mixing of christianity and traditional african religions apush mixing of christianity and traditional african religions apush

That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. While African Traditional religion (ATR) is paramount, it is the purpose of this article to suggest that 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. GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? 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. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. 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. 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. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? 0000000016 00000 n 0000001791 00000 n In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. 43. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The original constitution defined the organization's mandate as providing a forum for the exchange of ideas among ethnologists. 0000014025 00000 n 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. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. But in practical terms, there is a Christian Yes to African religiosity. Religious pluralism serves peace. 300 ce). 0000015705 00000 n African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. 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). The Yoruba diviners, for example, draw on this extensive indigenous knowledge every day by consulting Ifa, an extensive literary corpus of information covering science, medicine, cosmology, and metaphysics. 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. I cannot claim that I have witnessed much progress in that quest at the organizational level, but perhaps I had expected too much. %PDF-1.7 % This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. In this case, so-called "salvation history" must widen its outreach in order to embrace the horizons of other peoples histories. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. 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 these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. But they used the names of the God who was and is already known by African peoples -- such as Mungu, Mulungu, Katonda, Ngai, Olodumare, Asis, Ruwa, Ruhanga, Jok, Modimo, Unkulunkulu and thousands more. But today that is not the case due to more exclusive-minded types of Christianity and Islam that see patronizing indigenous African beliefs and practices as violating the integrity of their Christian or Muslim principles, but I believe that one can maintain ones religious integrity and also embrace an African worldview. The previous year I had published African Religions and Philosophy (Doubleday, 1969). I should add that without claiming to be full members of indigenous traditions, there are many professed Christians and Muslims who participate in one form of indigenous religious rituals and practices or another. 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. In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. These were not empty names. They are not mutually exclusive. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), myst (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. 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? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. 0000000676 00000 n 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. That is anathema to the fundamentalist faith movements that have been gaining momentum in recent decades. OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. 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. A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. Overall, however, Christians outnumber Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa by about two-to-one. 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 Some people tried to involve Africa in the debate. 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. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> Ancestors can offer advice and bestow good fortune and honor to their living dependents, but they can also make demands, such as insisting that their shrines be properly maintained and propitiated. The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). Today most Zairians belong to either the Catholic or Protestant church, and the Bira themselves are predominantly Catholic. Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? They include the work of missionaries (of whom there are about 40,000 today, without counting their family members); the work of African Christians in evangelism and pastoral care (their numbers are infinitely greater than those of overseas missionaries, and include men, women and children, both lay and ordained); the role of Christian schools; the translation and distribution of the Bible (which is now available in full or in part in nearly 600 of Africas 1,000 languages); and the ending of the colonial era during the decades 1960-1980. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. The theological horizon continues to expand. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. But I am grateful for that one step I may be taking under the light of this vision. There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. 0000001019 00000 n I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. Robinson, came out. He later earned both an M.A. This was an extremely liberating word in my theological thinking. The decisive word here is "only." In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. (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. 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). 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. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. Muslim populations are especially concentrated in a large geographic belt running west to east from Senegal to the Horn of Africa.1 Southern Africa is predominantly Christian. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Unlike in Europe and the United States, very few people in sub-Saharan Africa say they are unaffiliated with a particular faith. 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 The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. All too often, the result is conflict and radicalisation. 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. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. 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. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous 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%). Christianity is more dominant in the south, while Islam is more dominant in the north. They constitute an important channel of the churchs prophetic witness today. xref Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. After that date there will be more Christians in the south than in the north. The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. 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. I want to walk with Jesus of Nazareth on the shores of Lake Galilee and the hillsides of Judea, through the gates of Jerusalem. 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. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> In its place there emerged the word "also." 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. 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. 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. 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. 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]. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. Ritual functionaries include priests, elders, rainmakers, diviners, and prophets. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. 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"). When this happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting possibilities of theological reflection. 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. In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. 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. L'interdiction de pratiquer le culte des anctres est l'unique domaine dans lequel la mission chrtienne a triomph de la vie religieuse traditionnelle des Biras. Corrections? So I read on and on, and conducted field research to learn more and more. Christianity in Africa dates to the very inception of the church. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. In most countries surveyed, at least three-in-ten people believe in reincarnation, which may be related to traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits. I want to see his healing hand, to hear his word that exorcises evil spirits. This re-ligion is found in almost all the activities of the African man. So the church which exists on the African scene bears the marks of its peoples backgrounds. 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. African spirituality is truly holistic. The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. 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. Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. 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.