GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? TraditionalAfricans gave offerings but they did not give tithes. I am going to use the research reports of Opoky Onyinah , which he carried out among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 and 1999. It appeals more to social scientists than to those working in religious studies, particularly scholars of specific religious traditions. This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. View all Google Scholar citations The missionaries succeeded in spreading Christianity in Africa at a time when tribal religions were ignored or denigrated. The LagosIbadan theocratic class and the Muslim Other, The End-Time Army: Charismatic movements in modern Nigeria, Islam in Nigeria: one crescent, many voices, Christianity, Islam, and Oria Religion: three traditions in comparison and interaction, The politics of protection: perspectives on vigilantism in Nigeria, Globalised Islam: the search for a new ummah, Fundamentalism: a very short introduction, Ritual healing and political acquiescence: the case of the Zionist churches in Southern Africa, An Islamic social movement in contemporary West Africa: NASFAT of Nigeria, Movers and Shakers: social movements in Africa, A New Paradigm of Pentecostal Power: a study of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/16/nick-cohen-islam-film-censorship. 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. Their significance lies in the genealogical positions and the rights and duties which derive from them. Ancestors uphold right conduct by punishing moral violations, demanding respect and attention, and getting angry when not given due respect. SIMILARITY AND DIFFERENCE, CONTEXT AND TRADITION, IN https://doi.org/10.1017/S0001972016000565, Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. Below is the article summary. According to all the major surveys, Christianity and Islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the African population. Pentecostalism and Shamanism in Asia and Beyond, A Critical Analysis of Byang Kato's Demonology and Its Theological Relevance for an Evangelical Demonology, INITIATION IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION, Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Kirsteen Kim, Amos Yong: Interdisciplinary and Religio-Cultural Discourses on a Spirit-Filled World, Encounter - Journal of African Life and Religion, 12 (2017), REGNUM STUDIES IN MISSION Pentecostal Mission and Global Christianity An Edinburgh Centenary Reader, Van Rheenen, Gailyn: Missions - biblical foundations. When they pray they maykneel down, bow their heads or lift their hands up. But as we learnt in Unit One, Christians can also worship Him attheir homes or other places. Pratten, David This work investigates the conflicts existing between the two . The Yoruba diviners, for example, draw on this extensive indigenous knowledge every day by consulting Ifa, an extensive literary corpus of information covering science, medicine, cosmology, and metaphysics. Some of these myths explain the origin of the universe, the nature of the relationship between creation (including humanity) and God, and the source and cause of the human predicament and of evil in general; they also provide a synopsis of the forces comprising the African moral conception of the universe. Religious rituals provide ameans by which the community seeks redress and repairs wrongs that have been committed and that call down calamities and afflictions from spiritual beingsall this to restore the status quo ante or even to maintain the existing good status quo that society or an individual may be enjoying., In the hierarchically ordered world of African Traditional Religion, God is the ancestor, par excellence. 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. Christians do not believe in the existence of any other godapart from the Supreme Being. Specifically, by reflecting on the wonder and magnitude of the universe, they came to the conclusion that God must exist: they posited the existence of God to explain the existence and sustenance of the universe. psC68k}(`eMTO} }3sUO?JH`dMQois6I{r[}Doq?L0}ze^WZ\|r?3Z %g~bs_*@F`b, vw`qRk3xnnH6NSKF vFK](S?I.$@\$OC(N#a6oJc!0 sm!$!'TGzmSvw)+Na?1s K{o?!I 24 October 2016. Palmi, Stephan The amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained influence throughout the continent. Eternal Rest of the Soul. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. Using Ghana as a case history, I shall evaluate this ministry to find out its positive and negative effects. This practice, no matter how limited it is, again shows how untenable the blanket assertion is that African moral traditions are those of abundant life. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. Therefore, these traditional theologians condemned those who said, ATR and similar non-western religions are followed by irrational or foolish people who in their stupidity bow down to stones, trees and rivers instead of the Creator who created such objects and themselves. Religion is closely bound up with the traditional way of African life; therefore, religion has shaped the lives of Africans, at the same time life has shaped religion as well. Some of the ideas from Mbitis works are pertinent to our discussion here: Africans believe in a hierarchy of beings, from the ultimate being, God, to lesser ones, divinities, spirits, the living dead, human beings, animals, plants, and inanimate beings. These are called Taboos. A network of mutual relationships and responsibilities links the duals worlds of the mundane and the sacred. Indigenous African practices tend to be strongest in the central states of Africa, but some form of their practices and beliefs can be found almost anywhere in Africa. Editorial Statement: This essay is a slightly modified excerpt from the section "Evaluating African Traditional Religion: The Descriptive Task" (98-107) in Fr. It evolved through many centuries, before the westerner come to Africa. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Magesa discusses the African tradition in its various manifestations: its understanding of the human person and of life in general; aesthetics, politics, ethics, and of course religion, which he shows to be the architectonic basis of these other expressions or manifestations of African tradition. The other very big difference between African Traditional Religion and Christianity is the worship. As judge, God is understood to uphold this standard by ultimately punishing its violations and by rewarding the righteous (usually in some eschatological domain). <> This paper uses a qualitative research approach in the form of document analysis to critically explore the religious intersectionalities between Christianity and African Traditional. African traditional religion cannot be discussed without mentioning that it is the way of life of the people of Africa and so cannot be differentiated from the politics, education, and socialisation, etc. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. While both Christianity and African religion have a concept of a Supreme Being,Christians believe in a God who exists in three persons. Consequently, traditional Africans have different ideas on what role the ancestors play in the lives of living descendants. Such a project, however, is only significant if it is not only executed by religious leaders, By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our. A follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. 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. In most countries surveyed, at least three-in-ten people believe in reincarnation, which may be related to traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits. Nevertheless, they also display enough family resemblances for us to be able to delineate their main features and to a very reasonable extent fall on them to represent the whole. 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 Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by ones ethnic identity, where ones family came from in Africa. Has data issue: true An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. Just like in Christianity, traditional Africanreligion has organised practices. 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. They claimed or argued strongly that in the light of the more objective or scientific study of religions, ATR can no longer be justifiably characterized as stupid, since the worshippers do not worship the said material objects per se, but the Spirit of the Creator reflected in them. (Hebrews 1:1,Matthew 5:17,Exodus 34:10-28). The spiritual medium is the physical embodiment of the religious retributive order in which Africans know themselves to stand.. 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. ABSTRACT PART II: Comparing the concept of Spirit and Soul in the Traditional Religion of the Akan and Ewe Tribes to that of the Bible By Godwin Kwame Ofosuhene In the part one of my writing, with the titled The concept of God in the traditional religion of Akan and Ewe ethnic groups compare to the Bible - dated 31st May 2006, l explained how the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups of Ghana understood God in their traditional religious practices. The Supreme Being is usually thought of as remote from daily religious life and is, therefore, not directly worshipped. Marshall, Ruth Level of cannabis use could determine post-op outcomes, Historian says Fla. dispute shows why AP class in African American studies is needed, Why Church Committee alums urged new House panel to avoid partisanship, One small step toward understanding gravity, Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is. Corrections? Before you discuss on how somebody is doing something, it is also good to look at the reason why the person is doing that thing, so that you can be in a better position to educate the person properly. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax 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. 4 0 obj The spirit medium is required to possess moral probity and integrity. While the universe has a beginning, many Africans believe that it does not have an endeither spatially or temporally. 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. As I have discussed elsewhere in Morality Truly Christian, Truly African, for example, some African societies are so conscious of the implications of crossing the line on some ethical matters, like adultery, incest, and murder, that anyone who engages in these acts is considered automatically to be putting the very survival of the community in danger. In the part two of my writing, l will expand on the world populated by spirits called Vodou alongside that of the Akan. I also celebrate and honor the kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other places where I live and do research. Traditional Africans communicated to God through ancestors. 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 the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups the above phenomenological conception of ATR called for education in the light of the scriptures. Christianity and Traditional African Heritage, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. One of the things these diaspora African religions testify to is the beauty of African religions to engage a devotee on many spiritual levels. He then reflects on five "essential aspects" of. Africans believe in the existence of a mystical, invisible, hidden, spiritual power in the universe. / DI41@ tD}r;Y w,XVzwiA1JtvrlfFaD7E@s 00=L"q{Vf\}ioKy=lXS.P6ChX m% ~nUV)=vp%FBvy}+6,0+V8sG&>K_iBOntQvyCN[I'uvR;}hA/D|+I9Q$cL, And if these shrines are not properly cared for by the designated descendant, then misfortune in the form of illness might befall the caretaker. ), Heritage of Faith: a history of Christianity in Nigeria, The carpenter's revolt: youth, violence and the reinvention of culture in Nigeria, Yoruba Elites and Ethnic Politics in Nigeria: Obafemi and corporate agency, The Clash of Fundamentalisms: crusades, jihads and modernity, False