mixing of christianity and traditional african religions apush

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. Ancestors also serve as intermediaries (see ancestor worship). But I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. 817-820. 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. 300 ce). In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. 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. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" 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. 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. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. 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. 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. It is the southern two-thirds of Africa (including Madagascar) which we can rightly call Christian Africa, as the northern one-third is Muslim Africa. 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. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. Christianity in Africa dates to the very inception of the church. 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. 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. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. (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. In one case the thinking and experience of the people produced a written record of Gods dealings with the Jewish people in particular. It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. On returning home, the learned professor wrote an article using my brief answer as his title. stream The amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained influence throughout the continent. 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. In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. 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. Request Permissions, Published By: Canadian Anthropology Society. endobj <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. God was not a stranger to African peoples. Corrections? But I am grateful for that one step I may be taking under the light of this vision. 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 . www.ej-theology.org Christianity and Indigenisation in Africa Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. 0000002505 00000 n 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. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. This was an extremely liberating word in my theological thinking. 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. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. In its place there emerged the word "also." African religions and corresponding beliefs and practices Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. In three of the countries surveyed (Djibouti, Mali and Senegal), Muslims clearly outnumber Christians. But upon my return to work in Africa, and upon careful study of the religious background of our people, there emerged gradually the demand to examine this issue and to form my own judgment. The Encounter of Christian Faith and African Religion OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. 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. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. African diaspora religions - Wikipedia Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. But in practical terms, there is a Christian Yes to African religiosity. Anthropologica 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. interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. But it is nevertheless a working Yes and one that demands theological understanding. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What is African Traditional 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]. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? Author of. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. Belief in the power of such objects is highest in Senegal (75%) and lowest in Rwanda (5%). Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. 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. African diaspora religions, also described as Afro-American religions, are a number of related beliefs that developed in the Americas in various nations of the Caribbean, Latin America and the Southern United States. I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. 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 . Ethiopia's Christian population, at 6 million in 1900, will grow to a projected 100 million in 2050. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. 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. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt 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. GAZETTE: In trying to understand African spirituality, is it helpful to refer to it as polytheistic or monotheistic? The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. In Cameroon, Ethiopia, Liberia and Mozambique, Muslims account for between 15% and 30% of survey respondents. African Christianity - African Studies - Oxford Bibliographies - obo So the church which exists on the African scene bears the marks of its peoples backgrounds. xref While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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"). In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He later earned both an M.A. Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. Updates? OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. This is, obviously, a general statement, one which needs detailed elaboration. The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. 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 Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. AP US History Period 1, APUSH Period 1 Flashcards | Quizlet 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. 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. 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. 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. 0000002264 00000 n Its consequences for theological and ecclesiological developments are yet to be faced. 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.. 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. They are not mutually exclusive. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) 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. If they are two wavelengths, they make sense only when they move toward a convergence. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, between 10% and 15% of respondents are Muslim. Their history has a theological meaning. 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 African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. 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. Updates? For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions 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. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. They proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ. 75 0 obj The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). 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. African development. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In most countries surveyed, at least three-in-ten people believe in reincarnation, which may be related to traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. 0000005714 00000 n This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. Indigenous African religions are pragmatic. What factors are responsible for it? Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. Corrections? GAZETTE: How would you define indigenous African religions? OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. I also celebrate and honor the kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other places where I live and do research. It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. So I read on and on, and conducted field research to learn more and more. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. 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. Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. 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 Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . The Story of Africa| BBC World Service - Logo of the BBC Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. 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. 0 PDF Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The postcolonial 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. 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. 0000001586 00000 n GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? 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. 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. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. The conviction that people will be reborn in this world again and again tends to be more common among Christians than Muslims. We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. 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. 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. That is anathema to the fundamentalist faith movements that have been gaining momentum in recent decades. At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. 0000002026 00000 n This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition of the region about 100 years ago, when, according to a Pew Forum analysis of historical information from the World Religion Database, less than a quarter of the population identified as either Christian or Muslim. 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. Religious syncretism - Encyclopedia Britannica | Britannica Afro-American Religious Syncretism in Brazil and the United States: A They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. I am not a historian, and I have not done careful thinking in this direction. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N 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. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. 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 scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. 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). I cannot claim that I have witnessed much progress in that quest at the organizational level, but perhaps I had expected too much. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main As the map also shows, the ratio of Christians to Muslims increases the further south one goes in the continent. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. Vodou ritual activity (e.g., prayer, song, dance, and gesture) is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and between people and the spirits of the unseen world. Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. (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 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). % APUSH Unit 1 Flashcards | Quizlet Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices They constitute an important channel of the churchs prophetic witness today. (PDF) Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The African Traditional Religion in the Context of Christian and Islamic 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. But to the disappointment of those theological exporters, this fish was not attracted by the bait. 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.

Companies Like Seedfi, Littlehampton Police News Today, Drift Restaurant Belmont, Nc, Why Did Wickard Believe He Was Right, What Strings Did Paul Gray Use, Articles M