mixing of christianity and traditional african religions apush

In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the World Council of Churches is a great witness of the Christian response to the prayer of our Lord that we may all be one. A belief in ancestors also testifies to the inclusive nature of traditional African spirituality by positing that deceased progenitors still play a role in the lives of their living descendants. 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. (I myself have consulted with several diviners for my research on specific academic topics regarding African culture and history; consequently, if we were to lose Africas diviners, we would also lose one of Africas best keepers and sources of African history and culture. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. The bottom line then is that Africans who still wholly practice African indigenous religions are only about 10 percent of the African population, a fraction of what it used to be only a century ago, when indigenous religions dominated most of the continent. 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. A close geographical correlation exists between the location of African religion and the rapid expansion of the Christian faith. I am very excited, for example, by the estimate that in 1987 there will be a statistical balance of Christian population between the north (Europe, Soviet Union and America) and the south (Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania). GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? While the recourse to traditional healers may be motivated in part by economic reasons and an absence of health care alternatives, it may also be rooted in religious beliefs about the efficacy of this approach. That finished the interview. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. Consequently, traditional Africans have different ideas on what role the ancestors play in the lives of living descendants. Amen. 1996 Canadian Anthropology Society This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. Afro-American Religious Syncretism in Brazil and the United States: A The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. I want to see his healing hand, to hear his word that exorcises evil spirits. Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. 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 Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. (back to text), Photo credit: Sebastien Desarmaux/GODONG/Godong/Corbis, Part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA Traditional African religions and practices were brought to the Western hemisphere through the African diaspora and the slave trade, often resulting in a syncretic blending with Christianity. For instance, in a few years time, I pray that I will be participating in an age-grade festival for men around 70 years of age called Ero in my native Nigerian community in Ute, in Ondo state. The conviction that people will be reborn in this world again and again tends to be more common among Christians than Muslims. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. 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. Take em with a grain of salt. The Pew Forums survey finds a similar number of people in Guinea Bissau identifying themselves as Muslim (38%) but a much higher percentage identifying themselves as Christian (62%) and very few describing themselves mainly as practitioners of traditional African faiths. Awolawu and Depamu (1979) Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. In 1988 the society changed its name to the Canadian Anthropology Society to clarify its identity and emphasize its role as an anthropology association. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. PDF African American Christianity - Harvard University There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. w?0t7/Oa84P]T}T}?gHq.qsRnkc;]X*s1!E"l^~K_/|j p z|9~p uf:}[Mc|4!#"Zg!/vc _~|oyuQ'dX :?NmU)?oPSw?6#?[OUN@6oz{j;\e7nWsV~XyU4vMm4#f4c:[Wefkd&88XB|cMh6)mt<4M8}; *:7??+0:0$! But I am grateful for that one step I may be taking under the light of this vision. Since I myself had never heard any lectures on African religion, I set out to do research on the subject in order to teach the course adequately. They are not mutually exclusive. This approach is intended to shed further light on the problem of African cultural influence and . Its consequences for theological and ecclesiological developments are yet to be faced. Their history has a theological meaning. Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. The decisive word here is "only." For starters, the word religion is problematic for many Africans, because it suggests that religion is separate from the other aspects of ones culture, society, or environment. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? This re-ligion is found in almost all the activities of the African man. Syncretistic movements in the Orient, such as Manichaeism (a dualistic religion founded by the 3rd-century-ce Iranian prophet Mani, who combined elements of Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Buddhism) and Sikhism (a religion founded by the 15th16th-century Indian reformer Guru Nnak, who combined elements of Islam and Hinduism), also met with resistance from the prevailing religions of their respective areas. GAZETTE: What allows African indigenous religions to be so accommodating? African Traditional Religion in the Context of increasing Christian and Islamic Encounter . The previous year I had published African Religions and Philosophy (Doubleday, 1969). trailer AP US History Period 1, APUSH Period 1 Flashcards | Quizlet Since the Bible tells me that God is the Creator of all things, his activities in the world must clearly go beyond what is recorded in the Bible. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. Anthropologica, journal of the Canadian Anthropology Society (CASCA) was created from the merger of the Society's former journal, Culture, with Canada's oldest anthropology journal, Anthropologica. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. A semi-annual journal, it publishes peer-reviewed articles in both French and English devoted to social and cultural issues whether they are pre-historic, historic, contemporary, biological, linguistic, applied or theoretical in orientation. As for the belief in God, it appears that the Bira have utilized Christianity to make their traditional God Mbali less remote and more caring, a change which has also made the Christian God more compassionate and forgiving of sins. My findings were used in teaching, but eventually I put them together in a book, Concepts of God in Africa, published by the British publisher SPCK (1970). I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. 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. /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions Robinson, came out. Religious beliefs among Black Americans | Pew Research Center National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Vodou's role in Haitian mental health, Learn Religions - An Introduction to the Basic Beliefs of the Vodou (Voodoo) Religion, Ancient Origins - The Origins of Voodoo, the Misunderstood Religion, LiveScience - Voodoo: Facts About Misunderstood Religion, Vodou - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Vodou - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices Jacob Olupona, professor of indigenous African religions at Harvard Divinity School and professor of African and African-American studies in Harvards Faculty of Arts and Sciences, recently sat down for an interview about his lifelong research on indigenous African religions. This is not a biblical distinction. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. 43. Abstract. African spirituality is truly holistic. Of course, behind all these factors is the Holy Spirit working through them. Updates? 