mixing of christianity and traditional african religions apush

0000008365 00000 n 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. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). Awolawu and Depamu (1979) They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. 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. Omissions? This is, obviously, a general statement, one which needs detailed elaboration. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. 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. In this case, so-called "salvation history" must widen its outreach in order to embrace the horizons of other peoples histories. This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. 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 . The conviction that people will be reborn in this world again and again tends to be more common among Christians than Muslims. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 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. PDF Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The postcolonial 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). v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. I have met here the church not only in its geographical outreach but also in its historical roots -- seeing, for example, the rich traditions of the Orthodox Church, the universality of the Roman Catholic Church (even though it is based in the Vatican), the reconciling positioning of the Anglican Communion, the dynamic vitality of African independent churches, and so on. Conflicts Between African Traditional Religion and Christianity in (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. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation | Pew Research Center The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. If they are two wavelengths, they make sense only when they move toward a convergence. Indeed, ten years ago I had no significant theological position. So I read on and on, and conducted field research to learn more and more. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. 0000002884 00000 n Omissions? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa are the only countries surveyed where a significant number of people (roughly one-in-ten) describe their religion as atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular. In all the other countries, the figure is closer to zero. While some African cosmologies have a clear idea of a supreme being, other cosmologies do not. I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. Later, my theological studies in America and England did not challenge this position, since that was not a living issue for my professors and fellow students. 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. 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. (back to text), 2 The World Religion Database estimates that roughly four-in-ten people in Guinea Bissau are Muslim and approximately one-in-ten are Christian, with the rest of the population associated with traditional African religions. 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%). 0000005005 00000 n As the map in the preface to this report shows, sub-Saharan Africa is much more religiously mixed than northern Africa, where the population is overwhelmingly Muslim. This statistical tilting of Christendom from the north to the south, after 2,000 years, holds tremendous prospects and challenges. I want to see his healing hand, to hear his word that exorcises evil spirits. (back to text), 3 Nigerias 2006 census did not ask about religious affiliation, and recent estimates of the numbers of Muslims and Christians in the country vary. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. hb```b``g`a`.ef@ aV68+ +$.0t9$r8A2Or}6=<4. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. 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. I want to make a pilgrimage into Christ. Religious pluralism serves peace. (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. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. 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. Spiritual activities like prayer, thanksgiving, and the making of sacrifices were well-established facts of life for the existence and continuation of the community. This was an extremely liberating word in my theological thinking. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. Below is the article summary. Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. I am tantalized by the fact that my vision cannot cope with that horizon. The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (serve the spirits)to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. In Kenya I grew up in home, school and church milieus which held that the African religious and cultural background was demonic and anti-Christian. 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 4 0 obj stream GAZETTE: What will Africa lose if it loses its African indigenous worldview? 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. But I have discovered that there is also the fundamental factor of African religion, without which this phenomenal expansion of Christianity would not be a reality. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. 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. 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. The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. 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. He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . Religious beliefs among Black Americans | Pew Research Center (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. For example, an African amulet might have inside of it a written verse from either the Koran or Christian Bible. So the church which exists on the African scene bears the marks of its peoples backgrounds. Current articles and subscription information can be found at www.christiancentury.org. No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. Focuses on the influences of Africans and African ideas on the mission enterprise, conversion, religious innovation, and church life, but it neglects to cover the . Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. 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. 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. 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. Request Permissions, Published By: Canadian Anthropology Society. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. The defining line between deities and ancestors is often contested, but overall, ancestors are believed to occupy a higher level of existence than living human beings and are believed to be able to bestow either blessings or illness upon their living descendants. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. 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. Corrections? The Story of Africa| BBC World Service - Logo of the BBC An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). I want to walk with Jesus of Nazareth on the shores of Lake Galilee and the hillsides of Judea, through the gates of Jerusalem. