mixing of christianity and traditional african religions apush

(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. In the other case no such written record exists. At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. %PDF-1.7 % 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 . The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. 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. It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. 4 0 obj 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. 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. Olupona earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975. Corrections? He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. (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 {PB,`s African Traditional Religion in the Context of increasing Christian and Islamic Encounter . They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam . settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. 75 19 /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. 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. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. All too often, the result is conflict and radicalisation. Take em with a grain of salt. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. Conflicts Between African Traditional Religion and Christianity in In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. 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. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. 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. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, Next: Chapter 2: Commitment to Christianity and Islam, Chapter 2: Commitment to Christianity and Islam, Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices, 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. Christianity: An African traditional religion - ghanaweb.com African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? 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 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. 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. 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 this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. 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. Nigeria, the most populous country in all of Africa, has the largest number of Muslims as well as the largest number of Christians in the region.3. 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. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. 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. Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. 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 am very excited, for example, by the estimate that in 1987 there will be a statistical balance of Christian population between the north (Europe, Soviet Union and America) and the south (Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. These statements await further exploration by African theologians. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. 0000001019 00000 n Yet . African scholars In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> 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. Its about getting tangible results. No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. 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.. 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. 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. I cannot claim that I have witnessed much progress in that quest at the organizational level, but perhaps I had expected too much. Below is the article summary. I wish to apply "change of mind" here to mean theological growth, and not necessarily a rejection of or turnaround from ideas that I may have held ten years ago. After that date there will be more Christians in the south than in the north. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. African diaspora religions - Wikipedia v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition . The previous year I had published African Religions and Philosophy (Doubleday, 1969). But whatever the shortcomings of these and my other publications, the materials that went into these two have raised extremely important issues for me that have continued to engage my reflection. There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. 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. 0000001586 00000 n The spirituality of Africa - Harvard Gazette OLUPONA: I was raised in Africa during the 1960s, when the Yoruba community never asked you to chose between your personal faith and your collective African identity. I have received much in a short period. This rapid spreading of the Christian faith where people have been predominantly followers of African religion provokes interesting questions. 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. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. Awolawu and Depamu (1979) Africans consequently played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 0000001198 00000 n Following a period of parish work in England, I went to teach at Makerere University, Uganda, where I remained for ten years until 1974. 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. The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). %%EOF OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. 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. A belief in ancestors also testifies to the inclusive nature of traditional African spirituality by positing that deceased progenitors still play a role in the lives of their living descendants. 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. OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. 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. That finished the interview. I am not a historian, and I have not done careful thinking in this direction. Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. (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. 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]. OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. GAZETTE: What will Africa lose if it loses its African indigenous worldview? Vodou | Definition, History, West African Vodun, & Facts 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. 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. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main L'interdiction de pratiquer le culte des anctres est l'unique domaine dans lequel la mission chrtienne a triomph de la vie religieuse traditionnelle des Biras. 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. The amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained influence throughout the continent. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. Y.91sC@o9sJL9@XMw`7\`1%nRjBS %U=a{N>. Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. But I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Robinson, came out. 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 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. 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. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . 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. "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. ), 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. 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). A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. 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 church is composed largely of people who come out of the African religious background. 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. 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. colonization_terms_apush.docx - ` Units 1 and 2 Vocabulary 0000008365 00000 n First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. 0000015705 00000 n Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. 75 0 obj Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Today, the country claims about 80 million of each . It is here that I have discovered the church in Burma, in the Pacific islands, the house church in China, the basic Christian communities in Latin America, the struggling church in South Africa, plus countless other endeavors of Christians all over the world. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. (PDF) Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The I had it. I am tantalized by the fact that my vision cannot cope with that horizon. Religious pluralism serves peace | D+C - Development + Cooperation 0000003217 00000 n This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. 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. 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. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. 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. OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Religious pluralism serves peace. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? Instead, God brought them. Updates? 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. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. Ethiopia's Christian population, at 6 million in 1900, will grow to a projected 100 million in 2050. In the 17th century a movement led by the German Protestant theologian George Calixtus aimed at reconciling the differences between the Protestants in Germany, but his efforts were disparaged by orthodox Christian leaders as syncretistic.