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 . For example, followers can seek spiritual direction and relief from healers, medicine men and women, charms [adornments often worn to incur good luck], amulets [adornments often used to ward off evil], and diviners [spiritual advisers]. I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. Updates? 0000002026 00000 n C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Christianity in Africa dates to the very inception of the church. Yet . (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax So I read on and on, and conducted field research to learn more and more. mixing of Christianity and traditional African religions What were maroon communities? African Christianity - African Studies - Oxford Bibliographies - obo Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. 0000008365 00000 n 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%). Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. Today, the country claims about 80 million of each . And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. 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. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). This is, obviously, a general statement, one which needs detailed elaboration. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. When this happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting possibilities of theological reflection. 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. (a) The Structures of African Traditional Religions: Sometimes it is a difficult task among scholars to choose a unanimous name for the religious traditions and beliefs of the African people. The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. 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. All too often, the result is conflict and radicalisation. The theological horizon continues to expand. 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. And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. Regardless of the variation, it is still true that Nigeria has both the largest number of Muslims and the largest number of Christians in the region. No doubt there still remain much research and reflection to be done in order to work out a consistent theological understanding of the issues entailed here. OLUPONA: We would lose a worldview that has collectively sustained, enriched, and given meaning to a continent and numerous other societies for centuries through its epistemology, metaphysics, history, and practices. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation | Pew Research Center Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? degree at Harvard Divinity School. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." For instance, the Yoruba religion has historically been centered in southwestern Nigeria, the Zulu religion in southern Africa, and the Igbo religion in southeastern Nigeria. How Africa Is Changing Faith Around the World Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender, Side by side with their high levels of commitment to Christianity and Islam, many people in the countries surveyed retain beliefs and rituals that are characteristic of traditional African religions. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. In this case, so-called "salvation history" must widen its outreach in order to embrace the horizons of other peoples histories. In one case the thinking and experience of the people produced a written record of Gods dealings with the Jewish people in particular. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. Instead, God brought them. <>stream Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. ), 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. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. Religious pluralism serves peace. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. Since Christianity and Islam spread across Africa, many people there have observed a mixture of religious practices. Its aim is to develop an extensive library of resources, representing many different points of view, but all written from the perspective of sound scholarship. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition . 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. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 0000005005 00000 n En ce qui concerne la croyance en Dieu, il semblerait que les Biras se soient servis de la chrtient pour rendre leur dieu traditionnel Mbali plus accessible et plus comprhensif, un changement qui a rendu le Dieu des chrtiens plus compatissant et indulgent vis vis du pch. The spirituality of Africa - Harvard Gazette The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. The editor of The Christian Century has given me an undeserved privilege in asking me to contribute some reflections on "How My Mind Has Changed" in the course of the past decade. I am tantalized by the fact that my vision cannot cope with that horizon. OLUPONA: Yes, its a mixed bag because in the African diaspora mostly due to the slave trade starting in the 15th century indigenous African religions have spread and taken root all over the world, including in the United States and Europe. Its aims were to encourage formal and informal dissemination of knowledge through an annual conference and publications; promote relations with other academic and professional associations, aboriginal groups, and governments; and publicize ethnological research and activities to further understanding of ethnological practices. The original constitution defined the organization's mandate as providing a forum for the exchange of ideas among ethnologists. OLUPONA: The role of ancestors in the African cosmology has always been significant. <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> Africans consequently played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. Download chapter 3 in full (3-page PDF, <1MB), Photo credit: Sebastien Desarmaux/GODONG/Godong/Corbis, Part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA But Gods dealings with the African people are recorded, nevertheless, in living form -- oral communication, rituals, symbols, ceremonies, community faith. I want to reflect and write on this topic, but somehow it makes me feel frightened. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. 0000001519 00000 n PDF Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The postcolonial 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. Omissions? 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. 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. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. 0000002505 00000 n 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. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. 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. The statistical expansion of the Christian faith in Africa in this century is one of the considerations that led me back to the issue of its relation with African religion. 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. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N 0000014207 00000 n Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. I am not a historian, and I have not done careful thinking in this direction. Model tested on tens of thousands of routine brain scans spotted disease risk with 90% accuracy, Experts on law, policy say originalist view used to overturn Roe could upend 76 ruling based on cruel, unusual punishment clause, Issues revolve around culture of viewing civilians as potential threats, concerns about self-protection in departments equipped with military-grade arms, Khalil Gibran Muhammad says College Board needs to stand firm behind curriculum, 2023 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. 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. AR-Ndhdnn}H\{%jC!a,]c8F`1LE(3%"w+tj}](q w[,p8i$dd$GrMRD K4wLG4@h\WfPY 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. Consequently, people are discovering that the biblical faith is not harmful to their religious sensibilities. For example, in 14 of the 19 countries surveyed, more than three-in-ten people say they sometimes consult traditional healers when someone in their household is sick. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).