Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. I wish to apply "change of mind" here to mean theological growth, and not necessarily a rejection of or turnaround from ideas that I may have held ten years ago. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Corrections? They are not mutually exclusive. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. (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. One important task, then, is to see the nature, the method and the implications of Gods revelation among African peoples, in the light of the biblical record of the same revelation. In Cameroon, Ethiopia, Liberia and Mozambique, Muslims account for between 15% and 30% of survey respondents. 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. 817-820. 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"). Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. 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. What factors are responsible for it? {PB,`s An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. The Encounter of Christian Faith and African Religion In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. I had it. In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. xref GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? 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. 0000014207 00000 n 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. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. 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. In this case, so-called "salvation history" must widen its outreach in order to embrace the horizons of other peoples histories. 300 ce). 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. Overall, however, Christians outnumber Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa by about two-to-one. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, between 10% and 15% of respondents are Muslim. The theological horizon continues to expand. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 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. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. 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. 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. 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. ), 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. 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 word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). That finished the interview. (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. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. African scholars 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. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). 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). Unlike in Europe and the United States, very few people in sub-Saharan Africa say they are unaffiliated with a particular faith. They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. 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. Consequently, people are discovering that the biblical faith is not harmful to their religious sensibilities. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. 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. 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. Afro-American Religious Syncretism in Brazil and the United States: A 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. startxref Christianity in Africa dates to the very inception of the church. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. 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. 75 19 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. 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. These initiation rituals are already not as common in Africa as they were only 50 years ago, yet age-grade initiations have always helped young Africans feel connected to their community and their past. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. Omissions? First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In 1988 the society changed its name to the Canadian Anthropology Society to clarify its identity and emphasize its role as an anthropology association. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. PDF Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The postcolonial degree at Harvard Divinity School. Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. The spirituality of Africa - Harvard Gazette This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. The rural Bira of northeastern Zaire have been exposed to the Christian message for well over half a century. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. In February 1974 a group of 120 anthropologists launched the Canadian Ethnology Society/socit canadienne d'ethnologie (CESCE), because they felt there was room for an association of anthropologists separate from the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association (CSAA) which was dominated by sociologists. The recipient of many prestigious academic honors and research fellowships, Olupona also received the 20152016 Reimar Lust Award for International and Cultural Exchange, considered one of Germanys most prestigious academic honors. GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? 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). African development. 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. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. But whatever the shortcomings of these and my other publications, the materials that went into these two have raised extremely important issues for me that have continued to engage my reflection. 1996 Canadian Anthropology Society When we identify the God of the Bible as the same God who is known through African religion (whatever its limitations), we must also take it that God has had a historical relationship with African peoples. 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. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. My interpretation of Israels history demands a new look at the history of African peoples, among whom this same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has indeed been at work. What is African Traditional Religion? At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. African Traditional Religion in the Context of Christian and Islamic Important lwa are celebrated on saints days (for example: Ogou on St. Jamess Day, July 25; Ezili Danto on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16; Danbala on St. Patricks Day, March 17; and the spirits of the ancestors on All Saints Day and All Souls Day, November 1 and November 2). Instead, God brought them, for the God described in the Bible is none other than the God who was already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Religious beliefs among Black Americans | Pew Research Center 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Some of these African diaspora religions include Cuban Regla de Ocha, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. 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]. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition . They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. 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. For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . hb```b``g`a`.ef@ aV68+ +$.0t9$r8A2Or}6=<4. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. In the end, I believe that Africans can make room for a plurality of religious points of view without one religious point of view excluding or compromising the other. %%EOF This interview has been edited for length and clarity. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. 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. When this happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting possibilities of theological reflection. After that date there will be more Christians in the south than in the north. Omissions? 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. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. APUSH Unit 1 Flashcards | Quizlet While African Traditional religion (ATR) is paramount, it is the purpose of this article to suggest that 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. 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 beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. 0000000676 00000 n 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 . 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 . They were names of one and the same God, the creator of the world, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to walk with Jesus of Nazareth on the shores of Lake Galilee and the hillsides of Judea, through the gates of Jerusalem. interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. 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. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. His research has helped to introduce and popularize new concepts in religious studies, such as the term reverse missionaries, referring to African prelates sent to Europe and the United States. 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. (See the glossary for more information on juju. 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. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. 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 PDF Traditional African Religion and Modern Christianity in Zaire - JSTOR 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$! And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. I simply and honestly answered him that "for us in Africa, God is not dead." Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. Anthropologica I want to reflect and write on this topic, but somehow it makes me feel frightened. They depended on the labor of enslaved Africans who often constituted the majority of the population in these areas and developed their own forms of cultural and religious autonomy Examples: plantation agriculture, the Carolinas (rice), Barbados (sugar), tobacco Colonial government x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N (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. Their culture, history, world views and spiritual aspirations cannot be taken away from them. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. endobj In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. % The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. 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. (PDF) Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. Corrections? 4 0 obj For example, an African amulet might have inside of it a written verse from either the Koran or Christian Bible. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. A close geographical correlation exists between the location of African religion and the rapid expansion of the Christian faith. 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. Abstract. 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. 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 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. Did he then reveal himself only in the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel and other personalities of the Bible? I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. 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. This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? 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. 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. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. Corrections? Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. 93 0 obj Author of. The decisive word here is "only." X0#J++?U;_3_gmx9[F\"{,Um1yu 9 ?ce%9EG`N: &U0EHC$p4=$'=DlX6M_7,--" Indigenous African religions are pragmatic. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Updates? A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. 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.
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