Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. One African theologian, Gabriel Setiloane, has even argued that the concept of God which the missionaries presented to the Sotho-Tswana peoples was a devaluation of the traditional currency of Modimo (God) among the Sotho-Tswana. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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 I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer, By Anthony Chiorazzi Harvard Correspondent. 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. In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. 0000001519 00000 n 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. They were names of one and the same God, the creator of the world, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions. %%EOF 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. 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. At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. 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. 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. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. 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. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Robinson, came out. 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. The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. These impinge upon their daily life- and experience of the Christian faith. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. 75 19 GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? Orthodox Christianity, although influenced by other religions, generally looked negatively upon these syncretistic movements. Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. 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. 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. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." That finished the interview. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. What is African Traditional Religion? In most of the 19 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, 90% or more of the respondents say they belong to one of these faiths. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? 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 Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. 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. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. Africans consequently played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. When this happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting possibilities of theological reflection. Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. 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. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. 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. 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. Anthropologica Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. degree at Harvard Divinity School. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? In lieu of these traditional African ways of defining oneself, Christianity and Islam are gradually creating a social identity in Africa that cuts across these indigenous African religious and social identities. And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. 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. 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. No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. Supreme Court may halt health care guarantees for inmates, Why police resist reforms to militarization, Historian says Fla. dispute shows why AP class in African American studies is needed, Low-carb diet can help manage progression of Type 2 diabetes, Those breezy TV drug ads? 4 0 obj The council made me aware, perhaps even frightfully so, of the problems of our world. GAZETTE: It sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and flexible. Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. In 1988 the society changed its name to the Canadian Anthropology Society to clarify its identity and emphasize its role as an anthropology association. Updates? religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. This rapid spreading of the Christian faith where people have been predominantly followers of African religion provokes interesting questions. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. While African Traditional religion (ATR) is paramount, it is the purpose of this article to suggest that The theological horizon continues to expand. They are not mutually exclusive. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. For over 200 years, Africans, largely from the west coast of Africa, were brought to the United States in the slave trade. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. 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). The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. 0000002884 00000 n 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. 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. A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. They constitute an important channel of the churchs prophetic witness today. A close geographical correlation exists between the location of African religion and the rapid expansion of the Christian faith. 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. Religious pluralism serves peace. AR-Ndhdnn}H\{%jC!a,]c8F`1LE(3%"w+tj}](q w[,p8i$dd$GrMRD K4wLG4@h\WfPY I had it. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. Its aim is to develop an extensive library of resources, representing many different points of view, but all written from the perspective of sound scholarship. endobj 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. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 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. I am tantalized by the fact that my vision cannot cope with that horizon. The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main hb```b``g`a`.ef@ aV68+ +$.0t9$r8A2Or}6=<4. 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. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. 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. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. 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. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. 0000005714 00000 n Abstract. 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. 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. 0000008365 00000 n African Traditional Religion in the Context of increasing Christian and Islamic Encounter . God was not a stranger to African peoples. The fusion of cultures that was effected by the conquest of Alexander the Great (4th century bce), his successors, and the Roman Empire tended to bring together a variety of religious and philosophical views that resulted in a strong tendency toward religious syncretism. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. 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. 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. Their history has a theological meaning. interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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. The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Belief in the power of such objects is highest in Senegal (75%) and lowest in Rwanda (5%). For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). African scholars Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender. OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. 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. Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He later earned both an M.A. 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.