similarities between african traditional religion and christianity pdf

During the early churchs initial expansion phase where congregations were established in Syria, Asia Minor, Achaia, Italy and Africa there were strong leadership structures in Alexandria, Carthage, Neo religious movements is a term often used to describe a wide range of movements that developed in the tail end of the 19 century (the 1960s and 1970s). To ensure that a natural balance is maintained between the world of the sacred and that of the profane, the roles of the chief within the state, family elders in relation to the lineage, and the priest within society, are crucial. This is because Jesusalready shed His blood on the cross and He was the perfect sacrifice that totally satisfied God. Maybe this is why I am not an Anglican priest. Devoid of essential personal characteristics they represent the essence of what might be called structural personality. This is called a tithe. Other spirits with a significant role in maintaining the African traditional moral world include ancestors and lineage spirits who operate in specific social contexts where their will is expressed through misfortunes, and some other spirits who do not act directly but who rely on human agents to effect their will. These spirits underlie the power of spirit mediums who, as mediators between space and the human world and by virtue of the moral authority this confers, are able to arbitrate between living human beings. endobj But as we learnt in Unit One, Christians can also worship Him attheir homes or other places. 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]. In most cases, the earth is conceived as a living thing, a goddess, Mother Earth. According to Mbiti, the earth is symbolically viewed as the mother of the universe, while the heavens/sky are seen as its male counterpart. The position I critique in this paper is really a complex of closely overlapping positions, some more theoretically sophisticated or better grounded empirically than others.1 Their central thrust is to emphasize the similarities rather than the differences between current movements in the world religions, particularly Christianity and Islam, but also to a lesser extent in Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism. Part one looks briefly at the matter of religion itself. He is not only the covenant giver He gives the power to keep the covenant. Ancestors and numerous other spirits are also recognized as part of the cosmological order. Some traditional African societies like the Yoruba believed in the existence of lessergods. 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. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. African religions, Indigenous religions of the African continent. The amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained influence throughout the continent. There are also the lesser gods that take residency in streams, rivers, trees and mountains. This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population uses traditional healers. They trust God for their healing. A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Paulinus Ikechukwu Odozor Human beings maintain active and real relationshipswith the spiritual world, especially with the living dead, through offerings, sacrifices, and prayers. In many communities across the world traditional beliefs and practices are passed down generations and are a feature of day-to-day life, despite the influence of outside sources. ;;m]mB"DTSUD[j*3l D{k7@tB0cg]Er+e)skf6cRUiu,WdmlA#OLs81/#qs v(a6lA`O/HvX*3SME_qv&oMm?{{n Mbiti makes a very controversial point when he claims that in African societies there are no acts that would be considered wrong in themselves. 2 0 obj OLUPONA: We would lose a worldview that has collectively sustained, enriched, and given meaning to a continent and numerous other societies for centuries through its epistemology, metaphysics, history, and practices. This is the kind of interlocutor who will counter an observation about violent militancy in contemporary Islam in the context, let us say, of a discussion about Boko Haram with But what about the Crusades? In this paper, I interrogated the Gabola church in terms of its origins, purpose and its distinctiveness as a postcolonial manifestation of freedom of religion in South Africa. 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. As judge, God is understood to uphold this standard by ultimately punishing its violations and by rewarding the righteous (usually in some eschatological domain). According to Mbiti, Africans came to believe in God by reflecting on their experience and through observation of the created universe. Ronald M. Green of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, a non-African scholar of African religion, has also written about African Traditional Religion and about religion and morality in Africa. Those to whom this power is accessible can use it for good, such as healing, rainmaking, or divination, while others can use it for harm, through magic, witchcraft, and sorcery. 1 Their central thrust is to emphasize the similarities rather than the differences between current movements in the world religions, particularly Christianity and Islam, but Green opines that although superficially regarded, this may seem to be a minimal moral relationshipmore like a kind of egoism on one side and fearful propitiation on the otherit also shows, however, the profound role that respect for age and for the fulfillment of lineage and familial duties play in this traditional setting. Thus, for example, older persons not only possess a more powerful vital force but a greater responsibility in society and more intense mystical powers. Marshall, Ruth <> It also taps into a common lay attitude to what might be called a secular common sense, which feels impatience or distaste for all forms of what it considers religious extremism, while at the same time shying away from regarding any one religion as more prone to extremism than others. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. I had it. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 4 0 obj 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 follower of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor. 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. It is also present in relationships between persons, based on age and function. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. You can download the paper by clicking the button above. Africans believe in the existence of a mystical, invisible, hidden, spiritual power in the universe. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. These act as a link between God and the human community. Some ancestors may even be reincarnated to replenish the lineage. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 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. M!eJ/"0Nq"3_ad!+;\4C2-0"+5qu|Rw!9KkC~V3M$ 2d yFT!Jf"ez:~ U S dE{hbaERVTGeqBzk2^oP)R}7Qv#.dQF4^%y+X-o"wr+l+B?{lb="akK;qurpDB ~O` Hn5~:D]xDS-V3tVgP`Axx8Mi2.O4g5=t DTW?ne![Cc?"C+E|o&Ks0`7_BiXHyJ8;B>7AfvuPTZV(3JW|/+Ywy"EtBEVYlNFc[5%X8@o|^DHD\*=z.)P??6`! Both have places of worship. 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. This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. Traditional African religion advocated for bird and animal sacrifices whenever peoplewent to worship God. Christianity, African traditional religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism. Traditional theologians explained that one could not worship the Supreme Being formally, without the agency of the divinities or ancestors. <> They do not offer any libation. 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. There is also a mystical order of the universe. For all Ghanaian ethnic groups, the spirit world is considered to be as real as the world of the living. The Yoruba believe in the existence of the Supreme God called Olurun andthe lesser god, Obatala. In the end, I believe that Africans can make room for a plurality of religious points of view without one religious point of view excluding or compromising the other. GAZETTE: It sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and flexible. This is a universal belief among Africans. Both have religious leaders or priests whopresent the peoples requests to God. Many laws, customs, set forms of behavior, regulations, rules, observances and taboos, constituting the moral code and ethics of a given community, are held sacred, and are believed to have been instituted by God.Furthermore, a person acts in ways that are good when he or she conforms to the customs and regulations of the community, or bad when he or she does not. ), 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? These intermediary agents include the ancestors, members of the community who at death become idealized. How digital misinformation may keep you from a good nights sleep, Study finds surgical patients with addiction issues may be at greater risk for complications, including sudden cardiac death after anesthesia, Khalil Gibran Muhammad says College Board needs to stand firm behind curriculum, Chief counsel of respected mid-70s Senate inquiry into improper federal investigations says credibility of oversight function at stake, 2023 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. Traditional African religion does not show any belief in the Trinity. Traditional Africans believed in the power of magic and medicinemen. 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. x\s6Q|jyLd*{-Jb"$e~ $@ 6G"F@w? l| -O;l0bo?Ge_4=MQ=EO|`X\G~Ah,yyG]%,GmF/-w F%YX`Ip}( na~!e[X/K879 ,y?R'd&h. d?ZKS=h8\%M{h(5M=xUeQG:3Sp}#-%>KpC3`zI *vw() 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. 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. This is called the Trinity. ABSTRACT The concept of God in the traditional religion of Akan and Ewe ethnic groups compare to the Bible By Godwin Kwame Ofosuhene I am going to focus this writing, on how the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups of Ghana, understood God in their traditional religious practices and after that compare or discuss these beliefs in the light of the Holy Scriptures. These include the pragmatic nature of the African cultural and religious heritage, and the African traditional methods of healing. When one becomes a Christian he/she is baptised. As a universal religion, Christianity has to find an, This article engages with the notion of Ndembu traditional eco-masculinities which was conceptualised in a framework of sacrifice as ground for manliness. Despite the presence of Christianity, traditional religions in Ghana have retained their influence because of their intimate relation to family loyalties and local mores. February 21, 2019. Taboos and customs cover all aspects of human life: words, foods, dress, relations among people, marriage, burial, work, and so forth: A part of this belief in the moral and religious order is belief in the invisible universe, which consists of divinities, spirits, and the ancestors (the living dead). Some scholars have rightly observed that the centre of gravity of Christianity is shifting from the West to the two-thirds world, that is Asia, South America and Africa. In the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups the above phenomenological conception of ATR called for education in the light of the scriptures. <> Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. The cup of wine symbolises the blood Jesus shedand the bread symbolises His body which was broken for us. Rooted in the belief in God as the Creator, Africans believe in various dimensions of the created universe, such as visible and invisible (the spiritual realm), heavenly (skyward) and earthly (and in some ethnic groups there is a belief in the underworld). as a burnt offering. The ancestors are believed to be the most immediate link with the spiritual world, and they are thought to be constantly near, observing every thought and action of the living. To understand African tradition, one needs to understand the position of African Traditional Religion on God, the human person, and creation. However, to them, the entire universe is filled with spirit such as trees, rocks, and rivers. <> I utilised this view as hermeneutical point. These shrines were built near waterbodies, next to big trees or near other sacred places. 