religious syncretism, the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. But for many Africans, religion can never be separated from all these. There is no room to describe them, and I can mention only two or three of them briefly. Below is the article summary. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." They proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ. These initiation rituals are already not as common in Africa as they were only 50 years ago, yet age-grade initiations have always helped young Africans feel connected to their community and their past. He went on to conduct some of the most significant research on African religions in decades. African development. 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. Omissions? A magisterial historical synthesis of the formative period of African Christianity written by one of its foremost scholars. Updates? As discussed elsewhere in this report, many Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa retain beliefs and rituals that are characteristic of traditional African religions. 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. The councils programs in response to these problems are impressive. (See the glossary for more information on the evil eye.). 0000002505 00000 n At many points I see intriguing parallels between the biblical record and African religiosity. 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. 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. <<6D546C3FADADB2110A00A09A6B9CFF7F>]/Prev 416812>> hb```b``g`a`.ef@ aV68+ +$.0t9$r8A2Or}6=<4. A conference of mainly African theologians, held in Ghana in December 1977, said in its final communiqu: "The God of history speaks to all peoples in particular ways. This massive expansion within a short time is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. It sensitized my thinking in many areas, one of these being the quest for Christian unity. It is a way of life, and it can never be separated from the public sphere. Y.91sC@o9sJL9@XMw`7\`1%nRjBS %U=a{N>. <> The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the world's largest Christian and Muslim communities. In respect and honor of my culture, I also dress in my traditional Nigerian attire when Im in my country. The suppression of ancestor worship is the only area where mission Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. Spirit possession plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions. God is not insensitive to the history of peoples other than Israel. ), In addition to expressing high levels of belief in the protective power of sacrificial offerings and sacred objects, upwards of one-in-five people in every country say they believe in the evil eye, or the ability of certain people to cast malevolent curses or spells. These were not empty names. I completed my doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in 1963, the year that Honest to God, by J.A.T. The first African captives entered England's North American colonies through Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Its about getting tangible results. Christianity has scored a triumph over the traditional religious life of the Bira. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. They will certainly be overwhelming, and I feel very excited about them. xref 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. Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. 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. GAZETTE: But yet you said its a mixed bag? ancient Rome: Religious and cultural life in the 3rd century, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/religious-syncretism, Academia - Religious Syncretism as a Syncretistic Concept: The Inadequacy of the " World Religions " Paradigm in Cross-Cultural Encounter. We can list some obvious and often publicized factors. Anthropologica GAZETTE: What allows African indigenous religions to be so accommodating? OLUPONA: Your question underscores an important facet about African spirituality: It is not a closed theological system. Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was. The fusion of cultures that was effected by the conquest of Alexander the Great (4th century bce), his successors, and the Roman Empire tended to bring together a variety of religious and philosophical views that resulted in a strong tendency toward religious syncretism. 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. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Revelation is given not in a vacuum but within particular historical experiences and reflections. 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. 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 Indigenous religion in Africa is the way Africans understand and worship their god. 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. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. Diviners who go through a long educational and apprenticeship program hold the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of the African people. Some Africans believe that the ancestors are equal in power to deities, while others believe they are not. 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. GAZETTE: How would you define indigenous African religions? (a) The Structures of African Traditional Religions: Sometimes it is a difficult task among scholars to choose a unanimous name for the religious traditions and beliefs of the African people. Some people tried to involve Africa in the debate. Currently I am about to complete a book on this question of the encounter between the biblical faith and African religion. Then was he not there in other times and in such places as Mount Fuji and Mount Kenya, as well as Mount Sinai? 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. 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]. Thus, Mbali-God is a creative response on the part of the Bira to the syncretic religious encounter. The book comprised ideas that I had gathered from 300 African peoples ("tribes" -- a term that today is sometimes used in derogatory ways). But I feel that the issue of looking at African history in light of the biblical understanding of history is clearly called for. 0000002264 00000 n 0000015705 00000 n L'interdiction de pratiquer le culte des anctres est l'unique domaine dans lequel la mission chrtienne a triomph de la vie religieuse traditionnelle des Biras. In 1988 the society changed its name to the Canadian Anthropology Society to clarify its identity and emphasize its role as an anthropology association. Alternate titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon, Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. GAZETTE: What is the state of indigenous African religions today? Its consequences for theological and ecclesiological developments are yet to be faced. 75 19 Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. Today, the country claims about 80 million of each . 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. 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. But, it has been a sorrowful, disappointment to me to experience the fact that some individuals who exercise great power in the council are not angels: they sometimes practice the exact contrary of those values and goals to which the council is committed. Theological development in Africa must inevitably grow within this religious setting. "For us in Africa, God is not dead" -- and that applies whether or not there is a written record of his relations with and concern for people. The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (serve the spirits)to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. And this witness deserves ones support through service and prayer. 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. 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. We have already noted that the overseas missionaries did not bring God to Africa. Modernity has not put a total stop to its influence. Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. 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). Request Permissions, Published By: Canadian Anthropology Society. The amount of devotees to indigenous practices has dwindled as Islam and Christianity have both spread and gained influence throughout the continent. It is here that I have discovered the church in Burma, in the Pacific islands, the house church in China, the basic Christian communities in Latin America, the struggling church in South Africa, plus countless other endeavors of Christians all over the world. This was an extremely liberating word in my theological thinking. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. But whatever the shortcomings of these and my other publications, the materials that went into these two have raised extremely important issues for me that have continued to engage my reflection. 0000005005 00000 n Muslim populations are especially concentrated in a large geographic belt running west to east from Senegal to the Horn of Africa.1 Southern Africa is predominantly Christian. African scholars Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. 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 unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), myst (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. 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. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. In 1900 there were an estimated 9 million Christians (accounting for about 7 per cent of the population of Africa). The Church in Africa, 1450-1950. They are not mutually exclusive. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. 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.