What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. 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. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. PDF Traditional African Religion and Modern Christianity in Zaire - JSTOR It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? I told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. 0000003217 00000 n 75 0 obj 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). {PB,`s In its place there emerged the word "also." 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. The council made me aware, perhaps even frightfully so, of the problems of our world. 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. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. Updates? I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. Indeed, ten years ago I had no significant theological position. % 300 ce). The previous year I had published African Religions and Philosophy (Doubleday, 1969). 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. AP US History Period 1, APUSH Period 1 Flashcards | Quizlet A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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. 0000015705 00000 n 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. African Traditional Religion in the Context of increasing Christian and Islamic Encounter . (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. GAZETTE: What allows African indigenous religions to be so accommodating? For over 200 years, Africans, largely from the west coast of Africa, were brought to the United States in the slave trade. Its about getting tangible results. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Vodou ritual activity (e.g., prayer, song, dance, and gesture) is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and between people and the spirits of the unseen world. I want to reflect and write on this topic, but somehow it makes me feel frightened. Religious beliefs among Black Americans | Pew Research Center 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. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. Black Americans who identify with a religion are most likely to say belief in God is essential to what their faith means to them (84%), while large majorities say the same about opposing racism (76%) and sexism (71%). 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. 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. 0000014207 00000 n GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . 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. 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. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. www.ej-theology.org Christianity and Indigenisation in Africa (See the glossary for more information on juju. 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. These were not empty names. OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But I am grateful for that one step I may be taking under the light of this vision. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. Following a period of parish work in England, I went to teach at Makerere University, Uganda, where I remained for ten years until 1974. 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. 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 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]. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. So I read on and on, and conducted field research to learn more and more. The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. (PDF) Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The The theological horizon continues to expand. The spirituality of Africa - Harvard Gazette 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. 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. But to the disappointment of those theological exporters, this fish was not attracted by the bait. 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$! This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" 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. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Afro-American Religious Syncretism in Brazil and the United States: A 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. Corrections? Ancestors can offer advice and bestow good fortune and honor to their living dependents, but they can also make demands, such as insisting that their shrines be properly maintained and propitiated. This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. Instead, God brought them. Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. Anthropologica is published for CASCA by University of Toronto Press. In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. Omissions? The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. While African Traditional religion (ATR) is paramount, it is the purpose of this article to suggest that Religious pluralism serves peace | D+C - Development + Cooperation Omissions? 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. 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. 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. 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. I am not a historian, and I have not done careful thinking in this direction. Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. 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.. Amen. Below is the article summary. 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 . 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. 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. OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by ones ethnic identity, where ones family came from in Africa. A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. 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. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. While some African cosmologies have a clear idea of a supreme being, other cosmologies do not. "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. There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. Conflicts Between African Traditional Religion and Christianity in 43. 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? I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 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. Their history has a theological meaning. Robinson, came out. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). Updates? Corrections? In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? These statements await further exploration by African theologians. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 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. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. (1981) and Ph.D. (1983) in the history of religions from Boston University. 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. In Kenya I grew up in home, school and church milieus which held that the African religious and cultural background was demonic and anti-Christian. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Updates? 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. For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. 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. Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. Unlike in Europe and the United States, very few people in sub-Saharan Africa say they are unaffiliated with a particular faith. 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. 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 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. /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. Today most Zairians belong to either the Catholic or Protestant church, and the Bira themselves are predominantly Catholic. African scholars African Christianity - African Studies - Oxford Bibliographies - obo 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. 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. 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. Current articles and subscription information can be found at www.christiancentury.org. 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. No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. Religious pluralism serves peace. GAZETTE: It sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and flexible. The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. 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. That is anathema to the fundamentalist faith movements that have been gaining momentum in recent decades. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. African diaspora religions - Wikipedia While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main OLUPONA: The role of ancestors in the African cosmology has always been significant. 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I have seen the quest more sharply. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. African spirituality is truly holistic.