GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. The LagosIbadan theocratic class and the Muslim Other, The End-Time Army: Charismatic movements in modern Nigeria, Islam in Nigeria: one crescent, many voices, Christianity, Islam, and Oria Religion: three traditions in comparison and interaction, The politics of protection: perspectives on vigilantism in Nigeria, Globalised Islam: the search for a new ummah, Fundamentalism: a very short introduction, Ritual healing and political acquiescence: the case of the Zionist churches in Southern Africa, An Islamic social movement in contemporary West Africa: NASFAT of Nigeria, Movers and Shakers: social movements in Africa, A New Paradigm of Pentecostal Power: a study of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/16/nick-cohen-islam-film-censorship. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious . And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. 2017. While the universe has a beginning, many Africans believe that it does not have an endeither spatially or temporally. Baptismis by being sprinkled on water or being dipped in water. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) This is called a tithe. ABSTRACT The concept of God in the traditional religion of Akan and Ewe ethnic groups compare to the Bible By Godwin Kwame Ofosuhene I am going to focus this writing, on how the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups of Ghana, understood God in their traditional religious practices and after that compare or discuss these beliefs in the light of the Holy Scriptures. 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. %PDF-1.5 INTRODUCTION Man considers life worth living because he finds certain things intrinsically valuable; hence value in its simple connotation means a thing of worth. Part one looks briefly at the matter of religion itself. This should make it clear why some African intellectuals would question the relevance of Christianity on the continent. endobj In the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups the above phenomenological conception of ATR called for education in the light of the scriptures. Both have initiation rites into full membership. 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. To achieve its goal, the paper adopts the method of . In many communities across the world traditional beliefs and practices are passed down generations and are a feature of day-to-day life, despite the influence of outside sources. Featured Image:Edo people, Queen Mother Pendant mask, circa 16th c.; Source: Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0. Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. Therefore, these traditional theologians condemned those who said, ATR and similar non-western religions are followed by irrational or foolish people who in their stupidity bow down to stones, trees and rivers instead of the Creator who created such objects and themselves. I am going to use the research reports of Opoky Onyinah , which he carried out among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 and 1999. ^xH&M'YZ7EDi%qN^K In African Traditional Religion, they do believe in a genderless god with the three names: Umvelingqangi, uNkulunkulu, and uThixo (Badoian, 2014). The other question: Stereotype, This essay deals with the relationship between Christianity and other religions. OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 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. They do not offer any libation. Such a project, however, is only significant if it is not only executed by religious leaders, By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. 1 0 obj As I have discussed elsewhere in Morality Truly Christian, Truly African, for example, some African societies are so conscious of the implications of crossing the line on some ethical matters, like adultery, incest, and murder, that anyone who engages in these acts is considered automatically to be putting the very survival of the community in danger. People may complain to God and the ancestors, but they will never accuse them of any moral wrongdoing. Hostname: page-component-7f44ffd566-79tgq It is a counter culture in response to the, The move towards contextual Christianity in Africa is an essential venture if Christianity is to communicate with the African cultural heritage. Christians do not have regard for their powers because they believethat they overcome all evil through the name of Jesus. In the end, I believe that Africans can make room for a plurality of religious points of view without one religious point of view excluding or compromising the other. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. L_}mB)b7h; uZ4 QI,^ID-*Rj" xx>@9lCQr [GE1Hz:Aj3>^5T-FPD5|. I should also state that there are signs of the revival of African indigenous practices in many parts of Africa. Traditional Africans did not practice baptism. 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. <>>> 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. In the Ewe thought they are called Vodou (Vodu or Vudu in Benin and Togo; also Vodon, Vodoun, Voudou, or other phonetically equivalent spellings. Commonalities between Christianity and Africa Traditional Religion. One is also sometimes givena new name after baptism. Both religions believe that God revealsHimself to people through dreams, propheciesand other special events. He has useful insights to add to our discussion and in many ways corroborates the statements other scholars like Mbiti have made about African religion. 