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. GAZETTE: What allows African indigenous religions to be so accommodating? 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. Its about getting tangible results. (See the glossary for more information on juju. What is African Traditional Religion? Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? 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. After that date there will be more Christians in the south than in the north. Updates? 0000000676 00000 n Awolawu and Depamu (1979) Jacob Olupona, professor of indigenous African religions at Harvard Divinity School and professor of African and African-American studies in Harvards Faculty of Arts and Sciences, recently sat down for an interview about his lifelong research on indigenous African religions. 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. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic Africa. The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world. Olupona earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. 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. 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. I had it. 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. Following a period of parish work in England, I went to teach at Makerere University, Uganda, where I remained for ten years until 1974. All too often, the result is conflict and radicalisation. endobj But it is nevertheless a working Yes and one that demands theological understanding. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. 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. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam . /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. African scholars And in Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia, the survey finds that 5% or less identify as Muslim. In most of the 19 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Centers Forum on Religion & Public Life, 90% or more of the respondents say they belong to one of these faiths. Yet . 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. 0000002505 00000 n 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 . OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. Corrections? %%EOF Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. But I am grateful for that one step I may be taking under the light of this vision. Orthodox Christianity, although influenced by other religions, generally looked negatively upon these syncretistic movements. Again, it doesnt reflect the multiplicity of ways that traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. For six years I worked with the World Council of Churches in Geneva. GAZETTE: What will Africa lose if it loses its African indigenous worldview? Their culture, history, world views and spiritual aspirations cannot be taken away from them. 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. 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. I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. 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. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. 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]. Y.91sC@o9sJL9@XMw`7\`1%nRjBS %U=a{N>. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. 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. This chapter includes information on: Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects Download chapter 3 in full (3-page PDF, <1MB) Photo credit: Sebastien Desarmaux/GODONG/Godong/Corbis A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. The previous year I had published African Religions and Philosophy (Doubleday, 1969). Model tested on tens of thousands of routine brain scans spotted disease risk with 90% accuracy, Experts on law, policy say originalist view used to overturn Roe could upend 76 ruling based on cruel, unusual punishment clause, Issues revolve around culture of viewing civilians as potential threats, concerns about self-protection in departments equipped with military-grade arms, Khalil Gibran Muhammad says College Board needs to stand firm behind curriculum, 2023 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N They proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ. 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. {PB,`s 0000001019 00000 n This is, obviously, a general statement, one which needs detailed elaboration. But I have discovered that there is also the fundamental factor of African religion, without which this phenomenal expansion of Christianity would not be a reality. It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. Below is the article summary. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. 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. 0000002884 00000 n 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. 0000003641 00000 n It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. 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. 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. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. The rural Bira of northeastern Zaire have been exposed to the Christian message for well over half a century. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. 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. (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. The Pew Forums survey finds a similar number of people in Guinea Bissau identifying themselves as Muslim (38%) but a much higher percentage identifying themselves as Christian (62%) and very few describing themselves mainly as practitioners of traditional African faiths. 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. This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. Robinson, came out. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. The council made me aware, perhaps even frightfully so, of the problems of our world. 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. Anthropologica 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%. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 0000002264 00000 n Its aims were to encourage formal and informal dissemination of knowledge through an annual conference and publications; promote relations with other academic and professional associations, aboriginal groups, and governments; and publicize ethnological research and activities to further understanding of ethnological practices. 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. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. In one case the thinking and experience of the people produced a written record of Gods dealings with the Jewish people in particular. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? Muslim populations are especially concentrated in a large geographic belt running west to east from Senegal to the Horn of Africa.1 Southern Africa is predominantly Christian. 0000008365 00000 n But, it has been a sorrowful, disappointment to me to experience the fact that some individuals who exercise great power in the council are not angels: they sometimes practice the exact contrary of those values and goals to which the council is committed. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. I am tantalized by the fact that my vision cannot cope with that horizon. In the other case no such written record exists. 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. (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 The Yoruba, however, do have a concept of a supreme being, called Olorun or Olodumare, and this creator god of the universe is empowered by the various orisa [deities] to create the earth and carry out all its related functions, including receiving the prayers and supplications of the Yoruba people. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). hb```b``g`a`.ef@ aV68+ +$.0t9$r8A2Or}6=<4. 0000001519 00000 n There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. 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 editor of The Christian Century has given me an undeserved privilege in asking me to contribute some reflections on "How My Mind Has Changed" in the course of the past decade. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. While Islam and Christianity tend to . We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. It is the southern two-thirds of Africa (including Madagascar) which we can rightly call Christian Africa, as the northern one-third is Muslim Africa. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. 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. Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. They are not mutually exclusive. There is not space here to argue the case for the role played by African religion in the establishment of the Christian faith in Africa. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. African Traditional Religion in the Context of increasing Christian and Islamic Encounter . The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), myst (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. ), 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. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. 817-820. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. Ritual sacrifices and witchcraft beliefs are still common. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 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. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Since Christianity and Islam spread across Africa, many people there have observed a mixture of religious practices. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by ones ethnic identity, where ones family came from in Africa. For instance, if we were to lose indigenous African religions in Africa, then diviners would disappear, and if diviners disappeared, we would not only lose an important spiritual specialist for many Africans, but also an institution that for centuries has been the repository of African history, wisdom, and knowledge. 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. African spirituality is truly holistic. I also celebrate and honor the kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other places where I live and do research. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. 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.. Author of. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. 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. The amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained influence throughout the continent. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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). In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was. 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 these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. 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. GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. Some of these African diaspora religions include Cuban Regla de Ocha, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. xref The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. <>stream Its consequences for theological and ecclesiological developments are yet to be faced. 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. OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. Belief in the power of such objects is highest in Senegal (75%) and lowest in Rwanda (5%). Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. But today that is not the case due to more exclusive-minded types of Christianity and Islam that see patronizing indigenous African beliefs and practices as violating the integrity of their Christian or Muslim principles, but I believe that one can maintain ones religious integrity and also embrace an African worldview. In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. That finished the interview. 0000000016 00000 n These were not empty names. At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). They do this by having Africans increasingly identify themselves as either Muslim or Christian, thus denying their unique African worldview that has always viewed as evidenced in their creation myths everything as unified and connected to the land, the place were ones clan, lineage, and people were cosmically birthed. They were names of one and the same God, the creator of the world, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God to our continent.