The rural Bira of northeastern Zaire have been exposed to the Christian message for well over half a century. PDF African American Christianity - Harvard University AP US History Period 1, APUSH Period 1 Flashcards | Quizlet Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. 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. 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. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. Instead, God brought them. GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? Corrections? The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. OLUPONA: If we lose traditional African religions, we would also lose or continue to seriously undermine the African practice of rites of passage such as the much cherished age-grade initiations, which have for so long integrated and bought Africans together under a common understanding, or worldview. This is not an empty coincidence. The church is composed largely of people who come out of the African religious background. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. 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. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God to our continent. 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 . %%EOF African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. 0000000016 00000 n The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. 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. 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. 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. x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. 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. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. It will keep me chewing for a long time, and it will most certainly feed my theological development. GAZETTE: How have ancestors played a role in traditional societies? That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. I also celebrate and honor the kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other places where I live and do research. Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. Chapter 3: Traditional African Religious Beliefs and Practices A close geographical correlation exists between the location of African religion and the rapid expansion of the Christian faith. OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. Vodou represents a syncretism of the West African Vodun religion and Roman Catholicism by the descendants of the Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other ethnic groups who had been enslaved and transported to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and partly Christianized by Roman Catholic . This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. This is not a biblical distinction. The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. I should add that without claiming to be full members of indigenous traditions, there are many professed Christians and Muslims who participate in one form of indigenous religious rituals and practices or another. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. 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. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. But Gods dealings with the African people are recorded, nevertheless, in living form -- oral communication, rituals, symbols, ceremonies, community faith. 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. 0000003217 00000 n 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. 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. Anthropologica is published for CASCA by University of Toronto Press. (1981) and Ph.D. (1983) in the history of religions from Boston University. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. While Islam and Christianity tend to be overtly resistant to adopting traditional African religious ideas or practices, indigenous African religions have always accommodated other beliefs. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. Omissions? Yet . 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. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. Below is the article summary. In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. The Pew Forums survey found 52% of the population is Muslim. 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. endobj Modernity has not put a total stop to its influence. He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. stream 75 0 obj 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. Of course, behind all these factors is the Holy Spirit working through them. 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. 0000001198 00000 n Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. The introduced religions of Islam (in northern Africa) and Christianity (in southern Africa) are now the continents major religions, but traditional religions still play an important role, especially in the interior of sub-Saharan Africa. %PDF-1.7 % 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. 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. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. 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. But I am grateful for that one step I may be taking under the light of this vision. Robinson, came out. trailer 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. 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%. Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 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. 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. 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. But in practical terms, there is a Christian Yes to African religiosity. 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. Christianity is more dominant in the south, while Islam is more dominant in the north. Overall, however, Christians outnumber Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa by about two-to-one. 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. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. GAZETTE: Are ancestors considered deities in the traditional African cosmology? How Africa Is Changing Faith Around the World And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. 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. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. Vodou | Definition, History, West African Vodun, & Facts God was not a stranger to African peoples. There is even a community deep in the American Bible Belt in Beaufort County, S.C., called Oyotunji Village that practices a type of African indigenous religion, which is a mixture of Yoruba and Ewe-Fon spiritual practices. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. 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 In the other case no such written record exists. And in Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia, the survey finds that 5% or less identify as Muslim. He later earned both an M.A. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. 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. xref What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. In this case, so-called "salvation history" must widen its outreach in order to embrace the horizons of other peoples histories. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. 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 The council made me aware, perhaps even frightfully so, of the problems of our world. Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). No viable theology can grow in Africa without addressing itself to the interreligious phenomenon at work there. 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.. Indigenous African religion is primarily an oral tradition and has never been fully codified; thus, it allows itself to more easily be amended and influenced by other religious ideas, religious wisdom, and by modern development. In most countries, however, less than one-in-twenty say this is their primary religious affiliation. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. 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. "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," said Olupona. 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. 0000002505 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. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. 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. The Encounter of Christian Faith and African Religion 300 ce). Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (serve the spirits)to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. 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. The concept of the church as the body of Christ in the whole world is another growing development for me. So the church which exists on the African scene bears the marks of its peoples backgrounds. 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. 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. 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. (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 ), 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. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. 0000002264 00000 n In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. 0000015705 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. Ritual functionaries include priests, elders, rainmakers, diviners, and prophets. % This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. Request Permissions, Published By: Canadian Anthropology Society. In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. 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." I am not a historian, and I have not done careful thinking in this direction. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. <>stream Unlike in Europe and the United States, very few people in sub-Saharan Africa say they are unaffiliated with a particular faith. 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. 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. Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. 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. That book was followed by a flurry of literature on the so-called "death of God" theology (if "theology" it was, for I would call it "atheology"). 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). While Islam and Christianity tend to . But upon my return to work in Africa, and upon careful study of the religious background of our people, there emerged gradually the demand to examine this issue and to form my own judgment. OLUPONA: Thats a mixed bag. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. 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. OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. (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. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. 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. 0000001586 00000 n 0000001791 00000 n 0000002026 00000 n (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. If they are two wavelengths, they make sense only when they move toward a convergence. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. ancient Rome: Religious and cultural life in the 3rd century, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/religious-syncretism, Academia - Religious Syncretism as a Syncretistic Concept: The Inadequacy of the " World Religions " Paradigm in Cross-Cultural Encounter. But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. Following a period of parish work in England, I went to teach at Makerere University, Uganda, where I remained for ten years until 1974. I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. African scholars Updates? In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. 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. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. This number has since grown rapidly, to the point that in 1980 there are estimated to be 200 million Christians (or about 45 per cent of the population).