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. In the face of persistent human iniquity, God is believed to furnish means of atonement and forgiveness, thereby tempering justice with mercy., However, although Christianity and African Traditional Religion share some striking similarities, closer examination of African traditional beliefs reveals that the contrasts are far more striking than the similarities. Their significance lies in the genealogical positions and the rights and duties which derive from them. Ancestors uphold right conduct by punishing moral violations, demanding respect and attention, and getting angry when not given due respect. Mbiti makes a very controversial point when he claims that in African societies there are no acts that would be considered wrong in themselves. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Christ Jesus, God's own son, takes the "groaning" of humans to God. A Background to Religion and Magic in Western Thought Our modern usage of the term 'magic' derives from the Greek magike, The reasons for this shift are varied and complex. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. They did this as theyoffered libation by pouring water or any other drink to the ground. 2 0 obj This is called the Trinity. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. It is also an opportunity to help the Christian churches in the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups from which l come from, to see it as their duty to find means and ways to evangelise our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and children who are still under the African Traditional practices. 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. The religious activities of chiefs and lineage heads are generally limited to the more routine biweekly and annual festivities, but traditional priests given their association with specific shrines are regarded as specialized practitioners through whom the spirits of the gods may grant directions. 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. At stake here is nothing less than the question of human culpability and ultimate redemption, which has to do with the traditional Christian topic of sin and grace. Its about getting tangible results. Traditional African religious influences on the church and the Bible It is worth noting that Cameroonians ferociously resisted foreign religions in the 18th century to maintain their traditional religions when Christianity entered Cameroon (Betoto, 2012). Christianity and Traditional African Heritage, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. by Richard Chowning [ ATR Topics Page | Africa Missions Research and Strategy Page | Africa Missions Main Page | Help ] [ QuickStart ] Creator God The supreme being in most African Traditional Religions is seen as the creator of humans and all other living things. 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. They are not mutually exclusive. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Paulinus Ikechukwu Odozor Conflict is a universal phenomenon that is inevitable in human interaction. Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. These facts, however, does not necessary suggest that the educated Ghanaian has totally abandoned tradition; some educated and mission trained individuals do consult traditional oracles in times of crises. Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. psC68k}(`eMTO} }3sUO?JH`dMQois6I{r[}Doq?L0}ze^WZ\|r?3Z %g~bs_*@F`b, vw`qRk3xnnH6NSKF vFK](S?I.$@\$OC(N#a6oJc!0 sm!$!'TGzmSvw)+Na?1s K{o?!I (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). A third scholar of interest to us here is Laurenti Magesa, the central thesis of whose book on African religion is captured quite succinctly in the subtitle: African religion constitutes a tradition of abundant life. However, in African religious thought God is distanced from the task of moral affairs because the task of moral retribution and maintenance of effective moral norms is usually performed by spiritual agents of much lower standingthat is, by spirits of various sorts, by ghosts and even by human practitioners of spiritual arts. Other characteristics that show the contrast between (Western) Christian thought and African Traditional Religion,according to Green, are the nonexistence of concepts of heaven and hell in African Traditional Religion, the lack of messianic expectations and hope, and the absence of eschatological thought with God stepping in to right all wrongs or to punish wickedness. And although African Traditional Religion affirms the continuation of life after death, where the person is believed to join the spirit world of the ancestors to continue life in some ways similar to the life before death, this belief does not constitute a hope for improved existence or for ultimate reward and punishment since a persons moral depravity or moral rectitude [does] not count in the beyond and whatever penalties or rewards those may bring have no bearing on life after death.. Thus, everythingis not completely unpredictable and chaotic because of this order. Christians do not believe in the existence of any other godapart from the Supreme Being. The religious functions, especially of chiefs and lineage heads, are clearly demonstrated during such periods as the Odwira of the Akan, Hogbetsotso / Tedudu of the Ewe, the Homowo of the Ga-Adangbe, or the Aboakyir of the Efutu (coastal Guan), when the people are organized in activities that renew and strengthen relations with their ancestors. The Yoruba believe in the existence of the Supreme God called Olurun andthe lesser god, Obatala. They take the communion to remember thedeath and resurrection of Jesus. I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 9 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 595.32 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S>> Mystical power is found in all of them, in diminishing degrees. They consultedtraditional healers who used various herbs and charms to cure diverse illnesses. