Religion in Africa

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African religions (indigenous African religions) are distinct to African ethnic groups. In certain respects the term is awkward as indigenous African religions have a wide cultural variety that makes virtually any overall statement a sweeping generalization, but the majority of African religions do share some commonalities. There is no universal aspect found in all African religions.

It is important to note that a majority of Africans today will consider themselves to be either Christian or Muslim. Islam has existed on the continent for over a millennium and has established itself as the dominant religion in many areas. Christian churches in Ethiopia and Egypt have existed since the early days of Christianity and were just as influential on the shaping of the faith as churches in Europe. The same is true for Islam in Ethiopia. Missionary activity during the colonial period, together with modern evangelism from American Pentecostal groups have firmly established Christianity as the most practiced religion on the continent. It is important to note that Christianity, and Islam has been adapted in the African context to incorporate elements of indigenous religions, and emphasise elements such as healing which are more relevant to African belief systems. It should also be noted that Judaism has had a significant presence on the African continent for millennia. There have been several communities of African Jews dispersed across the continent, including the Beta Israel of Ethiopia and Abayudaya of Uganda.

Contents 1 Animism 2 The ancestors 3 Spiritual Harming and Healing 4 Spirituality 5 Rituals 6 Intermixture with other religions 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Animism

Main article: Animism

They are deemed to follow animism. Many of these religions teach a belief in a single supreme god and many lesser gods. At times these gods have a totem. Animals are worshipped as the earthly representative of certain gods. Each lesser god is given a specific function and power to be able to control a particular area of the worshipper's life. Although they place one God above a host of lesser gods or semi-divine figures, that High God may be relatively uninvolved in everyday life. In animism, nature is full of spirits. The practice of animal sacrifice is widespread, to ensure divine protection and generosity. It is also thought to gratify or placate the spirits and the forces of nature. Also, its said that major axes are not to be placed.

[edit] The ancestors

Main article: Ancestor veneration

Many of the people in Africa share a belief in ancestral spirits. During colonialism, many Africans were converted to colonial religious practices such as Christianity and Islam, however, many people still maintain aspects of their traditional religions. In many African nations, ancestors play a large role in the foundation of their religious beliefs. In traditional religions in Africa, there are many superstitious beliefs involving the pleasing of ancestors. For example, one may behave poorly which can be attributed to a curse brought onto that person by the ancestors. In essence, the “cursed” did something to displease the ancestors and thus becomes cursed with a negative trait. In a part of Cote d’Ivoire, babies are treated as ancestors who have been reincarnated. In this particular belief system, babies are often introduced to others as if they already possess knowledge of everyone as their ancestors did. Ancestors, when angry, are believed to bring many things to the people in a village. If a drought occurs, it would most likely be attributed to an ancestor who was upset with something in the village, perhaps the placement of a home on holy ground. Due to this reasoning, ancestors are treated with the utmost respect and are prayed to constantly. This is a very different idea from many other cultures who lose the legacy of their ancestors after they have died. Instead, many traditional religions in Africa believe that is when the ancestor “comes alive,” or moves onto a new life. However, that does not mean they are not included in the decision-making of the tribe. When a powerful or respected leader, such as a chief, dies and moves into the world of ancestors they are believed to still possess power in the tribe by showing their displeasure or agreement through symbols and signs. This is also the reason that many African traditional religions take these signs seriously and work to change the problem and please their ancestors. However, these ancestors can be honored and good figures who have a kindly role as spirits. Still, in certain cases, the ancestors can be mischievous or outright destructive. In southern Africa the believers place emphasis on exorcism. This has resulted in many people drowning as result of priests who obsess with using holy water. The drownings caused chaos among the tribes, and this resulted in tribal diffusion.

[edit] Spiritual Harming and Healing

Humans as well are sometimes deemed to have the power to heal or harm. For example people who use herb lore to heal or poison to harm. (Or sometimes both to different people.) However at times these involve purely spiritual notions. Certain people are deemed to have strong connection to the spirits. They can use this for benefit or for harm. Among various traditional African religions twisted sorcerers or witches are to this day feared. Although it should be mentioned "witch", in many cultures, is a blanket term which actually does include those who actually commit poisonings or torture. Although it should be stated this is sometimes not the case and false allegations of witchcraft have at times damaged the image of traditional African faiths.

[edit] Spirituality

The spiritual aspect in African religion is very important. Spirits are thought to be present many things. Not only are they in people, but they are also in many animals and objects. This belief in spirits rids thoughts of adultery, theft, cheating, suicide and other types of crime from people’s minds. God is thought to be the creator of everything known to the African people. Spirits gain their knowledge through God and communicate to people through priests. The priests then perform rituals to get the message across from the spirit to the person in need of their service. Every circumstance has a certain ritual that is either conveyed through dance, art, and music. Rituals are never to be ignored because they are very significant in African religion (Triumps). Rituals are a way of learning about God through the people of God. There are such communal rituals that help groups of people build the lives (Discovering). Rituals are usually very public events. Most people are not afraid to act out their religious belifs (African).There is a practice known as divination that aids in problem solving, curing of sicknesses, and decision making. This practice is performed by a diviner. People in need of help come to the diviner who communicates with the spiritual world and uses prayer and sacrifice to solve the problem or cure the illness (Africa).

Africa. 19 July 2004. Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University. 29 Oct 2006. <www.carlos.emory.edu> African Traditional Religion. 1999. The Xhosa Virtual Resource Network. 29 Oct 2006. <www.nalane.net> Discovering communal vitality in African rituals: Seeing and hearing God through Zimbabwean Christians. Anne S. Streaty Wimberly. 29 Oct 2006. <www.findarticles.com> African Traditional Religion: Triumps of Rituals. Kwabena Dei Ofori-Attah. 29 Oct 2006. <www2.ncsu.edu>

[edit] Rituals

There are often rites of passage to move from childhood to adulthood, and from the land of the living to the land of the dead as in the Bwiti religion of West Central Africa in which the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga plant is used to precipitate a visionary state.

[edit] Intermixture with other religions

Some of these religions have been syncretized with Folk Catholicism in the Western Hemisphere, or with Islam in Africa itself. This emphasis on lesser gods in syncretized Christianity can be seen in aspects of the Celestial Church of Christ's view of angels and in Islam some of the African Sufi reverence for saints or views of angels may have adopted African elements.

Syncretic religions based on African religions include Voodoo, Santeria, Candomble, Umbanda, Macumba, Quimbanda, Abacua, Palo Mayombe, Palo Monte, etc. In the Americas African derived religions are generally derived from the traditional religions of West Africa and the Congo. This is due to the Atlantic coast of Africa being the main source of the Atlantic slave trade.

The Lord's Resistance Army of Acholiland in northern Uganda combined the Catholic use of rosaries and making communion with the Islamic practice of praying towards Mecca. In addition, he retained local spiritist beliefs regarding jogi; personal spirits.

[edit] See also

• African mythology

[edit] External links

• BBC
• Afrikaworld.net
• Text of "Atoms and Ancestors", considered a classic study
• Stanford Page
• "Bwiti: An Ethnography of the Religious Imagination in Africa", James Fernandez, Princeton University Press, 1982
• http://www.scn.org/rdi/kw-gods.htm