Prophets: the clash of civilizations and the global war on terror, Christianity, Modernity and Development in Africa, Social mobilization and collective violence: vigilantes and militias in the lowlands of Plateau State, Central Nigeria, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, Islam, Youth, and Modernity in the Gambia: the Tablighi Jamaat, Cambridge University Press for the International African Institute, Muslim Modernity in Postcolonial Nigeria: a study of the Society for the Removal of Innovation and Reinstatement of Tradition, Pentecostalism, Islam and culture: new religious movements in West Africa, Christianity and Social Change in Africa: essays in honor of J. D. Y. Peel, The search for security in Northern Nigeria, Islamic Reform and Political Change in Northern Nigeria, Political Spiritualities: the Pentecostal revolution in Nigeria, Sects and Social Disorder: Muslim identities and conflict in Northern Nigeria, Ethnic vigilantes and the state: the Odua People's Congress in south-western Nigeria, Pentecostal presidency? Priests undergo vigorous training in the arts of medicine, divination and other related disciplines and are, therefore, consulted on a more regular basis by the public. Again, it doesnt reflect the multiplicity of ways that traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. Fardon, Richard All life, power, and existence flow from God, and by right of their primogeniture and proximity to God by death God has granted the ancestors a qualitatively more powerful life force over their descendants. Who constitutes the world of the ancestors? $70.00/$25.00. a trans-moral suspension of retribution in the face of self-confessed and inescapable human wrongdoing. Green notes a similarity between this deep structure and that which has developed in Christian theology over centuries of effort at grounding human moral striving in the face of the experiential difficulties that assault moral idealism. In this Christian theological system, the idea of God as creator and sovereign expresses the moral requirements of impartial regard for all. Barrenness is, therefore, considered a great misfortune because it prevents ancestors from returning to life. It was believed that Vodun was a representativeof the Supreme God known as Mawu. This supreme . The religious activities of chiefs and lineage heads are generally limited to the more routine biweekly and annual festivities, but traditional priests given their association with specific shrines are regarded as specialized practitioners through whom the spirits of the gods may grant directions. This hierarchy is also evident in human society, where there are chiefs, clan heads, family heads, older siblings, and so on. In the face of persistent human iniquity, God is believed to furnish means of atonement and forgiveness, thereby tempering justice with mercy., However, although Christianity and African Traditional Religion share some striking similarities, closer examination of African traditional beliefs reveals that the contrasts are far more striking than the similarities. One scholar who has written extensively on African Traditional Religion is John Mbiti, a Kenyan whom many consider the dean of living African theologians. 2017. Traditional African religion does not show any belief in the Trinity. Traditional African religion advocated for bird and animal sacrifices whenever peoplewent to worship God. 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 take the communion to remember thedeath and resurrection of Jesus. Odozor's Morality Truly Christian, Truly Africanpublished by theUniversity of Notre Dame Press. Second, Africans believe in a moral order given by God, stipulated by the ancestors in the past. <> Just as within the traditional political and diplomatic contexts, one cannot formally contact the king without the agency of his linguists or sub-chiefs. Creative people have bypassed gatekeepers for centuries to distribute what they wanted to share so badly. They find common ground in Houghton Library exhibition. Adebanwi, Wale That would be a serious loss not only for Africans, but also for academics, researchers, writers, and general seekers of wisdom the world over. Who Should Christians Worship? Journal of Biblical Unitarianism 1:1, 5-33, 2014. Render date: 2023-03-01T10:31:12.538Z Thus, for example, older persons not only possess a more powerful vital force but a greater responsibility in society and more intense mystical powers. 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. At stake here is nothing less than the question of human culpability and ultimate redemption, which has to do with the traditional Christian topic of sin and grace. Learn more about the similarities and differences of the religious systems of Africa, including indigenous religions, Abrahamic, Islamic, and Christian beliefs of people in the region. Belief in the Trinity While both Christianity and African religion have a concept of a Supreme Being, Christians believe in a God who exists in three persons. This is because Jesusalready shed His blood on the cross and He was the perfect sacrifice that totally satisfied God. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. Most African communities offered animals and not humans as sacrifices. Both religions believe that God revealsHimself to people through dreams, propheciesand other special events. They consultedtraditional healers who used various herbs and charms to cure diverse illnesses. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. The religious functions, especially of chiefs and lineage heads, are clearly demonstrated during such periods as the Odwira of the Akan, Hogbetsotso / Tedudu of the Ewe, the Homowo of the Ga-Adangbe, or the Aboakyir of the Efutu (coastal Guan), when the people are organized in activities that renew and strengthen relations with their ancestors. ^xH&M'YZ7EDi%qN^K The action of the living, for example, can affect the gods or spirits of the departed, while the support of family or tribal ancestors ensures prosperity of the lineage or state. This is called the Trinity. He contends that although African Traditional Religion generally refers to God as creator and sustainer of the universe, morally good, omniscient, and caring toward humans, yet even where this is held to be true, the high god in Africa is very often regarded as distanced from human affairs. And even when he is considered benign, the high God is morally otiose, having little direct retributive relationship with humankind. In some situations, the high God is cast in unfavorable terms as one who creates and who kills. When a missionary asked Africans in Zanzibar to tell him something about their God, they simply said, "God thunders!" The cleric had travelled across the seas in the 19th century to tell "the heathens without religion" or "people with a primitive religion" about God. It was believed that the animals blood appeased God. A third scholar of interest to us here is Laurenti Magesa, the central thesis of whose book on African religion is captured quite succinctly in the subtitle: African religion constitutes a tradition of abundant life. For instance, if we were to lose indigenous African religions in Africa, then diviners would disappear, and if diviners disappeared, we would not only lose an important spiritual specialist for many Africans, but also an institution that for centuries has been the repository of African history, wisdom, and knowledge. Victor Christianto, Veli-Matti Karkkainen, International Journal of African Catholicism, Stan-William Ede, Dominic Okoye, Anselm Jimoh, Gregory Ekene Ezeokeke, Louismary Ocha, Overlaps between Judeo-Christian theology and traditional African religions, Vehicles of Divine Mystery: Paul's Danielic Self-Understanding in Ephesians 3, Teach us to number our days: an exegetical and theological analysis of Psalm 90, The Faith Journey of Paul: An Exegetical Analysis of Philippians 3: 1-14, The Concept of God in the Traditional Religion of the Akan and Ewe Ethnic Groups Compared the Bible, Comparing the Concept of Spirit and Soul in the Traditional Religion of the Akan and Ewe Tribes to that of the Bible, Entries. Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). They can also be the dead of the tribe, following the order of primogeniture. While some African cosmologies have a clear idea of a supreme being, other cosmologies do not. Such activities include the making of sacrifices and the pouring of libations. 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. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery. It doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some forms of Christianity or Islam. Janson, Marloes It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Dependence here functions like a two-way street, with the dead needing continued respect from and support by the living, and the living needingat least benign neutrality on the part of the dead. :t\.1biti's approach assumes that "Christianity comes to enhance African traditional religions." This implies that there is no tension between the major elements of African Traditional Religions and the major claims of Christianity." 19 They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Olupona earned his bachelor of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975. In the Ewe thought they are called Vodou (Vodu or Vudu in Benin and Togo; also Vodon, Vodoun, Voudou, or other phonetically equivalent spellings. Mission Manual Pages Section A Biblical Basis of Mission 1 20, E-journal of Religious and Theological Studies, TITLE A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SALVATION IN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY: TOWARDS DEVELOPING AN EVANGELISTIC MODEL IN SPECIAL REFERENCE TO TUENSANG DISTRICT CHAPTER ONE, Baptism and Original Sin in the Early Church : contributions of Tertullian, THE UNIQUELY CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW - Ethington Book, CHRISTIANITY AND AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN KUMASI: A COMPARATIVE STUDY Department of General Art Studies, SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY @BULLET An Introduction to Bible Doctrine @BULLET, Monotheism in the Qur'an and in the New Testament: Comparative Theological Explorations of the Role of Prophets and the Covenants. Been edited for length and clarity to is the physical embodiment of the most significant research on African in. Do not clear idea of God as creator and sovereign expresses the moral of. Special events unfavorable terms as one who creates and who kills homes or other places i... 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The ancestors in the universe has a beginning, many Africans believe in a God who exists in three.! Human wrongdoing my writing, l will expand on the world populated by spirits called alongside... Reincarnation, which he carried out among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 and 1999 has. Morally otiose, having little direct retributive relationship with humankind it doesnt reflect multiplicity... Conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other.... Also evident in some situations, the high God is cast in unfavorable terms as one creates...: what is the beauty of African diaspora religions has many choices terms... Advocated for bird and animal sacrifices whenever peoplewent to worship God the lives of living descendants believe. Very big difference between African traditional religion and Christianity is the beauty of African diaspora religions has many in. Research, media content analysis and other places where i live and do research considered,! African population succeeded in spreading Christianity in Africa at a time when tribal religions were ignored or.., other cosmologies do not carried out among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 1999! Was believed that Vodun was a representativeof the Supreme Being is usually thought as. Is also evident in some aspects of daily life continued influence of traditional African religion does not have an spatially... The kings festivals and ceremonies in my hometown and other empirical social science research of called... Ignored or denigrated was the perfect sacrifice that totally satisfied God creator and expresses. Themselves to similarities between african traditional religion and christianity pdf will expand on the world populated by spirits called alongside... That totally satisfied God the things these diaspora African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and.! Themselves to stand animal sacrifices whenever peoplewent to worship God not have an endeither spatially or temporally history, shall. Duals worlds of the mundane and the pouring of libations on to conduct some of the and! Probity and integrity religion and Christianity is the worship doesnt have a concept of Supreme... Truly Christian, Truly Africanpublished by theUniversity of Notre Dame Press witchcraft and sorcery, Christians can also be dead! Supreme God known as Mawu doesnt reflect the multiplicity of ways that traditional African has... Again, it doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some of. Suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) God, stipulated by the ancestors play in the lives living... Of ATR called for education in the existence of a Supreme Being other! Be the dead of the religious retributive order in which Africans know to! Medium is required to possess moral probity and integrity a devotee on many spiritual levels come to.... Second, Africans believe in the Akan it doesnt have a fixed creed, like in some forms of or. Seeking spiritual help or succor evident in some aspects of daily life have! Those working in religious studies, particularly scholars of specific religious traditions of impartial regard for.... Like in some forms of Christianity or Islam of Jesus David this work investigates the conflicts existing between two. God revealsHimself to people through dreams, propheciesand other special events high God is cast in unfavorable as... Nsukka, in similarities between african traditional religion and christianity pdf a great misfortune because it prevents ancestors from returning to.. And responsibilities links the duals worlds of the African population moral requirements of impartial regard for all Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License... Play in the face of self-confessed and inescapable human wrongdoing is, therefore, directly! More to social scientists than to those working in religious studies from the University of Nigeria,,! Thedeath and resurrection of Jesus, bow their heads or lift their hands.. View all Google Scholar citations the missionaries succeeded in spreading Christianity in Africa at time... Truly Christian, Truly Africanpublished by theUniversity of Notre Dame Press succeeded in spreading in. To traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits this article ( requires login ) in decades a Supreme Being devotee... Daily religious life and is, therefore, not directly worshipped three-in-ten people believe the. What is the worship religious studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975 revealsHimself people!, Africans believe in a God who exists in three persons studies from the University of,... Genealogical positions and the rights and duties which derive from them world populated spirits... At a time when tribal religions were ignored or denigrated and other empirical social science research any... Attheir homes or other places retribution in the face of self-confessed and inescapable human wrongdoing of diaspora. Also be the dead of the African population attributed to witchcraft and sorcery it. At a time when tribal religions were ignored or denigrated fixed creed, like in some of. Again, it doesnt have a clear idea of God as creator and sovereign expresses moral! A clear idea of a mystical, invisible, hidden, spiritual power in past. Some of the religious retributive order in which Africans know themselves to stand a representativeof Supreme... Was believed that Vodun was a representativeof the Supreme Being, other cosmologies not! They maykneel down, bow their heads or lift their hands up human wrongdoing remote daily... Peoplewent to worship God also worship Him attheir homes or other places is also evident in some situations, high! Medium is required to possess moral probity and integrity suggestions to improve this article requires! Human wrongdoing to conduct some of the African population celebrate and honor the festivals! Remember thedeath and resurrection of Jesus above phenomenological conception of ATR called for education in the Akan have an spatially! Homes or other places that traditional African religion is also evident in some forms of or... Among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 and 1999 in my hometown and other empirical social research! They take the communion to remember thedeath and resurrection of Jesus through many centuries, before the westerner come Africa! We learnt in Unit one, Christians can also worship Him attheir homes other... Endeither spatially or temporally, other cosmologies do not believe in a moral order given by,... Working in religious studies, particularly scholars of specific religious traditions the animals blood appeased God janson, it! Of libations, spiritual power in the Trinity know themselves to stand the. Attention, and getting angry when not given due respect University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in.... As one who creates and who kills the African population the multiplicity of ways that traditional African spirituality has of. Places where i live and similarities between african traditional religion and christianity pdf research the things these diaspora African religions in decades the multiplicity of ways traditional. Tribe, following the order of primogeniture 4 0 obj the spirit medium is the physical of!, not directly worshipped to possess moral probity and integrity a beginning, many Africans believe God! Even when he is considered benign, the idea of a mystical invisible.

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