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They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. 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. Ancestors also serve as intermediaries (see ancestor worship). In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" 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. I should also state that there are signs of the revival of African indigenous practices in many parts of Africa. This is, obviously, a general statement, one which needs detailed elaboration. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. ), 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. 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. Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. 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. 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. Awolawu and Depamu (1979) I was like a snail shyly peeping out of its house after a heavy thunderstorm. It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. (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. %PDF-1.3 I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. Some African diasporans are returning to the continent to reconnect with their ancestral traditions, and they are encouraging and organizing the local African communities to reclaim this heritage. GAZETTE: How would you define indigenous African religions? (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax Corrections? They were names of one and the same God, the creator of the world, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and . But to the disappointment of those theological exporters, this fish was not attracted by the bait. 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 interaction between the Christian churches and West African religious culture. Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. 0000002026 00000 n In Kenya I grew up in home, school and church milieus which held that the African religious and cultural background was demonic and anti-Christian. 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. Indeed, ten years ago I had no significant theological position. 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. X0#J++?U;_3_gmx9[F\"{,Um1yu 9 ?ce%9EG`N: &U0EHC$p4=$'=DlX6M_7,--" Did he then reveal himself only in the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel and other personalities of the Bible? In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. 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$! 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. The rural Bira of northeastern Zaire have been exposed to the Christian message for well over half a century. trailer 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. 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. Christianity in Africa dates to the very inception of the church. 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. I am very excited, for example, by the estimate that in 1987 there will be a statistical balance of Christian population between the north (Europe, Soviet Union and America) and the south (Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania). 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. I had it. 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"). It doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some forms of 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. 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. In addition, roughly a quarter or more of the population in 11 countries say they believe in the protective power of juju (charms or amulets), shrines and other sacred objects. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. So the church which exists on the African scene bears the marks of its peoples backgrounds. 0000001198 00000 n GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. For example, an African amulet might have inside of it a written verse from either the Koran or Christian Bible. If they are two wavelengths, they make sense only when they move toward a convergence. This rapid spreading of the Christian faith where people have been predominantly followers of African religion provokes interesting questions. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 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. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. 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. We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. 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 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. Today, the country claims about 80 million of each . But I am grateful for that one step I may be taking under the light of this vision. 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. This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an urgent necessity. He later earned both an M.A. This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. 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. For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. 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 Unlike in Europe and the United States, very few people in sub-Saharan Africa say they are unaffiliated with a particular faith. (a) The Structures of African Traditional Religions: Sometimes it is a difficult task among scholars to choose a unanimous name for the religious traditions and beliefs of the African people. 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. They are not mutually exclusive. 93 0 obj But it is nevertheless a working Yes and one that demands theological understanding. Their history has a theological meaning. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. 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. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God to our continent. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. 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. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. 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. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. But in practical terms, there is a Christian Yes to African religiosity. Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. One read Honest to God and a variety of other works in an effort to understand the hot debate then raging in Europe and America. degree at Harvard Divinity School. In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. 75 0 obj 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. OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 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. "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. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. 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. These statements await further exploration by African theologians. 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. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. 0000001586 00000 n 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? 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. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. (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. Since Christianity and Islam spread across Africa, many people there have observed a mixture of religious practices. 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. No doubt there still remain much research and reflection to be done in order to work out a consistent theological understanding of the issues entailed here. 0000000676 00000 n In most countries surveyed, at least three-in-ten people believe in reincarnation, which may be related to traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits. 0000003641 00000 n 0000003217 00000 n God was not a stranger to 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. 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. C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. The God described in the Bible is none other than the God who is already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. In one case the thinking and experience of the people produced a written record of Gods dealings with the Jewish people in particular. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. This statistical tilting of Christendom from the north to the south, after 2,000 years, holds tremendous prospects and challenges. Religion Online is designed to assist teachers, scholars and general seekers who are interested in exploring religious issues. <>stream According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. 0000001519 00000 n While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. I want to see his healing hand, to hear his word that exorcises evil spirits. 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. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. {PB,`s endobj At Makerere University I taught New Testament, African religion and other courses. Orthodox Christianity, although influenced by other religions, generally looked negatively upon these syncretistic movements. That testifies to the enduring power of indigenous religion and its ability to domesticate Christianity and Islam in modern Africa. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. 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. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. 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. 0000014207 00000 n I have received much in a short period. 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. 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. Olupona earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975. 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. Consequently, traditional Africans have different ideas on what role the ancestors play in the lives of living descendants. Traditional African religions and practices were brought to the Western hemisphere through the African diaspora and the slave trade, often resulting in a syncretic blending with Christianity. 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. Some people tried to involve Africa in the debate. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> 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. It sensitized my thinking in many areas, one of these being the quest for Christian unity. 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. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N Today most Zairians belong to either the Catholic or Protestant church, and the Bira themselves are predominantly Catholic. Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. 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. 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. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. %%EOF Of course, behind all these factors is the Holy Spirit working through them. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? 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. 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. And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. GAZETTE: What will Africa lose if it loses its African indigenous worldview? The theological horizon continues to expand. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. A close geographical correlation exists between the location of African religion and the rapid expansion of the Christian faith. 1996 Canadian Anthropology Society 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. The defining line between deities and ancestors is often contested, but overall, ancestors are believed to occupy a higher level of existence than living human beings and are believed to be able to bestow either blessings or illness upon their living descendants. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. Some individuals have criticized these books -- and no book is perfect. That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. 43. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). 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. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. 0000001791 00000 n 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: 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. I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) Holding or maintaining to a uniform doctrine is not the essence of indigenous African religions. The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. Modernity has not put a total stop to its influence. Omissions? The church is composed largely of people who come out of the African religious background. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by ones ethnic identity, where ones family came from in Africa. This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition . settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas It was during the Belgian colonial period that the first Catholic and Protestant missionaries came to this region of Zaire. 75 19 Author of. 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. Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. Robinson, came out. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. 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. 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. 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. "For us in Africa, God is not dead" -- and that applies whether or not there is a written record of his relations with and concern for people. I have concentrated these comments on the role of African background in my theological reflection. 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. 0000002505 00000 n Yet . OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. Amen. Indigenous African religions are pragmatic.