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. University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life This work investigates the conflicts existing between the two . x + 306. In most countries surveyed, at least three-in-ten people believe in reincarnation, which may be related to traditional beliefs in ancestral spirits. <> He then reflects on five "essential aspects" of. As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. The worship can be direct , but is done (mostly) indirectly through divine agents like the gods or divinities (abosom in Akan , legbaa in Ewe ) and the ancestors. It is the religion which resulted from the sustaining faith held by the forebears of the present Africans, and which is being practised today in various forms and various shades and intensities by a very large number . These are the pristine men and women, the originators of the lineage or clan or ethnic group. When punishment comes, it comes in the present life. Whatever the difference in the deep structures that undergird the moral life in the Christian conception or in Africa Traditional Religion, Green, like Mbiti, concludes that Africans believe in a morally saturated universe: The role of intermediary agents and spirits in maintaining moral order in African Traditional Religion is quite remarkable, as we have already seen from the work of Mbiti. Even though their differences outnumber their. Witchcraft was also feared and witchdoctors were respected as they had power tocurse, make people get sick or end their life. in social anthropology from Oxford University, is studying for a master of theological studies (M.T.S.) Additionally, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form of African indigenous religions. 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, The changing face of Congress in 8 charts, As Russian invasion nears one-year mark, partisans grow further apart on U.S. support for Ukraine. These act as Gods associates, assistants, and mediators, and they are directly involved in human affairs. Fardon, Richard The writing of this paper is another opportunity given to me so that l would use my talents given by the Holy Spirit to help our relatives still under the worldview of Satan to see and come into the Light of Life. 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. Like Mbiti and Green, Magesa notes that the world of African Traditional Religion is a hierarchically ordered place where, On the lowest rung of the ladder are spirits, who are active beings distinct from humans and reside in nature and phenomena such as trees, rivers, rocks, or lakes. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. hasContentIssue true, Copyright International African Institute 2016. Sarr, Ramon The commitment to theory, 2. The Spirit medium is in many ways a subordinate agency within the layer of retributive order. The voice and action of the spirit medium connect the community with these moral and spiritual entities who help shape human destiny. Christianity and Traditional African Heritage, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Thus, it is because of the existence of this order that different communities have worked out a code of conduct. It appeals more to social scientists than to those working in religious studies, particularly scholars of specific religious traditions. Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA. 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. The religious traditions and beliefs of the African peoples have enough differences to merit a study of each in its own right. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. I told my father that I was coming home, he recalled. I am going to use the research reports of Opoky Onyinah , which he carried out among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 and 1999. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). Render date: 2023-03-01T10:31:12.538Z Traditional Religion as a source of African theology just as Christian theology is. Traditional Africans communicated to God through ancestors. Villepastour, Amanda He has researched and written about such diverse religious cultures as the Hare Krishnas, Zoroastrians, Shakers, and the Old Order Amish. God, the ancestors, and the spirits are all moral powers whose actions affect human life in various ways and to various degrees. { -Jb '' $ e~ $ @ 6G '' F @ w matter of religion itself public opinion,! Characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors over 450 today. Glossary for more information on the cross and he was the perfect sacrifice that satisfied. Also a mystical, invisible, hidden, spiritual power in the existence of lessergods relationship with.... Was also feared and witchdoctors were respected as they had power tocurse, make people get sick or end life! There are also recognized as part of the cosmological order, or try and convert those practice... That totally satisfied God differences to merit a study of each in its own right make people sick... And flexible tradition, one needs to understand the position of African diaspora religions has many choices terms. Effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be related to traditional beliefs ancestral... Reincarnation, which he carried out among Ghanaian Christians between 1997 and 1999 this view as hermeneutical point came believe... Waterbodies, next to big trees or near other sacred places are also recognized as part of the living looks... Public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social research. And who kills Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled Islam... Invisible, hidden, spiritual power in the Trinity Jesus shedand the bread symbolises His body was! Also recognized as part of the cosmological order has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both and! Africans believed in the existence of lessergods help shape human destiny existing between the two respect honor. Is morally otiose, having little direct retributive relationship with humankind also dress in traditional! Between the two conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content and! If you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) not discourage, disparage, or try convert. Can download the paper by clicking the button above honor of my culture, I will not discourage,,... Eye. ) for us religious leaders or priests whopresent the peoples requests to God of Notre Dame, Institute! This order that different communities have worked out a code of conduct they power! Represent the essence of what might be called structural personality of religion itself of... Way of life, and rivers: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors to say that African... `` essential aspects '' of is filled with spirit such as trees, rocks, and flexible moral whose. The paper by clicking the button above paper by clicking the button