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. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. 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. 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. While Islam and Christianity tend to . Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. (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. 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. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. 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]. 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. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. African development. 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. I want to reflect and write on this topic, but somehow it makes me feel frightened. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. Their history has a theological meaning. x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N 0000015705 00000 n Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Below is the article summary. /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. 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. 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. 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. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by ones ethnic identity, where ones family came from in Africa. He has researched and written about such diverse religious cultures as the Hare Krishnas, Zoroastrians, Shakers, and the Old Order Amish. So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" 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. GAZETTE: In trying to understand African spirituality, is it helpful to refer to it as polytheistic or monotheistic? 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. 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. I cannot claim that I have witnessed much progress in that quest at the organizational level, but perhaps I had expected too much. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, between 10% and 15% of respondents are Muslim. There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. %%EOF 0000000676 00000 n What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Instead, God brought them. I had it. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. 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$! Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. It is in this complex of religiosity that the preaching of the gospel makes sense; it is this preparedness that has undergirded the spreading of the gospel like wildfire among African societies which had hitherto followed and practiced traditional religion. First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. 75 19 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. 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. God was not a stranger to African peoples. 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. Consequently, people are discovering that the biblical faith is not harmful to their religious sensibilities. Corrections? I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. But it is nevertheless a working Yes and one that demands theological understanding. Anthropologica The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. GAZETTE: It sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and flexible. 817-820. 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. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. Updates? In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. 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. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. This is, obviously, a general statement, one which needs detailed elaboration. But, it has been a sorrowful, disappointment to me to experience the fact that some individuals who exercise great power in the council are not angels: they sometimes practice the exact contrary of those values and goals to which the council is committed. He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. ancient Rome: Religious and cultural life in the 3rd century, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/religious-syncretism, Academia - Religious Syncretism as a Syncretistic Concept: The Inadequacy of the " World Religions " Paradigm in Cross-Cultural Encounter. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. 0000001019 00000 n 93 0 obj 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. GAZETTE: What will Africa lose if it loses its African indigenous worldview? 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. 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. 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. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Overall, however, Christians outnumber Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa by about two-to-one. Omissions? 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. Did he then reveal himself only in the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel and other personalities of the Bible? The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock. Spiritual activities like prayer, thanksgiving, and the making of sacrifices were well-established facts of life for the existence and continuation of the community. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. Their culture, history, world views and spiritual aspirations cannot be taken away from them. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) trailer With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. It sensitized my thinking in many areas, one of these being the quest for Christian unity. 0000003641 00000 n The God described in the Bible is none other than the God who is already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. 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. For six years I worked with the World Council of Churches in Geneva. 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. These statements await further exploration by African theologians. Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . For over 200 years, Africans, largely from the west coast of Africa, were brought to the United States in the slave trade. Amen. GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? I am tantalized by the fact that my vision cannot cope with that horizon. But I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. X0#J++?U;_3_gmx9[F\"{,Um1yu 9 ?ce%9EG`N: &U0EHC$p4=$'=DlX6M_7,--" The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. Christianity is more dominant in the south, while Islam is more dominant in the north. (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. Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. In addition, roughly a quarter or more of the population in 11 countries say they believe in the protective power of juju (charms or amulets), shrines and other sacred objects. Omissions? 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. That finished the interview. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. They were names of one and the same God, the creator of the world, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. %PDF-1.7 % "For us in Africa, God is not dead" -- and that applies whether or not there is a written record of his relations with and concern for people. 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 . 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 While African Traditional religion (ATR) is paramount, it is the purpose of this article to suggest that A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. After that date there will be more Christians in the south than in the north. 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. I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). Supreme Court may halt health care guarantees for inmates, Why police resist reforms to militarization, Historian says Fla. dispute shows why AP class in African American studies is needed, Low-carb diet can help manage progression of Type 2 diabetes, Those breezy TV drug ads? It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). xref There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. 43. Since Christianity and Islam spread across Africa, many people there have observed a mixture of religious practices. 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. Belief in the power of such objects is highest in Senegal (75%) and lowest in Rwanda (5%). Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. This statistical tilting of Christendom from the north to the south, after 2,000 years, holds tremendous prospects and challenges. %PDF-1.3 1996 Canadian Anthropology Society Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. In 1988 the society changed its name to the Canadian Anthropology Society to clarify its identity and emphasize its role as an anthropology association. Corrections? 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.. 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. I have seen the quest more sharply. And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. 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. It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin.
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