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 They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. 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. Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. Corrections? While some African cosmologies have a clear idea of a supreme being, other cosmologies do not. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), myst (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). (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. 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. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. I cannot claim that I have witnessed much progress in that quest at the organizational level, but perhaps I had expected too much. 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. {PB,`s In its place there emerged the word "also." In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. 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. He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. %PDF-1.3 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 While African Traditional religion (ATR) is paramount, it is the purpose of this article to suggest that 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. 75 0 obj (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam . The decisive word here is "only." My findings were used in teaching, but eventually I put them together in a book, Concepts of God in Africa, published by the British publisher SPCK (1970). We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. I told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. 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. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. 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. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. 0000000676 00000 n In most of the 19 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Centers Forum on Religion & Public Life, 90% or more of the respondents say they belong to one of these faiths. He later earned both an M.A. Again, it doesnt reflect the multiplicity of ways that traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. Omissions? My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. The recipient of many prestigious academic honors and research fellowships, Olupona also received the 20152016 Reimar Lust Award for International and Cultural Exchange, considered one of Germanys most prestigious academic honors. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, between 10% and 15% of respondents are Muslim. 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. 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 concept of the church as the body of Christ in the whole world is another growing development for me. They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. 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. I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. 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. 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. They were names of one and the same God, the creator of the world, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. It doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some forms of Christianity or Islam. 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. 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. 0000014207 00000 n 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. 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. (See the glossary for more information on juju. Their culture, history, world views and spiritual aspirations cannot be taken away from them. And in Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia, the survey finds that 5% or less identify as Muslim. 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt Ritual functionaries include priests, elders, rainmakers, diviners, and prophets. The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). GAZETTE: How have ancestors played a role in traditional societies? 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. mixing of Christianity and traditional African religions What were maroon communities? Authoring or editing more than half a dozen books on religion and African culture (including the recent African Religions: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press), Olupona has researched topics ranging from the indigenous religions of Africa to the religious practices of Africans who have settled in America. 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.. In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. Ritual sacrifices and witchcraft beliefs are still common. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Some of these African diaspora religions include Cuban Regla de Ocha, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. 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. 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: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). After that date there will be more Christians in the south than in the north. 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. % 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. In most countries surveyed, at least three-in-ten people believe in reincarnation, which may be related to traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. In one case the thinking and experience of the people produced a written record of Gods dealings with the Jewish people in particular. 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. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. GAZETTE: It sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and flexible. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. (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 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. This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. This is not a biblical distinction. As the map also shows, the ratio of Christians to Muslims increases the further south one goes in the continent. Ancestors also serve as intermediaries (see ancestor worship). African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. 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. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. The original constitution defined the organization's mandate as providing a forum for the exchange of ideas among ethnologists. There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. 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. Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. Some African diasporans are returning to the continent to reconnect with their ancestral traditions, and they are encouraging and organizing the local African communities to reclaim this heritage. 1996 Canadian Anthropology Society Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. 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. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. Current articles and subscription information can be found at www.christiancentury.org. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. 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. 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. Below is the article summary. A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. 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). The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. African diaspora religions, also described as Afro-American religions, are a number of related beliefs that developed in the Americas in various nations of the Caribbean, Latin America and the Southern United States. I should also state that there are signs of the revival of African indigenous practices in many parts of Africa. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. The conviction that people will be reborn in this world again and again tends to be more common among Christians than Muslims. 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 . 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. Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. Christianity is more dominant in the south, while Islam is more dominant in the north. As the map in the preface to this report shows, sub-Saharan Africa is much more religiously mixed than northern Africa, where the population is overwhelmingly Muslim. I want to make a pilgrimage into Christ. 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.

Sunday Market Stall Hire, What Does Inmate Classification Md Mean, Death Notices For Ross County, 1986 El Camino Transmission Options, Articles M