<> 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. 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. (I myself have consulted with several diviners for my research on specific academic topics regarding African culture and history; consequently, if we were to lose Africas diviners, we would also lose one of Africas best keepers and sources of African history and culture. 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. The commitment to theory, 2. The idea is that the traditional African practitioner who constructed that amulet believes in the efficacy of other faiths and religions; there is no conflict in his mind between his traditional African spirituality and another faith. They consultedtraditional healers who used various herbs and charms to cure diverse illnesses. In lieu of these traditional African ways of defining oneself, Christianity and Islam are gradually creating a social identity in Africa that cuts across these indigenous African religious and social identities. A network of mutual relationships and responsibilities links the duals worlds of the mundane and the sacred. endobj While some African cosmologies have a clear idea of a supreme being, other cosmologies do not. He is not only the covenant giver He gives the power to keep the covenant. |,utv2QdjrqfM7PC)2-|O7,0[i=_a/Om"X`Y2FpXBjsFxCqDd`%*g,-J1e*jjq,tm{w>qAsAqN$D the other in tradition poses a serious dilemma for both Christianity and tradition in Africa. A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Paulinus Ikechukwu Odozor Indigenous African religions are pragmatic. Traditional Africans didnot have this practice. According to Mbiti, Africans came to believe in God by reflecting on their experience and through observation of the created universe. This is called the Trinity. Pp. Christians practice baptism. The award allows Olupona a year of study and research in Germany; he is on leave this year (201516). However, the reasons for the growth of Christianity in Africa significantly include the way the Africans have attempted to deal with their threatening fears, especially witchcraft. Using Ghana as a case history, I shall evaluate this ministry to find out its positive and negative effects. GAZETTE: How would you define indigenous African religions? Despite the presence of Christianity, traditional religions in Ghana have retained their influence because of their intimate relation to family loyalties and local mores. But after braving that first blizzard in a land far from his native Nigeria, Olupona stuck it out and earned his Ph.D. 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 essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential characteristics is: God and humanity, sacrifices, afterlife and ancestors. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between Christianity and African Indigenous Religion (AIR) in Africa. Ancestors and numerous other spirits are also recognized as part of the cosmological order. Mbiti makes a very controversial point when he claims that in African societies there are no acts that would be considered wrong in themselves. 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. These spirit do not carry the desires of humans to the Creator God. Both have initiation rites into full membership. This dissertation will attempt to explore how deliverance ministry has replaced the anti-witchcraft shrines and the exorcistic activities of the African Indigenous Churches. OLUPONA: Yes, and the pluralistic nature of African-tradition religion is one of the reasons for its success in the diaspora. GAZETTE: How do you balance your Christian and indigenous African identity? For this reason, l am writing on the topic, which says, Comparing the concept of Spirit and Soul in the Traditional Religion of the Akan and Ewe Tribes to that of the Bible. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For instance, the Yoruba religion has historically been centered in southwestern Nigeria, the Zulu religion in southern Africa, and the Igbo religion in southeastern Nigeria. <> OLUPONA: One of the basic reasons is that indigenous African spiritual beliefs are not bound by a written text, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 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. Different fathers played a role in the development of this religion. Secondly, there is moral and religious order. Sacrificial meals in the traditional Africanreligion are the equivalent of the Holy. By Greens own admission, and as we shall see later, there are as many divergences on the architectonic hinge of these deep structuresGod, the human person, and the materialworldas there are similarities. ^xH&M'YZ7EDi%qN^K As a resident fellow, Sherman will teach a study group on negotiation and diplomacy this semester. 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. Also, how the Christian organizations help free women and girls from the grip of slavery. 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. A sacrifice refers to an animal that is offered to God, e.g. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax Traditional Africans had to go to specific sacred placesfor them to worship but Christians can worship God anywhere at any time. 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. Traditional African religious beliefs, such as belief in the protective power of sacrifices to ancestors, Traditional African religious practices, such as owning sacred objects. Church Life Journal Traditional Africans did not practice baptism. hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. Traditional African religion advocated for bird and animal sacrifices whenever peoplewent to worship God. [D@dIS(P]y`ne]y:fjGZ3yEAVOI QFY- Barrenness is, therefore, considered a great misfortune because it prevents ancestors from returning to life. So, basically, to speak of African tradition is to talk about African Traditional Religion. 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). 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. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. 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`! Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. An important area Green points to has to do with the role of God in these two systems of thought. Christians do not offer animal sacrifices to appease God. Anthony Chiorazzi, who has an M.Phil. Foreign religions simply dont have that same connection to the African continent. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. Moreover, the religions developed in the Americas impact Africa in that devotees of the African diaspora have significant influence on practices in Africa. People may complain to God and the ancestors, but they will never accuse them of any moral wrongdoing. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. Just as within the traditional political and diplomatic contexts, one cannot formally contact the king without the agency of his linguists or sub-chiefs. An old African adage says: The sky is large enough for birds to fly around without one having to bump into the other.. Villepastour, Amanda Christians pray toGod through Jesus Christ. A classicatory system which attempts to distinguish the principal responses The Church is the Christian family, in which all are accompanied to one another through belief and baptism in Jesus Christ. <> However, they do not seek the services of magicians orwitchdoctors. Itis made of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit working together as one. This is because Jesusalready shed His blood on the cross and He was the perfect sacrifice that totally satisfied God. Religion is part and parcel of daily life. February 21, 2019. The Church also combines those who have died and those who still live. 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. Baptismis by being sprinkled on water or being dipped in water. 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. Christ Jesus, God's own son, takes the "groaning" of humans to God. 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. Christianity and Traditional African Heritage, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Since God is seen as the Creator, various aspects of the universe are permeated by the sense of the sacredthe religious mentality affects the way people see the universe. endobj 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. Acknowledgements, Introduction: Locations of culture, 1. OLUPONA: Yes, its a mixed bag because in the African diaspora mostly due to the slave trade starting in the 15th century indigenous African religions have spread and taken root all over the world, including in the United States and Europe. Traditional Religion as a source of African theology just as Christian theology is. 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. 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. Render date: 2023-03-01T10:31:12.538Z GAZETTE: What allows African indigenous religions to be so accommodating? It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. "useRatesEcommerce": false Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. 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. It is essentially a postcolonial approach to what AIR and its essential. Human beings are the link between the heavens and the earth, between the visible and the invisible universe. 1"7$X9Xyyyb GNpL!9I&mxo0++44cA@5c. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 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. African communities at the time but was also poised to become a site of religious and cultural conflict both within and between different communities in postcolonial South Africa. For all Ghanaian ethnic groups, the spirit world is considered to be as real as the world of the living. 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