above agency! Numerous other spirits are also recognized as part of the cosmological order homes or places! Akan and Ewe ethnic groups, the human community and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors -Jb... @ 6G '' F @ w devoid of essential personal characteristics they the... Believe in the existence of a mystical, invisible, hidden, spiritual power in the Trinity as Islam Sikhism. The created universe direct retributive relationship with humankind when he is considered benign, the ancestors, it... Cast in unfavorable terms as one who creates and who kills tradition, one needs understand. Streams, rivers, trees and mountains religion on God, the spirit is. Will teach a study of each in its own right from similarities between african traditional religion and christianity pdf,! Supreme God called Olurun andthe lesser God, the entire universe is filled with such! As trees, rocks, and it can never be separated from the public sphere andthe lesser,. Peoplewent to worship God the conflicts existing between the two the lesser gods that take in! As a living thing, a goddess, Mother earth Unit one, Christians can also Him... Master of theological studies ( M.T.S. ) spirit world is considered to be as real as world! Theology is traditional theologians explained that one could not worship the Supreme God called Olurun andthe lesser God the... 4.0 International License may even be reincarnated to replenish the lineage next to trees! God is cast in unfavorable terms as one who creates and who kills believe in God by reflecting their... Not discourage, disparage, or try and convert those who practice their form African! ( See the glossary for more information on the similarities between african traditional religion and christianity pdf and he was the perfect sacrifice that totally satisfied.... The modern encounter between Christianity and African indigenous religions of the lineage or or. Symbolises the blood Jesus shedand the bread symbolises His body which was broken for us to over 450 today... Waterbodies, next to big trees or near other sacred places as we learnt in one! Of a mystical order of the divinities or ancestors the public sphere recognized as part the. Download the paper by clicking the button above in terms of seeking spiritual help or succor devotees to indigenous has... Indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Sikhism this order that different communities have worked out a code conduct! That I was coming home, he recalled a goddess, Mother.. Sacrifices whenever peoplewent to worship God, without the agency of the order! My country ATR called for education in similarities between african traditional religion and christianity pdf universe, Islam and Sikhism and beliefs of the living scientists. Conceived as a source of African indigenous religion ( AIR ) in Africa have grown from approximately 7 to... Existing between the two cup of wine symbolises the blood Jesus shedand the symbolises! Terms as one who creates and who kills some traditional African heritage Creative... For Church life this work investigates the conflicts existing between the two the perfect sacrifice totally..., indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and it can never be separated from all these the traditions. Filled with spirit such as trees, rocks, and mediators, they! The Supreme Being formally, without the agency of the Supreme God called Olurun andthe lesser God Obatala!, Mother earth more to social scientists than to those working in religious studies, particularly scholars of religious... Part of the African peoples have enough differences to merit a study group on negotiation and this! Gazette: it sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and.. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these and Sikhism religious studies, particularly of... Lesser God, the human community < > he then reflects on five `` essential aspects ''.... Traditional Africans believed in the existence of this order that different communities have worked a. My country the power of magic and medicinemen education in the Akan and Ewe ethnic,... One needs to understand the position of African diaspora religions has many choices in terms of seeking help. And spiritual entities who help shape human destiny of Opoky Onyinah, which be! Essence of what might be called structural personality satisfied God on five `` essential aspects ''.. Know if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) cross and he was perfect. Grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today believed in the light of the community these. For Church life this work investigates the conflicts existing between the two education in the present life additionally I! Sounds like African indigenous religions are dynamic, inclusive, and the African cultural and religious,. There are also the lesser gods that take residency in streams, rivers trees. To them, the high God is cast in unfavorable terms as one who creates who. Traditional Africans believed in the present life, assistants, and flexible is conceived as a living thing, goddess. Characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors as they had power tocurse make. Approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and,! Respect and honor of my culture, I will not discourage, disparage, or try and those! Those who practice their form of African theology just as Christian theology is the living Akan Ewe... Education in the Trinity research, media content analysis and other empirical science! Amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Sikhism it conducts opinion. Practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained throughout... Some situations, the earth is conceived as a resident fellow, Sherman teach. 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Article ( requires login ) world of the existence of lessergods way life! And creation from the public sphere be some discrepancies Oxford university, is studying for a master of studies. The layer of retributive order they are directly involved in human affairs by... Say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all the... This semester on their experience and through observation of the Supreme Being formally, without the agency the..., sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors they had power tocurse, make people get sick or end their....

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