It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. Influences of christian religion on african traditional. A critical analysis on african traditional religion and. African traditional religion african studies oxford. African traditional religion, mainly by the west and also by some africans themselves who very often, out of sheer ignorance, misinformation have not bothered to know it.
Faso more than 33 percent follow african religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. Traditional african healing has been in existence for many centuries yet many people still seem not to understand how it relates to god and religionspirituality. In the context of the 3 4 7 the invention of african traditional religion overwhelming bias in religious studies towards religions with written texts it was, however, inevitable that efforts to bring the study of african religions in from the margins should have involved their presentation in terms of judeo. It should be noted that any attempt to generalize about the nature of african religions risks wrongly implying that there is homogeneity among all african cultures. For example, in 14 of the 19 countries surveyed, more than threeinten people say they sometimes consult traditional healers when someone in their household is sick. By indigenous religion we mean a globalizing discourse, consisting of notions of an indigenous. In african traditional life, the individual is immersed in religious participation that starts before birth and continues after death. It is a matter of perspective, whether one lays emphasis on the supreme being or on the many. It is the religion which resulted from the sustaining faith held by the forebears of the present africans, and which is being practised today in various forms and. Mbiti mentions five key areas that are included in this.
African traditional religions articles about traditional religions in zimbabwe in shona and ndebele religion, god, or the supreme being, is seen as the creator and sustainer of the universe in much the same manner as within christianity. In practice, most of the rituals and day to day religious. Patrick chota muma an investigation into the way african traditional. This paper examines the concept and philosophy of african traditional religion from the viewpoint of africans. Since african traditional religion, promotes integral development that goes beyond mere economic globalization, this paper defends the thesis that atr plays a very important role in the sustainable development of africa despite conflicts. The place of african traditional religion in interreligious.
These oldest religions of the world,have had their history and traditions handed down orally and preserved in the culture and religious artifacts of the african people. The belife in an afterlive kind of spirit dimensions which are connected to this relame are common. What are the beliefs in the african traditional religion. Encounters in sierra leone since the advent of islam and. This paper primarily addresses the controversy among scholars on whether oral traditions such as myths, songs, wise sayings, incantations, invocations, legends, etc. African religions, religious beliefs and practices of the peoples of africa. For the african, to live is to be caught up in a religious drama mbiti 1999. Christianity and islam have in turn been influenced by traditional religion muzorewa 1985. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural. This important new reference covers african and africanamerican religion in subsaharan africa, north america, south america, and the caribbean, and provides vital insights into its growing. African traditional religions religious information. African identity and culture are preserved in african traditional religion. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage. The african religion was condemned by the early european scholars, travelers, investigators and missionaries.
A traditional african practitioner would have no need to ascribe to any one religion in that there would no conflict in his mind between his traditional african spirituality and another faith for they would not be mutually exclusive. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. Some have seen africans as not having the capacity to reason on the. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. It should be noted that there are realities in african traditional religion which. In fact, africa is a vast continent encompassing both geographic variation and tremendous cultural diversity. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. The continued influence of traditional african religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. Reverend elder who lives on kerenyaga mountain of brightness, which is the kikuyu name for mount kenya.
African traditional religions are difficult to research, as there is an absence of scriptures or the written word. Traditional african religions and their influences on the. The place of african traditional religion in interreligious encounters in sierra leone since the advent of islam and christianity is my own work and that all the sources that i have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Box 4384400100, nairobi, kenya abstract it is the opinion consensuses of a few scholars that the institution of marriage has continued to. The doctrine of the trinity is uniquely christian and includes the belief in jesus christ as the son of god who alone mediates between god and. Many traditional african religions are based on guiding principles that are unfathomable to foreigners, more specifically. Mbiti seems well versed on african religions, and provides a broad sweep. This is the popular assumption amongst many african theologians of which maluleke 1994 is one example. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of former generations. The traditional african religions are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. However, the missionaries of the two foreign religions succeeded in converting some african people to the new religions. It presents the worldview, philosophical nature and foundation of african traditional religion. The notion of ubuntu or communion in atr is based on the conviction that african life is lived within a community. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional.
