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Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. 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. 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. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. 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) 202-419-4300 | Main In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. Nevertheless, I am convinced that the World Council of Churches is a great witness of the Christian response to the prayer of our Lord that we may all be one. In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. 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. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. 9_r'v>#z2"syiBm?mry8%;m8v L,WNHitMJk#RZwEl+M3N1n[nt4]C$i2y]_6Iasrt 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. This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. My findings were used in teaching, but eventually I put them together in a book, Concepts of God in Africa, published by the British publisher SPCK (1970). The concept of the church as the body of Christ in the whole world is another growing development for me. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? 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. 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. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. 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. 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. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). Indigenous African spirituality today is increasingly falling out of favor. With it, one began to explore afresh the realm of Gods revelation and other treasures of our faith. 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. 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. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. 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. 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. 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. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. ), 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. "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. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. (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 suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. Christianity is more dominant in the south, while Islam is more dominant in the north. In the cities, local hierarchies of priestesses or priests (manbo and oungan), children of the spirits (ounsi), and ritual drummers (ountgi) comprise more formal societies or congregations (sosyete). It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Today, the country claims about 80 million of each . Ritual functionaries include priests, elders, rainmakers, diviners, and prophets. This was an extremely liberating word in my theological thinking. Below is the article summary. Later, my theological studies in America and England did not challenge this position, since that was not a living issue for my professors and fellow students. The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. 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. Of course, behind all these factors is the Holy Spirit working through them. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. A semi-annual journal, it publishes peer-reviewed articles in both French and English devoted to social and cultural issues whether they are pre-historic, historic, contemporary, biological, linguistic, applied or theoretical in orientation. Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? Updates? 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. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. 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. 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. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. 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. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> 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. 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. Instead, God brought them. 43. xref 0000002505 00000 n %PDF-1.7 % In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). For over 200 years, Africans, largely from the west coast of Africa, were brought to the United States in the slave trade. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. 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. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. But in practical terms, there is a Christian Yes to African religiosity. National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Vodou's role in Haitian mental health, Learn Religions - An Introduction to the Basic Beliefs of the Vodou (Voodoo) Religion, Ancient Origins - The Origins of Voodoo, the Misunderstood Religion, LiveScience - Voodoo: Facts About Misunderstood Religion, Vodou - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Vodou - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). GAZETTE: How would you define indigenous African religions? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. 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. The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. Overall, however, Christians outnumber Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa by about two-to-one. 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. w?0t7/Oa84P]T}T}?gHq.qsRnkc;]X*s1!E"l^~K_/|j p z|9~p uf:}[Mc|4!#"Zg!/vc _~|oyuQ'dX :?NmU)?oPSw?6#?[OUN@6oz{j;\e7nWsV~XyU4vMm4#f4c:[Wefkd&88XB|cMh6)mt<4M8}; *:7??+0:0$! I told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. 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. 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%). 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 . He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. (1981) and Ph.D. (1983) in the history of religions from Boston University. Africans consequently played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. 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. It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. When this happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting possibilities of theological reflection. This re-ligion is found in almost all the activities of the African man. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 0000003217 00000 n OLUPONA: The role of ancestors in the African cosmology has always been significant. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. I also celebrate and honor the kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other places where I live and do research. Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. 0000001198 00000 n Anthropologica GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? GAZETTE: How have ancestors played a role in traditional societies? A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. 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. I am not a historian, and I have not done careful thinking in this direction. African spirituality is truly holistic. Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. For example, an African amulet might have inside of it a written verse from either the Koran or Christian Bible. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. 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. Corrections? It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. 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 . <>stream Yet . It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. 0000005005 00000 n v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. 0000001791 00000 n Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting.