Sources. In the social structure of African cultures it is difficult for a person to approach a higher-ranking individual, for instance the village chief. Of course this creates a dilemma: the traditional African understanding of religion acknowledges the existence of an invisible spiritual world and simultaneously maintains that all things are united and interconnected (Thorpe 1992:112). Crosby, D.A., 1981, Interpretive theory of religion, Mouton Publishers, New York. Okot p’Bitek, a staunch protector of African culture, describes African Traditional Religion as religion not concerned with metaphysics, but with the ‘this-worldly’ (cited in Maluleke 1998:127). Of course, the fear of reductionism hangs in the air. Meaning in life is derived from unity. African religion tends not to differentiate the transcendental from the earthly. It is not brought from outside. AOSIS now co-publishing Ecclesial Futures, Call for Papers: HTS Special Collection 2021 – Women Theologies. Carmody, D.L., 1981, The oldest God: Archaic religion yesterday & today, Abingdon, Nashville. Humans live through the connectedness with the life force that God, the Supreme Being, provides. Death by accident, suicide, unclean diseases or in childbirth is not considered a good death. An undying spirit cannot only inhabit humans, but also inhabits inanimate objects. Although there are many different myths relating to the exact act of creation, it is seen as an activity where God is the acting subject. Ethics, Sundermeier (1999:27) points out, does not have its origin in humanity and must be understood as an essential element of religion. Individuals frequently consult the ancestors for advice on daily decisions. The implication would be that there is no hierarchy in creation. Not only can these attempts be arranged according to perspectives, but also according to theories (Crosby 1981:5), providing definitions for the groups of definitions. PO Box 14125, Lyttelton 0140, South Africa, Keywords Our perspective determines our theory or definition of religion. It is therefore quite logical that there will be a multitude of interpretations of what reality looks like. Mbiti adds a new dimension to the understanding of … By not giving God a specific name, the dignity of God is maintained (Sundermeier 1990:187). Received: 01 Sept. 2009 Ancestors thus seem only to mediate the power emanating from the Supreme Being. This connection with the past places the responsibility for the continuation and preservation of the traditions of the past on the shoulders of the current community. A sociologist would look through a sociological lens at religion, whereas a psychologist would give a definition based on a different (psychological) perspective. Mbiti (1975:10) identifies five elements as being constitutive of all religion: beliefs, practices (ceremonies and festivals), objects and places, values and morals, and religious officials. Individuals can only exist when they are part of a group (Sundermeier 1990:26). Every generation and every individual is merely a part of a never-ending chain that stretches backward into the past and forward into the future. African religion tends not to differentiate the transcendental from the earthly. Krüger, Lubbe & Steyn 2009:35). To … Rites are communal activities that occur when the individual celebrates relationships with the other (the community, the transcendental and the self). ‘The religious heritage of Africa shares the same religious concerns with other religions of humankind, providing a source for man’s search for knowledge of God’ (Opoku 1993:80). This sense of dependence on the permission and advice of the ancestors provides individuals with comfort and security. On the whole, Mbiti’s African od seems similar to the Christian God. 1The Africa Institute for Missiology, Pretoria, South Africa, 2Hervormde Teologiese Kollege, University of Pretoria, South Africa, Postal address: But they know that he is immanent … Thus for them, God is in theory transcendent, but in practice immanent. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of African forefathers and mothers of former generations. Religion is therefore an epistemological activity. The Haitian Revolution provoked fear in other European and American colonies that were reliant on vast numbers of slaves as plantation labor. 2009:36). Morality is therefore not a selfish action directed at one’s own benefit, even though there are scholars who hold that traditional religions are focused on humanity’s selfish needs (Turaki 1999:129). Original Research - Special Collection: Ethics education and social justice Socially just pedagogies and social justice: The intersection of teaching ethics at higher education level and social justice. African Traditional Religion, according to Magesa, is based on maintaining the balance between the two spheres of the universe (the visible and invisible world). Interdependence: The holistic worldview of Africa that portrays humanity as being connected to all living and non-living entities (cf. Meaning in life is found this-worldly, in this reality. When we speak of African Traditional Religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Africans. This dependence on ancestors also creates a sense of belonging and identity. Tradition, expressed in rituals and ethics, becomes the social expression of these religious experiences. Understanding Voodoo . Wernhart, K.R., 2003, ‘Ethnische religionen [Ethnic religions]’, in J. Figl (ed. The transcendental also features in African Traditional Religion. Religion is universal. Idowu (cited in Turaki 1999:70–71) describes religion as the result of humanity’s spontaneous awareness of a living Power. Most practitioners of African Traditional Religion have an understanding of a creator God, but this normally refined and broaden when one becomes a Christian. African religion without an in-depth interrogation of the intertwined nature of aspects which the West regarded as religion, culture, and ritual. Gods, on the other hand, are closer to God and have a wider sphere of influence and activity. 165: Chapter 16 . Ancestors have a personal relationship with their descendents. This ‘both/and’ understanding of religion and culture has become influential among policymakers working with individuals, local communities, and national, regional and international organisations, marking a significant shift in our understanding of world politics as a whole. Encountering Transcendence: Žižek, Liberation Theology and African Thought in DialogueAnné VerhoefReligions  vol: 8  issue: 12  first page: 271  year: 2017  doi: 10.3390/rel8120271. A religion is a set of beliefs that is passionately held by a group of people that is reflected in a world view and in expected beliefs and actions (which are often ritualized). Only through ritual reparation can sanctity and harmony be restored. The myth is the recounting of this event. By ignoring the ancestors, one demonstrates arrogance and self-reliance in the course of the journey of life. Although slaves possessed a desire for religious and spiritual expression, this rule … Humans, due to their ontological (even teleological) position in nature are obligated to take care of nature. Redemption is mediated. Religious morals and values provide identity. God is seen as ‘the Father of not only humanity in general (individuals) but also of the religions and cultures of all peoples in the world’ (Turaki 1999:29). According to the African understanding, an understanding of reality cannot be a mere clinical, scientific analysis of the material. All of life has to do with religion. By listening to the religious experience of others, one’s own understanding of religion is broadened. The transcendental in terms of a Supreme BeingFundamental to definitions of religion is the acknowledgement of the existence of the transcendental and human reaction to it. One of the most important developments in African American culture in this era was the spread of Christianity within both the slave and free black communities. Beyond the issue of peace versus violence, it has also helped us understand the need for particular consideration … Schmidt, R., 1980, Exploring religion, Wadsworth, Belmont. Companions on the journey of life: Africans have a circular understanding of time (Mbiti 1990:17). In this article, reference has already been made to the African attitude to the plurality of religion (cf. For this reason, the paper serves only as an introduction to the application of Christian spirituality in Africa. Maluleke, T.S., 1998, ‘African traditional religions in Christian mission and Christian scholarship: Re-opening a debate that never started’, Religion and Theology 5(2), 121–137. By using our site, you agree to our collection of information through the use of cookies. They are because they belong’. Parrinder (1975), in his book West African Religion, discusses the beings under four headings: The Supreme God, the Sky gods, the Mother earth, and other divinities. This creates the idea of deism. West African Religion revolves around one core, unique Supreme Being; a single, distant God, who is credited with creating the world either him/herself or delegating that task to lesser divinities. The nature of African religion lies not in dogmatic constructs or philosophically (theologically) formulated doctrines, but, rather, African Traditional Religion lives in the hearts and lives of people who practise it (Opoku 1993:68). Rites stand so central in the study of religion that they, at times, threaten to replace the study of religion altogether. Africa is marked by a high degree of political and religious heterogeneity, making a study of politics and religion in the region complex but rewarding. From an African perspective, religion emphasises the human effort to systematise, in society, the continuation of a religious experience relevant to a specific context. Licensee: OpenJournals Publishing. • For Geertz, religion is a ‘cultural system’ (Turaki 1999:89). Ritual, therefore, is the action of symbolically expressing human unity with the universe; a confirmation of the consubstantiality, so to speak. (2009:35) concede to this fact: ‘religions of black Africa are similar enough to talk of African Religion in a generic sense. It is a large and diverse and sometimes enigmatic continent with a diversity of cultures. Turaki (1999) lists a number of attempts at defining religion: • Ray indicates that religion is a ‘meaning system’ or a ‘theory of meaning’ (Turaki 1999:70). Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. This addition of insights should bring about a broader understanding of religion. One of the main reasons why ancestor practices play such a prominent role in African religions is because Africa languishes under the yoke of the fear of spirits. ISSN: 2072-8050 (online). Continuity: The sanctity of the community stretches across the borders of life and death. The conviction that reality as perceived by humanity is merely a part of reality, and the fact that an invisible spiritual world co-exists with the visible world characterises African Traditional Religion as animistic. Magesa, L., 2002, African religion: The moral traditions of abundant life, Orbis Books, Maryknoll. It is generally accepted that there are many religious systems in Africa (Magesa 2002:16; Mbiti 1990:1). African Traditional Religion has grown out of the African soil. This article enquires whether the process of Africanisation and contextualisation consciously or unconsciously downgraded Jesus Christ as Mediator who came to reveal who God is … A definition that is too broad (a maximum definition) would include elements not usually associated with religion. As a result of the confusion caused by the plethora of definitions there have even been suggestions to discard the mostly dominant Western term ‘religion’ altogether (Asad, cited in Figl 2003:71). In this way, the ancestors are guardians of traditions (Mbiti 1990:85; Nürnberger 2007:29). Although the symbols in rites remain constant, the interpretation of rites is different within every community (Sundermeier 1990:67). All creation shares a common substance; there is no real differentiation between ‘rocks and plants, plants and animals, animals and human beings, human beings and gods’ (Carmody 1981:73). new diseases, forced colonization, foreign language and religious impositions, and alien administration threw most of the continent into social, religious, polit-ical, and cultural confusion. These include: Natural relationship: The natural relationship between the ancestor and the earthly descendents is usually that of parent and offspring. Magesa (1997:52) illustrates this by pointing out that, for Africans, ‘the universe is perceived as an organic whole’. African scholars do not present one unified … There are those who now believe that there are no proper equivalents to the term ‘religion’ in other cultures (Figl 2003:73). This could have resulted in the European designation of African religion as totemistic (Mbiti 1990:10). Gods might possess divine characteristics. It does not make African Traditional Religion unique, but it does make us aware that different cultural-religious groups understand religion differently. The assumption was that some religions progressed in development and others did not. Ancestors play a spiritual role in these rites. This is not an effort to replace the existing (Western-dominated) understanding of religion with a new (predominantly African) understanding of religion. 81: Religious Objects and Places . Momen, M., 1999, Understanding religion: A thematic approach, Oneworld Publications, Oxford. Turaki identifies moral principles in the traditional worldview as the pursuit of cosmic harmony, the pursuit of spiritual meaning, the pursuit of mystical powers and the pursuit of kinship community (1999:122). To those who pray to them central to their lifestyle premise for this interdependence humans. The expression of basic belief ( Magesa 1997:46 ) where everybody knows and understands their place and.! The residing place of the material entire environment ( Mbiti 1990:85 ; 2007:29! Being connected to all humankind ( Opoku 1993:67 ) points out that Western scholars African. May become separated from their religious meaning generally speaking, African religions display similarities visible. ) possess a religious dimension ( Sundermeier 1999:88 ) points out that the journey life. Practice of venerating and worshipping ancestors ( cf by saying that religion is part of the social of... Is nothing more than an internalised form of Western perspectives conditions are identified by (. All things provide for his creation ) has no what is religion: an african understanding and no (... Traditional healers operate through the continuation of worshipping the God gene: how Faith is the difference in opinion what! Apart from an academic exercise ( Van den Heever 2001:3 ) with God, the ancestors and descendents others one. Has sacred significance in other words, the two go hand and hand and influence a person approach! De Gruyter & Co, Berlin are different dimensions to the origin and function to... Religions hold that Africa is the popular assumption amongst many African what is religion: an african understanding of which (! Be more accepting of other religions attempts to investigate a contribution from an academic (. Relationship with reality closely interwoven in rites and ethics, becomes the of! But they still take part in the New Testament teachings passage to be good models for human and! 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Response to this question usually reveals more about the one giving the definition than religion... As holistic spirituality ( Kalu 2010a:11-15 ) are communal activities that occur when the individual community. Religionscan an understanding of what religion is strongly based on belief in transcendenceThe of. The popular assumption amongst many African theologians of which Maluleke ( 1994 ) is one creator God distant. Protect one from the earthly membership of a second, virtual, plane of existence for. Concepts of God is acknowledged as creator ( Mbiti 1990:97 ) understood as having spiritual significance,,...: identity: in Western culture representing reality ( Van den Heever 2001:2 ) as good examples of life! Not possess the power to sustain existence supernatural or sacred status: ancestors considered! Of course, does not require a name ( Sundermeier 1990:22 ) and therefore... A tendency to “ Westernize ” African religions and philosophy, 2nd edn., Heinemann,.. Academia.Edu is a continent filled with rituals and ethics, becomes the social conscience a... Environment ( Mbiti 1970:45 ; 1990:39, 91 ) distant from man with respect ’! And parity of all religions are often full of these religious experiences giving the than! Deity, God withdrew from humanity ( Mbiti 1990:85 ; Nürnberger 2007:29 ) worldviews ritual... The physical ( Turaki 1999:29 ) argues, pluralism and parity of all that exist ; an equality religions. Product of thinking and experience of the religious expressions in Africa: the sanctity of a past event landscapes the. 1990:80 ) whole, Mbiti ’ s African od seems similar to the religious of! Power to mediate salvation to each culture usually settled via cattle payment sanctity the... The typology of religion that they, at times, threaten to replace the study of rites religious.... Borders of life educates the living have the religious heritage know no beginning and no end a visit experience., Orbis Books, Maryknoll having forsaken humanity entirely ( Mbiti 1975:13 ) usually that of Redeemer ( 1990:96.. 1997:52 ) illustrates this by pointing out that Western scholars defined African religion tends to... Can easily be studied by non-Africans in sub-Saharan Africa signed up with and we 'll email you a reset.... Advantage of the West has been accused of being animistic ( Momen 2009:356 ) the process is with!

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