It sensitized my thinking in many areas, one of these being the quest for Christian unity. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, between 10% and 15% of respondents are Muslim. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. In four countries (Chad, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Tanzania), the number of Christians and Muslims is more equally divided, with a ratio of less than two-to-one in either direction.2 The other countries surveyed are predominantly Christian with Muslim minorities of varying sizes. At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. This rapid spreading of the Christian faith where people have been predominantly followers of African religion provokes interesting questions. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. They proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ. {PB,`s 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. Ritual sacrifices and witchcraft beliefs are still common. APUSH Unit 1 Flashcards | Quizlet Consequently, people are discovering that the biblical faith is not harmful to their religious sensibilities. Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. 0000001791 00000 n The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. 75 0 obj He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. 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. 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. Today, the country claims about 80 million of each . 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%). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas 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? There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. 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. Abstract. It doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some forms of Christianity or Islam. "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. Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. Fewer say it is paramount to their faith to attend religious services (39%), avoid sex before marriage (30%) or oppose abortion . Again, it doesnt reflect the multiplicity of ways that traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. 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. Request Permissions, Published By: Canadian Anthropology Society. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. Ifa is an indispensable treasure trove of knowledge that cant be duplicated elsewhere; much of its knowledge has been handed down from babalawo [Ifa priest/diviner] to babalawo for centuries. 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. Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. 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. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. In particular, the concepts about God provide one area of great commonality. 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. Indeed, ten years ago I had no significant theological position. African scholars 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%. 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 But the basic truth seems to be that Gods revelation is not confined to the biblical record. Take em with a grain of salt. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. 0000000676 00000 n 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$! In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. 0000008365 00000 n 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. 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. Subscriptions are available to libraries and individuals who are not members of CASCA. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and . 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. I want to walk with Jesus of Nazareth on the shores of Lake Galilee and the hillsides of Judea, through the gates of Jerusalem. 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. I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 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"). I find the traditional Western distinction between "special revelation" and "general revelation" to be inadequate and unfreeing. The WCCs very existence as a council of churches is a living hope. A prominent European New Testament professor visited Makerere University and interviewed me on what I thought about the "death of God" discussion. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. 0000015705 00000 n The God described in the Bible is none other than the God who is already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. 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). 43. 0000005005 00000 n Some people tried to involve Africa in the debate. 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. Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. 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 . I simply and honestly answered him that "for us in Africa, God is not dead." In its place there emerged the word "also." Updates? 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. In three of the countries surveyed (Djibouti, Mali and Senegal), Muslims clearly outnumber Christians. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. But I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. 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. 0000003641 00000 n (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. I should also state that there are signs of the revival of African indigenous practices in many parts of Africa. 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. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. (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. 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). The theological horizon continues to expand. And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. PDF African American Christianity - Harvard University My doctoral studies in New Testament eschatology led me also to the field of Christology. 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. 0000014025 00000 n (1981) and Ph.D. (1983) in the history of religions from Boston University. startxref Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. The Encounter of Christian Faith and African Religion OLUPONA: No, this type of binary thinking is simplistic. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. The conviction that people will be reborn in this world again and again tends to be more common among Christians than Muslims. OLUPONA: The role of ancestors in the African cosmology has always been significant. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? 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. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. Some of these African diaspora religions include Cuban Regla de Ocha, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. 0000002505 00000 n 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. Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. 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. 0000001198 00000 n Consequently, traditional Africans have different ideas on what role the ancestors play in the lives of living descendants. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). First, the association of traditional African religion with an other-worldly orientation may appear problematic, given the "pragmatic" basis of this religion. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God to our continent. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. x\u}4`P}E#(9q"%LCl'KLb)Sfgdq N 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). I have received much in a short period. 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. Par consquent, Mbali-Dieu est la rponse crative des Biras une rencontre religieuse syncrtique. 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 example, in 14 of the 19 countries surveyed, more than three-in-ten people say they sometimes consult traditional healers when someone in their household is sick. 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.