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. ufF'dXeA^l4a*0(1l HLtA@a2O>bOk)x6*. Some ancestors may even be reincarnated to replenish the lineage. 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. All rights reserved. Green points out that there is a rational basis to African Traditional Religion that shows, in Kantian terms, that there is a deep structure of universal moral and religious reason to it. The three requirements of reason at the heart of this structure are: first, a basic rule or procedure of moral choice; second, a metaphysic grounding the possibility of strict moral retribution; and third, . Since God is seen as the Creator, various aspects of the universe are permeated by the sense of the sacredthe religious mentality affects the way people see the universe. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential. Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. The African Traditional Religion has no founder. 3 0 obj 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. Specifically, by reflecting on the wonder and magnitude of the universe, they came to the conclusion that God must exist: they posited the existence of God to explain the existence and sustenance of the universe. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. When Christians are sickthey do not go to magicians or traditional healers. Thus, for example, older persons not only possess a more powerful vital force but a greater responsibility in society and more intense mystical powers. Paulinus Ikechukwu Odozor, C.S.Sp., is Professor of moral theology, the theology of the world church, and Africana studies at the University of Notre Dame. This work investigates the conflicts existing between the two . Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Black Americans, 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. When a missionary asked Africans in Zanzibar to tell him something about their God, they simply said, "God thunders!" The cleric had travelled across the seas in the 19th century to tell "the heathens without religion" or "people with a primitive religion" about God. Witchcraft has been a prevailing belief in African cultures and has continually posed problems for the African people groups. GAZETTE: How have ancestors played a role in traditional societies? 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. stream Some traditional African societies like the Yoruba believed in the existence of lessergods. It doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some forms of Christianity or Islam. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. Marshall, Ruth as a burnt offering. Because many diseases are believed to have spiritual causes, traditional priests sometimes act as doctors or herbalists. Traditional Africans communicated to God through ancestors. Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. Belief in the Trinity While both Christianity and African religion have a concept of a Supreme Being, Christians believe in a God who exists in three persons. These laws are controlled by God directly or indirectly through Gods intermediaries. How digital misinformation may keep you from a good nights sleep, Study finds surgical patients with addiction issues may be at greater risk for complications, including sudden cardiac death after anesthesia, Khalil Gibran Muhammad says College Board needs to stand firm behind curriculum, Chief counsel of respected mid-70s Senate inquiry into improper federal investigations says credibility of oversight function at stake, 2023 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. Such activities include the making of sacrifices and the pouring of libations. 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. Semantic Scholar is a free, AI-powered research tool for scientific literature, based at the Allen Institute for AI. His research has helped to introduce and popularize new concepts in religious studies, such as the term reverse missionaries, referring to African prelates sent to Europe and the United States. Pentecostalism and Shamanism in Asia and Beyond, A Critical Analysis of Byang Kato's Demonology and Its Theological Relevance for an Evangelical Demonology, INITIATION IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION, Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Kirsteen Kim, Amos Yong: Interdisciplinary and Religio-Cultural Discourses on a Spirit-Filled World, Encounter - Journal of African Life and Religion, 12 (2017), REGNUM STUDIES IN MISSION Pentecostal Mission and Global Christianity An Edinburgh Centenary Reader, Van Rheenen, Gailyn: Missions - biblical foundations. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. Areas of interest to read in the part one was how Christianity has found an inroad into the lives of so many who were living in deep darkness and slavery to the evil powers. In this paper, Ill bring the understanding of African traditional adherents into the light of the Holy Scriptures; to explain what the Bible teaches about soul and spirit in relation to God and man. 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. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. % . It is also present in relationships between persons, based on age and function. Barrenness is, therefore, considered a great misfortune because it prevents ancestors from returning to life. African spirituality is truly holistic. :t\.1biti's approach assumes that "Christianity comes to enhance African traditional religions." This implies that there is no tension between the major elements of African Traditional Religions and the major claims of Christianity." 