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. 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 While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. I feel deeply the value of biblical studies in this exercise, and the contribution of biblical insights in this development. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and . So, "Lord, help Thou my unbelief!" In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. In contrast, witchcraft beliefs persist. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. African religion has equipped people to listen to the gospel, to discover meaningful passages in the Bible, and to avoid unhealthy religious conflict. In this overpowering environment, one simply accepted this stand and looked at the world from its perspectives. Anthropologica Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. The recipient of many prestigious academic honors and research fellowships, Olupona also received the 20152016 Reimar Lust Award for International and Cultural Exchange, considered one of Germanys most prestigious academic honors. Take em with a grain of salt. 0000005005 00000 n 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. African spirituality has always been able to adapt to change and allow itself to absorb the wisdom and views of other religions, much more than, for example, Christianity and Islam. 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. For example, followers can seek spiritual direction and relief from healers, medicine men and women, charms [adornments often worn to incur good luck], amulets [adornments often used to ward off evil], and diviners [spiritual advisers]. 75 19 This statistical tilting of Christendom from the north to the south, after 2,000 years, holds tremendous prospects and challenges. Indigenous African religions are pragmatic. I am not a historian, and I have not done careful thinking in this direction. Robinson, came out. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender. This is not a biblical distinction. 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. 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. They depended on the labor of enslaved Africans who often constituted the majority of the population in these areas and developed their own forms of cultural and religious autonomy Examples: plantation agriculture, the Carolinas (rice), Barbados (sugar), tobacco Colonial government 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. 0000001519 00000 n Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. Amen. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. In the other case no such written record exists. There are also other parallels in social, political and cultural areas, just as there are some significant differences. 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. 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. 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. 4 0 obj Islam And Christianity Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. 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. 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. The Pew Forums survey found 52% of the population is Muslim. I also celebrate and honor the kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other places where I live and do research. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer, By Anthony Chiorazzi Harvard Correspondent. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. In five countries (Tanzania, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and Mali) majorities express this belief. It publishes a journal Anthropologica and has reclaimed the name of its former journal, Culture for its occasional online bulletin. Abstract. The amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained influence throughout the continent. Some people tried to involve Africa in the debate. 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. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion. I want to walk with Jesus of Nazareth on the shores of Lake Galilee and the hillsides of Judea, through the gates of Jerusalem. Below is the article summary. Corrections? It includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. If they are two wavelengths, they make sense only when they move toward a convergence. He must have been active among African peoples as he was among the Jewish people. This is, obviously, a general statement, one which needs detailed elaboration. AR-Ndhdnn}H\{%jC!a,]c8F`1LE(3%"w+tj}](q w[,p8i$dd$GrMRD K4wLG4@h\WfPY Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. Instances of religious syncretismas, for example, Gnosticism (a religious dualistic system that incorporated elements from the Oriental mystery religions), Judaism, Christianity, and Greek religious philosophical conceptswere particularly prevalent during the Hellenistic period (c. 300 bcec. 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. Their history has a theological meaning. He sees the other faith as complementing and even adding spiritual potency to his own spiritual practice of constructing effective amulets. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. For over 200 years, Africans, largely from the west coast of Africa, were brought to the United States in the slave trade. 0000015705 00000 n A subscription to Anthropologica is included in CASCA's annual membership fee. I have been greatly enriched by working at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, 1974-1980. 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. 0000002264 00000 n Today, the country claims about 80 million of each . Aujourd'hui, la plupart des Zariens sont soit catholiques, soit protestants; les Biras pour leur part sont principalement catholiques. 0000003217 00000 n When this happens, then a passage such as Hebrews 1:1-3 rolls down like mighty waters, full of exciting possibilities of theological reflection. 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. In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. /// Dans le nord-est du Zare, la communaut rurale Bira a t expose depuis plus de cinquante ans au message chrtien. The first and most intriguing topic that immediately engaged my attention was the thinking of African peoples about God. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender, Side by side with their high levels of commitment to Christianity and Islam, many people in the countries surveyed retain beliefs and rituals that are characteristic of traditional African religions. For the full article, see, New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements, https://www.britannica.com/summary/African-religions. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. 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 . 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. 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. 0000014025 00000 n 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 . 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$! <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> All too often, the result is conflict and radicalisation. Didnt our Lord let it be clearly known that "before Abraham was I am" (John 8:58)? Overall, however, Christians outnumber Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa by about two-to-one. Religious pluralism serves peace. v6 -j>,>Or%I&!To !{vgrh7xxDs}d[!$8k1zX+@}~ They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. 