(See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). Updates? He has researched and written about such diverse religious cultures as the Hare Krishnas, Zoroastrians, Shakers, and the Old Order Amish. For myself, I negotiate between my Yoruba and Christian identity by, for example, affirming those aspects of African culture that promote good life and communal human welfare. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, between 10% and 15% of respondents are Muslim. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. I have received much in a short period. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. 300 ce). Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. 93 0 obj 0000015705 00000 n Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. I want to make a pilgrimage into Christ. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. 43. Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. I want to walk with Jesus of Nazareth on the shores of Lake Galilee and the hillsides of Judea, through the gates of Jerusalem. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. 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. Some people tried to involve Africa in the debate. At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. 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. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. (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. startxref 0000005005 00000 n The concept of the church as the body of Christ in the whole world is another growing development for me. 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. In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam . Current articles and subscription information can be found at www.christiancentury.org. 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. Anthropologica is published for CASCA by University of Toronto Press. %PDF-1.7 % OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. I should also state that there are signs of the revival of African indigenous practices in many parts of Africa. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. 0000002505 00000 n <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. 75 0 obj GAZETTE: In trying to understand African spirituality, is it helpful to refer to it as polytheistic or monotheistic? 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 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. The church is composed largely of people who come out of the African religious background. It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. 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 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). 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. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. That finished the interview. AR-Ndhdnn}H\{%jC!a,]c8F`1LE(3%"w+tj}](q w[,p8i$dd$GrMRD K4wLG4@h\WfPY 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Corrections? Diviners who go through a long educational and apprenticeship program hold the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the African people. <> There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). I simply and honestly answered him that "for us in Africa, God is not dead." According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. Model tested on tens of thousands of routine brain scans spotted disease risk with 90% accuracy, Experts on law, policy say originalist view used to overturn Roe could upend 76 ruling based on cruel, unusual punishment clause, Issues revolve around culture of viewing civilians as potential threats, concerns about self-protection in departments equipped with military-grade arms, Khalil Gibran Muhammad says College Board needs to stand firm behind curriculum, 2023 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. While Islam and Christianity tend to . This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition . Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. 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. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. OLUPONA: We would lose a worldview that has collectively sustained, enriched, and given meaning to a continent and numerous other societies for centuries through its epistemology, metaphysics, history, and practices. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock. stream % The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), myst (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. But I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. 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 magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. 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 decisive word here is "only." 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. 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. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. 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. 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. Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. 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$! In most of the 19 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, 90% or more of the respondents say they belong to one of these faiths. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. 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. 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.. 0000001519 00000 n Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. (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 Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. 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. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. 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 a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. 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. Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. 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. Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. 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 . 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. Author of. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. 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. Consequently, people are discovering that the biblical faith is not harmful to their religious sensibilities. 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. But in practical terms, there is a Christian Yes to African religiosity. But Gods dealings with the African people are recorded, nevertheless, in living form -- oral communication, rituals, symbols, ceremonies, community faith. Y.91sC@o9sJL9@XMw`7\`1%nRjBS %U=a{N>. Instead, God brought them. We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. Omissions? 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. Indigenous African religion is primarily an oral tradition and has never been fully codified; thus, it allows itself to more easily be amended and influenced by other religious ideas, religious wisdom, and by modern development. OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God to our continent. 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. 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. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. Again, it doesnt reflect the multiplicity of ways that traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. 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. 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. And in Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia, the survey finds that 5% or less identify as Muslim. 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. 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. Indeed, ten years ago I had no significant theological position. At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. Ancestors also serve as intermediaries (see ancestor worship). And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. 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. %%EOF 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. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. 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. 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. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. 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. Since Christianity and Islam spread across Africa, many people there have observed a mixture of religious practices. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. The original constitution defined the organization's mandate as providing a forum for the exchange of ideas among ethnologists. 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. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. 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. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. 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. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Pew Forums survey found 52% of the population is Muslim. The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. 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. "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," said Olupona. 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. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? 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. trailer 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. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? 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. 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).

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