So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" In the other case no such written record exists. He later earned both an M.A. At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. Omissions? 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. The concept of the church as the body of Christ in the whole world is another growing development for me. 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. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, Next: Chapter 4: Interreligious Harmony and Tensions, Chapter 2: Commitment to Christianity and Islam, 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. 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. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God to our continent. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. 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. 0000000676 00000 n 1996 Canadian Anthropology Society The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. Religious pluralism serves peace. {PB,`s This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. Their history has a theological meaning. 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. 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. stream Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. 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. 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 startxref It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 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. 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. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. Eating pattern tied to 24% reduction in cardiovascular, cancer mortality in people diagnosed with the chronic condition, HMS/Brigham study shows most advertised medicines little better than other treatment options. 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 . 0000002026 00000 n (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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. But it is nevertheless a working Yes and one that demands theological understanding. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. 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 Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. But they used the names of the God who was and is already known by African peoples -- such as Mungu, Mulungu, Katonda, Ngai, Olodumare, Asis, Ruwa, Ruhanga, Jok, Modimo, Unkulunkulu and thousands more. In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. 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 Kenya I grew up in home, school and church milieus which held that the African religious and cultural background was demonic and anti-Christian. The decisive word here is "only." Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer, By Anthony Chiorazzi Harvard Correspondent. (a) The Structures of African Traditional Religions: Sometimes it is a difficult task among scholars to choose a unanimous name for the religious traditions and beliefs of the African people. Anthropologica is published for CASCA by University of Toronto Press. I am tantalized by the fact that my vision cannot cope with that horizon. On returning home, the learned professor wrote an article using my brief answer as his title. endobj Africans consequently played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. 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. African spirituality is truly holistic. Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. This statistical tilting of Christendom from the north to the south, after 2,000 years, holds tremendous prospects and challenges. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. As the map also shows, the ratio of Christians to Muslims increases the further south one goes in the continent. GAZETTE: In trying to understand African spirituality, is it helpful to refer to it as polytheistic or monotheistic? Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. 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. 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. ), In addition to expressing high levels of belief in the protective power of sacrificial offerings and sacred objects, upwards of one-in-five people in every country say they believe in the evil eye, or the ability of certain people to cast malevolent curses or spells. One read Honest to God and a variety of other works in an effort to understand the hot debate then raging in Europe and America. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. I told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. Their culture, history, world views and spiritual aspirations cannot be taken away from them. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Christianity in Africa dates to the very inception of the church. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. 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. hb```b``g`a`.ef@ aV68+ +$.0t9$r8A2Or}6=<4. Overall, however, Christians outnumber Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa by about two-to-one. 0000001586 00000 n I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. GAZETTE: What allows African indigenous religions to be so accommodating? 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. OLUPONA: We would lose a worldview that has collectively sustained, enriched, and given meaning to a continent and numerous other societies for centuries through its epistemology, metaphysics, history, and practices. X0#J++?U;_3_gmx9[F\"{,Um1yu 9 ?ce%9EG`N: &U0EHC$p4=$'=DlX6M_7,--" In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. 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. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. 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. All too often, the result is conflict and radicalisation. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? 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. Again, it doesnt reflect the multiplicity of ways that traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. Indigenous African religions are pragmatic. 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. Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was. (back to text), 2 The World Religion Database estimates that roughly four-in-ten people in Guinea Bissau are Muslim and approximately one-in-ten are Christian, with the rest of the population associated with traditional African religions. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Some of these African diaspora religions include Cuban Regla de Ocha, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. 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. (See the glossary for more information on juju. OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. Request Permissions, Published By: Canadian Anthropology Society. This was an extremely liberating word in my theological thinking. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. Instead, God brought them, for the God described in the Bible is none other than the God who was already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. 0000001519 00000 n Instances of religious syncretismas, for example, Gnosticism (a religious dualistic system that incorporated elements from the Oriental mystery religions), Judaism, Christianity, and Greek religious philosophical conceptswere particularly prevalent during the Hellenistic period (c. 300 bcec. 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. 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. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Dr. Mbiti is on the staff of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). 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. 0000008365 00000 n v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax This interview has been edited for length and clarity. In its place there emerged the word "also." I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. 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. But in practical terms, there is a Christian Yes to African religiosity. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. 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. Corrections? The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. 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 It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? trailer 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. For instance, the Yoruba religion has historically been centered in southwestern Nigeria, the Zulu religion in southern Africa, and the Igbo religion in southeastern Nigeria. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. The idea is that the traditional African practitioner who constructed that amulet believes in the efficacy of other faiths and religions; there is no conflict in his mind between his traditional African spirituality and another faith. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). There is some regional difference in ritual practice across Haiti, and branches of the religion include Rada, Daome, Ibo, Nago, Dereal, Manding, Petwo, and Kongo. Its consequences for theological and ecclesiological developments are yet to be faced. 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. So I read on and on, and conducted field research to learn more and more. The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. Robinson, came out. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. 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 . Diviners who go through a long educational and apprenticeship program hold the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the African people. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions Christianity is more dominant in the south, while Islam is more dominant in the north. 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt 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 continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). The numerous traditional African religions have in common the notion of a creator god, who made the world and then withdrew, remaining remote from the concerns of human life. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. The God described in the Bible is none other than the God who is already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. One important task, then, is to see the nature, the method and the implications of Gods revelation among African peoples, in the light of the biblical record of the same revelation. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. Some people tried to involve Africa in the debate. They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam . GAZETTE: How have ancestors played a role in traditional societies? Ethiopia's Christian population, at 6 million in 1900, will grow to a projected 100 million in 2050. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). The church is composed largely of people who come out of the African religious background. This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition . The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas (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 interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. 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. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. They are not mutually exclusive. But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. I cannot claim that I have witnessed much progress in that quest at the organizational level, but perhaps I had expected too much. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. For six years I worked with the World Council of Churches in Geneva. 0000003641 00000 n I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. This chapter includes information on: Download chapter 1 in full (6-page PDF, <1MB), 1 The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in the easternmost part of North East Africa, on the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. Ritual functionaries include priests, elders, rainmakers, diviners, and prophets. According to the 2003 Demographic and Health Survey, for example, Muslims constituted 50% of the population, while the 2008 DHS figure is 45% and the Nigerian Ministry of Healths 2008 estimate is 50%. 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. 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. This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. Since the Bible tells me that God is the Creator of all things, his activities in the world must clearly go beyond what is recorded in the Bible. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. I have seen the quest more sharply. 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 three of the countries surveyed (Djibouti, Mali and Senegal), Muslims clearly outnumber Christians. 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.. Anthropologica A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. 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. degree at Harvard Divinity School. But to the disappointment of those theological exporters, this fish was not attracted by the bait. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. GAZETTE: It sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and flexible. 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. For example, an African amulet might have inside of it a written verse from either the Koran or Christian Bible. 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. 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.

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