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

The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). startxref Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. 0000002505 00000 n Diviners who go through a long educational and apprenticeship program hold the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the African people. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Omissions? 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 . 0000000016 00000 n The church is composed largely of people who come out of the African religious background. 0000005005 00000 n 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. 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. 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. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. Author of. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. He has researched and written about such diverse religious cultures as the Hare Krishnas, Zoroastrians, Shakers, and the Old Order Amish. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. In its place there emerged the word "also." Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. There is some regional difference in ritual practice across Haiti, and branches of the religion include Rada, Daome, Ibo, Nago, Dereal, Manding, Petwo, and Kongo. OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. While Islam and Christianity tend to . It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. % 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. 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. 0000001019 00000 n 0000014207 00000 n 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 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. In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. But I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." 93 0 obj They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam . Indeed, ten years ago I had no significant theological position. Olupona earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975. 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. According to the 2003 Demographic and Health Survey, for example, Muslims constituted 50% of the population, while the 2008 DHS figure is 45% and the Nigerian Ministry of Healths 2008 estimate is 50%. 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. I want to walk with Jesus of Nazareth on the shores of Lake Galilee and the hillsides of Judea, through the gates of Jerusalem. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. 0000001519 00000 n In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt 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. Its consequences for theological and ecclesiological developments are yet to be faced. 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. In one case the thinking and experience of the people produced a written record of Gods dealings with the Jewish people in particular. 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 the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. That finished the interview. Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition . In three of the countries surveyed (Djibouti, Mali and Senegal), Muslims clearly outnumber Christians. 0000001791 00000 n 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. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. 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 . In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by ones ethnic identity, where ones family came from in Africa. The concept of the church as the body of Christ in the whole world is another growing development for me. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? They constitute an important channel of the churchs prophetic witness today. I told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. 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. There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. 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. 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. Instead, God brought them. 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. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. <> This is not an empty coincidence. %PDF-1.3 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. This chapter includes information on: Download chapter 1 in full (6-page PDF, <1MB), 1 The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in the easternmost part of North East Africa, on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Omissions? 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 In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions 4 0 obj But to the disappointment of those theological exporters, this fish was not attracted by the bait. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. 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. Modernity has not put a total stop to its influence. 0000015705 00000 n A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. 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. OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. 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. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. (1981) and Ph.D. (1983) in the history of religions from Boston University. This statistical tilting of Christendom from the north to the south, after 2,000 years, holds tremendous prospects and challenges. 300 ce). 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. Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. 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 article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. "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. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. 43. For example, sickness in the indigenous African worldview is not only an imbalance of the body, but also an imbalance in ones social life, which can be linked to a breakdown in ones kinship and family relations or even to ones relationship with ones ancestors. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, Next: Chapter 4: Interreligious Harmony and Tensions, Chapter 2: Commitment to Christianity and Islam, 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. While some African cosmologies have a clear idea of a supreme being, other cosmologies do not. In the cities, local hierarchies of priestesses or priests (manbo and oungan), children of the spirits (ounsi), and ritual drummers (ountgi) comprise more formal societies or congregations (sosyete). 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. mixing of Christianity and traditional African religions What were maroon communities? I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. 0000002884 00000 n 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. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender. 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. X0#J++?U;_3_gmx9[F\"{,Um1yu 9 ?ce%9EG`N: &U0EHC$p4=$'=DlX6M_7,--" It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. This rapid spreading of the Christian faith where people have been predominantly followers of African religion provokes interesting questions. African spirituality is truly holistic. Indigenous African religions are pragmatic. 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. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? 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. First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. Their history has a theological meaning. Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. These were not empty names. 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]. 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. Corrections? I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. 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. 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. 0000002026 00000 n 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. 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. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. What is African Traditional Religion? (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). Below is the article summary. 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"). This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock. They proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ. This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. 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 I have received much in a short period. OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. 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$! Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. Its about getting tangible results. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. 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. 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 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. Amen. Since Christianity and Islam spread across Africa, many people there have observed a mixture of religious practices. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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). 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. Unlike in Europe and the United States, very few people in sub-Saharan Africa say they are unaffiliated with a particular faith. 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. My research into and teaching of African religion has led to another important area of development. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). stream It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 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 the other case no such written record exists. 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. And in Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia, the survey finds that 5% or less identify as Muslim. 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. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. One African theologian, Gabriel Setiloane, has even argued that the concept of God which the missionaries presented to the Sotho-Tswana peoples was a devaluation of the traditional currency of Modimo (God) among the Sotho-Tswana. OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. The Yoruba, however, do have a concept of a supreme being, called Olorun or Olodumare, and this creator god of the universe is empowered by the various orisa [deities] to create the earth and carry out all its related functions, including receiving the prayers and supplications of the Yoruba people. This was an extremely liberating word in my theological thinking. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. For example, in 14 of the 19 countries surveyed, more than three-in-ten people say they sometimes consult traditional healers when someone in their household is sick. endobj Consequently, traditional Africans have different ideas on what role the ancestors play in the lives of living descendants. degree at Harvard Divinity School. Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. Yet . 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. Corrections? Updates? 0000003641 00000 n As the map also shows, the ratio of Christians to Muslims increases the further south one goes in 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. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. Today most Zairians belong to either the Catholic or Protestant church, and the Bira themselves are predominantly Catholic. These impinge upon their daily life- and experience of the Christian faith. 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. Religious pluralism serves peace. Ancestors also serve as intermediaries (see ancestor worship). At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. 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. 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. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. In four countries (Chad, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Tanzania), the number of Christians and Muslims is more equally divided, with a ratio of less than two-to-one in either direction.2 The other countries surveyed are predominantly Christian with Muslim minorities of varying sizes. Abstract. He later earned both an M.A. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. 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 .