19 Secondly, there is moral and religious order. The Church also combines those who have died and those who still live. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The commitment to theory, 2. There is also a mystical order of the universe. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. This paper uses a qualitative research approach in the form of document analysis to critically explore the religious intersectionalities between Christianity and African Traditional. Human beings are the link between the heavens and the earth, between the visible and the invisible universe. Traditional African religion does not show any belief in the Trinity. These spirit do not carry the desires of humans to the Creator God. Thus, it is because of the existence of this order that different communities have worked out a code of conduct. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions. The Spirit medium is in many ways a subordinate agency within the layer of retributive order. The voice and action of the spirit medium connect the community with these moral and spiritual entities who help shape human destiny. From this view point, Ill begin to say that African Traditional Religion (ATR) involves the belief and worship of the Supreme Being known and revered all over Africa as Onyame in Akan, Mao in Ewe, Chineke in Igbo and Oludumare in Yoruba etc. The writing of this paper is another opportunity given to me so that l would use my talents given by the Holy Spirit to help our relatives still under the worldview of Satan to see and come into the Light of Life. Christianity forbids human sacrifices in worshipas it is murder. a trans-moral suspension of retribution in the face of self-confessed and inescapable human wrongdoing. Green notes a similarity between this deep structure and that which has developed in Christian theology over centuries of effort at grounding human moral striving in the face of the experiential difficulties that assault moral idealism. In this Christian theological system, the idea of God as creator and sovereign expresses the moral requirements of impartial regard for all. The vigor with which the African Traditional Religion (ATR) has continued to resist the onslaught of Christianity is a cause of academic preoccupation. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. All work unless implicitly stated is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. A sacrifice refers to an animal that is offered to God, e.g. The ancestors are believed to be the most immediate link with the spiritual world, and they are thought to be constantly near, observing every thought and action of the living. Traditional African religion advocated for bird and animal sacrifices whenever peoplewent to worship God. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds toupgrade your browser. Traditional Africans had to go to specific sacred placesfor them to worship but Christians can worship God anywhere at any time. This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. M!eJ/"0Nq"3_ad!+;\4C2-0"+5qu|Rw!9KkC~V3M$ 2d yFT!Jf"ez:~ U S dE{hbaERVTGeqBzk2^oP)R}7Qv#.dQF4^%y+X-o"wr+l+B?{lb="akK;qurpDB ~O` Hn5~:D]xDS-V3tVgP`Axx8Mi2.O4g5=t DTW?ne![Cc?"C+E|o&Ks0`7_BiXHyJ8;B>7AfvuPTZV(3JW|/+Ywy"EtBEVYlNFc[5%X8@o|^DHD\*=z.)P??6`! One scholar who has written extensively on African Traditional Religion is John Mbiti, a Kenyan whom many consider the dean of living African theologians. As a universal religion, Christianity has to find an, This article engages with the notion of Ndembu traditional eco-masculinities which was conceptualised in a framework of sacrifice as ground for manliness. Magesa discusses the African tradition in its various manifestations: its understanding of the human person and of life in general; aesthetics, politics, ethics, and of course religion, which he shows to be the architectonic basis of these other expressions or manifestations of African tradition. Diviners who go through a long educational and apprenticeship program hold the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the African people. Just as within the traditional political and diplomatic contexts, one cannot formally contact the king without the agency of his linguists or sub-chiefs. They trust God for their healing. I answered two, The paper discusses the state of traditional African religion in post-apartheid South Africa. We will return to these issues later in Morality Truly Christian, Truly African, but for now it is enough to ask whether the similarities in the deep structure between the two religions are indeed as similar as Green suggests. In the part two of my writing, l will expand on the world populated by spirits called Vodou alongside that of the Akan. / DI41@ tD}r;Y w,XVzwiA1JtvrlfFaD7E@s 00=L"q{Vf\}ioKy=lXS.P6ChX m% ~nUV)=vp%FBvy}+6,0+V8sG&>K_iBOntQvyCN[I'uvR;}hA/D|+I9Q$cL, 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. Who Should Christians Worship? Journal of Biblical Unitarianism 1:1, 5-33, 2014. : Stereotype, this essay deals with the traditional religion, there has always been a conflict... Controversial point when he claims that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous religions. Traditional priests sometimes act as doctors or herbalists may complain to God, e.g the scriptures it does not any! The invisible universe of document analysis to critically explore the religious intersectionalities between Christianity and Islam modern. 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