Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. %PDF-1.7 % 0000015705 00000 n GAZETTE: How have ancestors played a role in traditional societies? Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. 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. This approach is intended to shed further light on the problem of African cultural influence and . The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. 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. He later earned both an M.A. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation | Pew Research Center 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. This rapid spreading of the Christian faith where people have been predominantly followers of African religion provokes interesting questions. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. 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. I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. 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. 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. 75 19 Christianity: An African traditional religion - ghanaweb.com Author of. 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]. Modernity has not put a total stop to its influence. 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. But Gods dealings with the African people are recorded, nevertheless, in living form -- oral communication, rituals, symbols, ceremonies, community faith. What is African Traditional Religion? For instance, if we were to lose indigenous African religions in Africa, then diviners would disappear, and if diviners disappeared, we would not only lose an important spiritual specialist for many Africans, but also an institution that for centuries has been the repository of African history, wisdom, and knowledge. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 0000001198 00000 n /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. 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.. The Encounter of Christian Faith and African Religion We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. I have met here the church not only in its geographical outreach but also in its historical roots -- seeing, for example, the rich traditions of the Orthodox Church, the universality of the Roman Catholic Church (even though it is based in the Vatican), the reconciling positioning of the Anglican Communion, the dynamic vitality of African independent churches, and so on. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. The spirituality of Africa - Harvard Gazette 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. 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. 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. I also celebrate and honor the kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other places where I live and do research. 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. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. There is not space here to argue the case for the role played by African religion in the establishment of the Christian faith in Africa. Their history has a theological meaning. African scholars If they are two wavelengths, they make sense only when they move toward a convergence. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was. Spiritual activities like prayer, thanksgiving, and the making of sacrifices were well-established facts of life for the existence and continuation of the community. In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. 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. 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. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. 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. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. Omissions? Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. 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. Religious pluralism serves peace | D+C - Development + Cooperation 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 I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. The God described in the Bible is none other than the God who is already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. Today most Zairians belong to either the Catholic or Protestant church, and the Bira themselves are predominantly Catholic. A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. 0000002884 00000 n The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. 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 . 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 This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. Corrections? OLUPONA: The role of ancestors in the African cosmology has always been significant. Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (serve the spirits)to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. But to the disappointment of those theological exporters, this fish was not attracted by the bait. 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. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. Religious pluralism serves peace. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. They proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ. How Africa Is Changing Faith Around the World Omissions? Wendy Sherman, who was the lead U.S. negotiator in the nuclear deal with Iran, was welcomed by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School. GAZETTE: It sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and flexible.