What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. {PB,`s He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. The church is composed largely of people who come out of the African religious background. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. In one case the thinking and experience of the people produced a written record of Gods dealings with the Jewish people in particular. 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 They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. All too often, the result is conflict and radicalisation. 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.. 817-820. In the other case no such written record exists. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 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. 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). 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. The theological horizon continues to expand. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. 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. (back to text), 3 Nigerias 2006 census did not ask about religious affiliation, and recent estimates of the numbers of Muslims and Christians in the country vary. mixing of Christianity and traditional African religions What were maroon communities? There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. In its place there emerged the word "also." These statements await further exploration by African theologians. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). 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? It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 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. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. It doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some forms of Christianity or Islam. They are not mutually exclusive. Following a period of parish work in England, I went to teach at Makerere University, Uganda, where I remained for ten years until 1974. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. degree at Harvard Divinity School. My research into and teaching of African religion has led to another important area of development. Awolawu and Depamu (1979) This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. 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. % The previous year I had published African Religions and Philosophy (Doubleday, 1969). Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. 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. 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. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. AR-Ndhdnn}H\{%jC!a,]c8F`1LE(3%"w+tj}](q w[,p8i$dd$GrMRD K4wLG4@h\WfPY A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. What is African Traditional Religion? (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. 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. As discussed elsewhere in this report, many Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa 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. 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. 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. 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. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. 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. Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was. Much of Oluponas work is an attempt to provide a fuller understanding of the complexity and richness of African indigenous thought and practice by viewing it not as a foil or as a useful comparative to better understand Western religions, but as a system of thought and belief that should be valued and understood for its own ideas and contribution to global religions. Updates? 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. Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. 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 the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Modernity has not put a total stop to its influence. Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. 0000002264 00000 n This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. 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. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by ones ethnic identity, where ones family came from in Africa. While African Traditional religion (ATR) is paramount, it is the purpose of this article to suggest that Since I myself had never heard any lectures on African religion, I set out to do research on the subject in order to teach the course adequately. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer, By Anthony Chiorazzi Harvard Correspondent. Updates? While Islam and Christianity tend to . These impinge upon their daily life- and experience of the Christian faith. In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. When this happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting possibilities of theological reflection. 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 is not an empty coincidence. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. Africans consequently played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. Olupona earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. 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 has experienced a similar rapid growth. OLUPONA: Yes, its a mixed bag because in the African diaspora mostly due to the slave trade starting in the 15th century indigenous African religions have spread and taken root all over the world, including in the United States and Europe. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. But Gods dealings with the African people are recorded, nevertheless, in living form -- oral communication, rituals, symbols, ceremonies, community faith. Updates? Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). OLUPONA: The role of ancestors in the African cosmology has always been significant. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. Download chapter 3 in full (3-page PDF, <1MB), Photo credit: Sebastien Desarmaux/GODONG/Godong/Corbis, Part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA 0000000676 00000 n So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" They were names of one and the same God, the creator of the world, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. (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. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. During religious rites, believers sometimes enter a trancelike state in which the devotee may eat and drink, perform stylized dances, give supernaturally inspired advice to people, or perform medical cures or special physical feats; these acts exhibit the incarnate presence of the lwa within the entranced devotee. X0#J++?U;_3_gmx9[F\"{,Um1yu 9 ?ce%9EG`N: &U0EHC$p4=$'=DlX6M_7,--" The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. 75 0 obj 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. Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. 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. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. 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. As the map also shows, the ratio of Christians to Muslims increases the further south one goes in the continent. 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 told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. Reuben Kigame, the Kenyan Christian musician and apologist, has rightly suggested that considering the fact that Christianity existed in Africa for a good eighteen centuries before the. Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. 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. stream %PDF-1.3 In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. Orthodox Christianity, although influenced by other religions, generally looked negatively upon these syncretistic movements. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. That finished the interview. In 1988 the society changed its name to the Canadian Anthropology Society to clarify its identity and emphasize its role as an anthropology association. Christianity in Africa dates to the very inception of the church. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. 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.

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