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. I simply and honestly answered him that "for us in Africa, God is not dead." The idea is that the traditional African practitioner who constructed that amulet believes in the efficacy of other faiths and religions; there is no conflict in his mind between his traditional African spirituality and another faith. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. APUSH Content Quiz #2 Flashcards | Quizlet Updates? In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, between 10% and 15% of respondents are Muslim. The fusion of cultures that was effected by the conquest of Alexander the Great (4th century bce ), his successors, and the Roman Empire tended to bring together a variety of religious and philosophical views that resulted in a strong tendency toward religious syncretism. Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. Indigenous African religions are pragmatic. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. GAZETTE: In trying to understand African spirituality, is it helpful to refer to it as polytheistic or monotheistic? 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. startxref Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. The council made me aware, perhaps even frightfully so, of the problems of our world. xref (1981) and Ph.D. (1983) in the history of religions from Boston University. One of Jacob Oluponas earliest memories in Massachusetts is of nearly freezing in his apartment as a graduate student at Boston University during the great snowstorm of 1978. 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). Updates? Abstract. Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. 0 OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. 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. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. 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.. GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. 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). Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, Next: Chapter 4: Interreligious Harmony and Tensions, Chapter 2: Commitment to Christianity and Islam, 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. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. www.ej-theology.org Christianity and Indigenisation in Africa GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. 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. I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. My research into and teaching of African religion has led to another important area of development. The theological horizon continues to expand. The original constitution defined the organization's mandate as providing a forum for the exchange of ideas among ethnologists. For myself, I negotiate between my Yoruba and Christian identity by, for example, affirming those aspects of African culture that promote good life and communal human welfare. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. 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). Belief in the power of such objects is highest in Senegal (75%) and lowest in Rwanda (5%). in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. 0000001519 00000 n {PB,`s Eating pattern tied to 24% reduction in cardiovascular, cancer mortality in people diagnosed with the chronic condition, HMS/Brigham study shows most advertised medicines little better than other treatment options. 0000001586 00000 n I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. I have seen the quest more sharply. One read Honest to God and a variety of other works in an effort to understand the hot debate then raging in Europe and America. <> It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. Omissions? But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. This is not an empty coincidence. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt 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. Y.91sC@o9sJL9@XMw`7\`1%nRjBS %U=a{N>. They do this by having Africans increasingly identify themselves as either Muslim or Christian, thus denying their unique African worldview that has always viewed as evidenced in their creation myths everything as unified and connected to the land, the place were ones clan, lineage, and people were cosmically birthed. 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. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices The introduced religions of Islam (in northern Africa) and Christianity (in southern Africa) are now the continent's major religions, but traditional religions still play an important role, especially in the interior of sub-Saharan Africa. 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. 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. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. 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. 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. As discussed elsewhere in this report, many Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa retain beliefs and rituals that are characteristic of traditional African religions. Vodou | Definition, History, West African Vodun, & Facts (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic Africa. The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world. 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. mixing of Christianity and traditional African religions What were maroon communities? Updates? That finished the interview. And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. <>stream But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. 0000002505 00000 n I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. This is not a biblical distinction. X0#J++?U;_3_gmx9[F\"{,Um1yu 9 ?ce%9EG`N: &U0EHC$p4=$'=DlX6M_7,--" Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. That book was followed by a flurry of literature on the so-called "death of God" theology (if "theology" it was, for I would call it "atheology"). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Take em with a grain of salt. Ethiopia's Christian population, at 6 million in 1900, will grow to a projected 100 million in 2050. The fusion of cultures that was effected by the conquest of Alexander the Great (4th century bce), his successors, and the Roman Empire tended to bring together a variety of religious and philosophical views that resulted in a strong tendency toward religious syncretism. Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. 0000003217 00000 n Following a period of parish work in England, I went to teach at Makerere University, Uganda, where I remained for ten years until 1974. In 1988 the society changed its name to the Canadian Anthropology Society to clarify its identity and emphasize its role as an anthropology association. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa.

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