make. The Yoruba, however, do have a concept of a supreme being, called Olorun or Olodumare, and this creator god of the universe is empowered by the various orisa [deities] to create the earth and carry out all its related functions, including receiving the prayers and supplications of the Yoruba people. As I have discussed elsewhere in Morality Truly Christian, Truly African, for example, some African societies are so conscious of the implications of crossing the line on some ethical matters, like adultery, incest, and murder, that anyone who engages in these acts is considered automatically to be putting the very survival of the community in danger. 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. This is called the Trinity. Shrine visitation is strongest among the uneducated and in rural communities. For example, sickness in the indigenous African worldview is not only an imbalance of the body, but also an imbalance in ones social life, which can be linked to a breakdown in ones kinship and family relations or even to ones relationship with ones ancestors. While Islam and Christianity tend to be overtly resistant to adopting traditional African religious ideas or practices, indigenous African religions have always accommodated other beliefs. Creative people have bypassed gatekeepers for centuries to distribute what they wanted to share so badly. They find common ground in Houghton Library exhibition. 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. Much of Oluponas work is an attempt to provide a fuller understanding of the complexity and richness of African indigenous thought and practice by viewing it not as a foil or as a useful comparative to better understand Western religions, but as a system of thought and belief that should be valued and understood for its own ideas and contribution to global religions. 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.. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. African traditional religion cannot be discussed without mentioning that it is the way of life of the people of Africa and so cannot be differentiated from the politics, education, and socialisation, etc. Traditional Africans communicated to God through ancestors. The Igbo traditional religious worldview maintains a polytheistic religious view, unlike the monotheistic outlook of the Christian religion. This happened in the past, and these codes were stipulated, considered sacred and binding, by the community leaders: The moral and religious order in the universe is articulated and expressed in a variety of taboos and customs that prohibit specific actions contravening such order. The position I critique in this paper is really a complex of closely overlapping positions, some more theoretically sophisticated or better grounded empirically than others. Some scholars have rightly observed that the centre of gravity of Christianity is shifting from the West to the two-thirds world, that is Asia, South America and Africa. The Church is the Christian family, in which all are accompanied to one another through belief and baptism in Jesus Christ. Total loading time: 0 Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. This is because Jesusalready shed His blood on the cross and He was the perfect sacrifice that totally satisfied God. % These laws are controlled by God directly or indirectly through Gods intermediaries. Traditional Religion as a source of African theology just as Christian theology is. For example, an African amulet might have inside of it a written verse from either the Koran or Christian Bible. Mbiti makes a very controversial point when he claims that in African societies there are no acts that would be considered wrong in themselves. Conflict is a universal phenomenon that is inevitable in human interaction. A classicatory system which attempts to distinguish the principal responses African spirituality has always been able to adapt to change and allow itself to absorb the wisdom and views of other religions, much more than, for example, Christianity and Islam. These include the pragmatic nature of the African cultural and religious heritage, and the African traditional methods of healing. Sacrificial meals in the traditional Africanreligion are the equivalent of the Holy. To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds toupgrade your browser. The missionaries succeeded in spreading Christianity in Africa at a time when tribal religions were ignored or denigrated. So, basically, to speak of African tradition is to talk about African Traditional Religion. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. This dissertation will attempt to explore how deliverance ministry has replaced the anti-witchcraft shrines and the exorcistic activities of the African Indigenous Churches. According to Mbiti, Africans came to believe in God by reflecting on their experience and through observation of the created universe. The religious functions, especially of chiefs and lineage heads, are clearly demonstrated during such periods as the Odwira of the Akan, Hogbetsotso / Tedudu of the Ewe, the Homowo of the Ga-Adangbe, or the Aboakyir of the Efutu (coastal Guan), when the people are organized in activities that renew and strengthen relations with their ancestors. This work investigates the conflicts existing between the two . Copyright 2023 This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. 2017. I answered two, The paper discusses the state of traditional African religion in post-apartheid South Africa. This paper uses a qualitative research approach in the form of document analysis to critically explore the religious intersectionalities between Christianity and African Traditional. Green opines that although superficially regarded, this may seem to be a minimal moral relationshipmore like a kind of egoism on one side and fearful propitiation on the otherit also shows, however, the profound role that respect for age and for the fulfillment of lineage and familial duties play in this traditional setting. University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life Ritual functionaries include priests, elders, rainmakers, diviners, and prophets. They did this as theyoffered libation by pouring water or any other drink to the ground. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions. Church Life Journal He is not only the covenant giver He gives the power to keep the covenant. Secondly, there is moral and religious order. Part one looks briefly at the matter of religion itself. Mbiti emphasizes that Africans view the universe religiously. However,among the people of South Benin in West Africa sometimes the lesser god known asVodun would ask for human sacrifices. degree at Harvard Divinity School. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. Diviners who go through a long educational and apprenticeship program hold the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the African people. For instance, in the southern Volta Region of Ghana, and in Togo and Benin, thousands of young girls of the Ewe (say Ay-vay) tribe are held as slaves in unspeakable conditions under a traditional religion belief called the trokosi system or wives of the ancestral gods. 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