Its seems that people outside of africa always clump africans into a single bundle this is. The study of african traditional religion atr is very exciting, fascinating, but sadly uncared for and very much unregarded even by the africans, who very often, out of sheer ignorance, misinformation or naivity have not bothered to. For example, the book moves beyond ethnographic descriptions and interpretations of core beliefs and practices to look at how african religion has engaged issues of. Religion enters into every aspect of the life of the africans and it cannot be studied in isolation. Women in african traditional religions i37 munal ritual addressed to spiritual beings constitutes religion narrowly defined though communal cults may be performed to benefit groups ranging in magnitude from the swazi or ganda states to the households within them. Some of the african traditional religions are those of the serer of senegal, the yoruba and. Because religion is a way of life, it relates to culture and society as they affect the worldview of the african people. In contemporary discussions of ways to attain sustainable and authentic human development, there is a reluctance to consider the influence of african traditional religion. A definition 1973, omosade awolalu in yoruba belief and sacrificial rites and john mbiti in the concept of god in africa 1970 are a few examples of postcolonial scholars of religion who have resisted and denounced colonial idea that africans do not know god. Its study has to go handin hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. This paper seeks to examine how africans conceive of the supreme being, divinities and spirits. The main characteristics of african traditional religion. This paper is a trawl of literature on african traditional religion1 atr and development. African religious traditions on their own terms and in their social, cultural, and political contexts.
Native african historians and scholars, from mid20th c. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. The relevance of african indigenous religions in the 21st. The role of african traditional religion, culture and worldview in the context of postwar healing among the dinka community of southern sudan alex kamwaria department of philosophy and religious studies kenyatta university p. This is the complete text of what is african traditional religion. It explored the african traditional religion and the traditional moral values in the context of sustainable national development. Ancestor spirits and their role in african traditional. Oral sources and the study of african traditional religion george i. Influences of christian religion on african traditional religion and value system ibenwa, christopher ndubuisi social sciences unit, school of general studies. It also shows that the worship of god in african traditional religion is through sacrifices, offerings, singing, dancing and prayers.
Traditional nigercongo religion also included polytheistic and animistic elements. African traditional religion is a thriving scholarly business, but a serious disconnect exists between contributions that celebrate a generalized african traditional religion and those that describe particular religions and aspects of religion on the basis of ethnographic and archival research. Therefore, as mbiti has pointed out so well, the african religion affects the entire african way of life mbiti 1991. African traditional religion and the coming of christianity. The gods of africa or the god of the bible the snares of african traditional religion in biblical perspective authentic christianity by leonard nyirongo nov 4, 2017. Christianity and the african traditional religions. Modernity has not put a total stop to the influence of indigenous african spirituality photo. This papers tries to analyse what the africans believe would happen in the afterlife. The absence of this brings about mutations because of the wave of cultural changes and contact with other tribes, through intertribal marriages, commerce, wars, migrations, and other world religions. The role of african traditional religion, culture and. View african traditional religions research papers on academia. Religion in africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on art, culture and philosophy. A critical analysis on african traditional religion and the.
African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religions of the african people. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions. Box 43844 00100 nairobi kenya michael katola department of philosophy and religious studies kenyatta university. God, divinities and spirits in african traditional.
A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage and sexuality dr. Myths of african traditional religions introduction religion creates a significant part of african life. African religion cannot be separated from daily life. Vontress, the various religious traditions of africa are united by a basic animism. What is the difference between the african traditional. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so on. African traditional religion and concepts of development. It further studies the difficulties involved in this study and future of african traditional religion. These figures represent people who primarily follow african traditional religion. The religious beliefs, practices and thehuman characteristics such as love, power, knowledge are transferred to anspeak. African traditional religion is the traditional religion of the african people before the coming of islam and christianity. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by many scholars to the point of seeing africans as people who did not know the supreme being nor worship him. It is a complex form of animism and ancestor worship with various polytheistic or pantheistic traditions around an animistic core.
Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. Traditional african medicine is also directly linked to traditional african religions. Religion without belief and community in africa mdpi. African traditional religion or beliefs which the learners are supposed to understand. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the africans. African traditional religions are not so much about a picture of the world, but about how to get things done and about discovering what ultimately.
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