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? The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. African Traditional Religion in the Context of increasing Christian and Islamic Encounter . The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. 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. The more I peeped into African religious insights about God, the more I felt utterly unable to use the word "only" in this case. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> 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 For six years I worked with the World Council of Churches in Geneva. C'est l'poque de la colonisation belge que les premiers missionnaires catholiques et protestants sont arrivs dans cette rgion du Zare. 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 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. I wont pray to an orisa, but I will affirm the importance of my connection with members of my age group. And in Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia, the survey finds that 5% or less identify as Muslim. Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. It may be, and needs to be, a qualified and critical Yes. mixing of Christianity and traditional African religions What were maroon communities? In Cameroon, Ethiopia, Liberia and Mozambique, Muslims account for between 15% and 30% of survey respondents. That which had been seen as the enemy of the gospel turns out (to me) to be indeed a very welcoming friend. 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. My interpretation of Israels history demands a new look at the history of African peoples, among whom this same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has indeed been at work. GAZETTE: What will Africa lose if it loses its African indigenous worldview? (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax In Nigeria, the population in 1900 included 4.2 million Muslims and 180,000 Christians. Par contre, les croyances en la sorcellerie ont persist. 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. There are other areas of exploration in which I continue to be engaged. (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. GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? 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. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. The missionaries who introduced the gospel to Africa in the past 200 years did not bring God to our continent. trailer In three of the countries surveyed (Djibouti, Mali and Senegal), Muslims clearly outnumber Christians. This article appeared in the Christian Century, August 27- September 3, 1980, pp. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. For this reason, some African theologians take African religiosity to be one of the sources of theological reflection (besides the Bible, Christian heritage, etc.). 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. Did he then reveal himself only in the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel and other personalities of the Bible? 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. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. These impinge upon their daily life- and experience of the Christian faith. Its consequences for theological and ecclesiological developments are yet to be faced. 300 ce). 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.. Updates? The theological horizon continues to expand. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. settlements formed by African slaves who ran away from imprisonment the Americas Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. 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). % 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. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. Diviners who go through a long educational and apprenticeship program hold the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the African people. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. GAZETTE: What else would we lose if we lost traditional African Religions? 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. In most of the 19 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, 90% or more of the respondents say they belong to one of these faiths. Of course, behind all these factors is the Holy Spirit working through them. This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition of the region about 100 years ago, when, according to a Pew Forum analysis of historical information from the World Religion Database, less than a quarter of the population identified as either Christian or Muslim. 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. Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. That experience gave me a face-to-face encounter with the ecumenical movement and left a lasting mark on me. Consequently, people are discovering that the biblical faith is not harmful to their religious sensibilities. Ritual sacrifices and witchcraft beliefs are still common. 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. At first, Christianity made few inroads into the African slave population, which had its own religious traditions. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. African immigrants and slaves worked to maintain traditional religious and social practices in their new surroundings. stream 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. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. The concept of the church as the body of Christ in the whole world is another growing development for me. 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 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. African development. In Africa the traditional religions are a major source for the study of the African experience of God. 0000003641 00000 n And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. {PB,`s It is the southern two-thirds of Africa (including Madagascar) which we can rightly call Christian Africa, as the northern one-third is Muslim Africa. endobj The God described in the Bible is none other than the God who is already known in the framework of our traditional African religiosity. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. 1996 Canadian Anthropology Society It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. The rural Bira of northeastern Zaire have been exposed to the Christian message for well over half a century. 0000001019 00000 n Liberia is the only country where more than one-in-ten (12%) identify primarily with an African traditional religion. 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. He later earned both an M.A. Ethiopia's Christian population, at 6 million in 1900, will grow to a projected 100 million in 2050. I have received much in a short period. 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. African spirituality has always been able to adapt to change and allow itself to absorb the wisdom and views of other religions, much more than, for example, Christianity and Islam. Some of these African diaspora religions include Cuban Regla de Ocha, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. Some scholars choose to call it the African Traditional Religion, while others prefer to name it the African traditional Religions. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. There are also secret societies, called Bizango or Sanpwl, that perform a religio-juridical function. OLUPONA: My father, a faithful Anglican priest, was a good example. 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. 817-820. 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. 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.