In order to properly rationalize the african concept of life, death and the hereafter, this paper attempts to construct, criticize and philosophise on such a concept. It also shows that the worship of god in african traditional religion is through sacrifices, offerings, singing, dancing and prayers. The appearance of african religions would seem to point to disintegrated and. While atr has been often seen in negative terms, especially by early missionaries, later studies have demonstrated that atr is not really what these outside observers earlier on assumed. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs. Oral sources and the study of african traditional religion george i. In practice, most of the rituals and day to day religious. African lecturer appointed to the kinshasa faculty. African traditional religion atr is the term used for the indigenous religious traditions of africa. They speak to the ancestors to allow the deceased to return home to rest.
This paper is a trawl of literature on african traditional religion1 atr and development. Egwu 2001 observes religion not only because of the problem of objectivity one encounters in defining but is emotion laden, even more so because of the difficulty of penetrating the inner essence of religion. Talbot wrote that african traditional religion is made up of four important elements. African traditional religion in the context of christian and islamic. The abilityor effort to do this, which is what makes one a moral person, is also what morally distinguishes humans from other living creatures, animals, or wild beasts. Mbiti, african religions and philosophy, heineman, 1969, p. A rationalization of an african concept of life, death and. An examination of terminologies used for describing the indigenous faith of african people, using an afrocentric paradigm.
This does not mean that traditional religion in africa. African traditional religion and its global contributions. Geoffrey parrinder posited that this religion should be given a fourfold classification based on belief in a supreme god, divinities, ancestors, and charms with its accessories. Idowu was responding to the legacy of writing on african religions by. It presents the worldview, philosophical nature and foundation of african traditional religion. God in yoruba belief 1996, idowu, a yoruba man, moves beyond the general discussion of african religion found in the mbiti studies to talk specifically about the traditional. First, it begins by a study of the meaning of religion, which itself is enigmatic and elusive. The study of african traditional religion and its challenges in contemporary times rotimi williams omotoye department of religions university of ilorin, ilorin nigeria. African traditional religion is a thriving scholarly business, but a serious disconnect exists between contributions that celebrate a generalized african traditional religion and those that describe particular religions and aspects of religion on the basis of ethnographic and archival research. A month or two after the funeral the grieving family slaughters a beast and then goes to the graveyard. To what extent do the resources of african traditional religion atr contribute towards. His discussions of the issues included those problems caused by the geography of the continent. Ciuta, malungaand lezaand are associated with god as being behind the rain bearing bow above or the giver of rain idowu, 1973.
African traditional religion and concepts of development core. If you dont see any interesting for you, use our search form on bottom v. African traditional religion in a globalizing world arc journals. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. They acknowledged the fact that africans had known god before the missionaries came ray, 1976. Each term is debated among scholars and some challenge the word traditional and prefer indigenous since traditional means the religion is outmoded. And we agree with professor idowu that the purpose of the study should be. This implies that there is no tension between the major elements of african traditional religions and. Bolaji idowu 191993 was the third nativeborn leader of the methodist church nigeria, serving from 1972 to 1984. At the end of the 20th century, muslims worshiped throughout much of the continent. This leads him into the whole area of theology of religions, in which the relationship between. This paper examines the concept and philosophy of african traditional religion from the viewpoint of africans.
African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. The traditional african religions or traditional beliefs and practices of african people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. This is followed by a definition of african traditional religion. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by many scholars to the point of seeing africans as people who did not know the. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. Idowu, in 1970s and 1980s, set out to refute some of. The hottentots name for god is tsuior goam, which means wounded knees jacobs, 1961. Traditional religion as a source of african theology just as christian theology is. John set out to refute some of the erroneous claims about african traditional religion. Among the things that affected and is still affecting african traditional religion is secularism. God, divinities and spirits in african traditional. These included size of the continent, derogatory appellations, such as the dark continent, multiplicity and complexity of every aspect in africa like culture, language, climate and such like. Idowu, bolaji, idowu, african traditional religion. Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent.
Mbiti regards african traditional religions atr s as monotheism and as a praeparatio evangelica, and maintains that the christian god is the same as the god worshipped in atrs. Bolaji idowu has said, there is a common africanness about the total culture and religious beliefs and practices of africa. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in an amount of higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic and traditional. Publication date 1973 topics africa religion publisher maryknoll, n. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. God in yoruba belief 1962, african traditional religion. This paper primarily addresses the controversy among scholars on whether oral traditions such as myths, songs, wise sayings, incantations, invocations, legends, etc.
Traditional african views of ontology can be understood in terms of their view of cosmology. The religious beliefs, practices and the provision of social services of these immigrant religions have impacted on the religious and cultural life of the traditional communities. Introduction to african traditional religion free online. A critical analysis on african traditional religion and the. Its study has to go handinhand with the study of the people who practise the religion. It is a matter of perspective, whether one lays emphasis on the supreme being or on the many. Some examples rituals and rites abound in yoruba traditional religion.
This implies that there is no tension between the major elements of african traditional religions and the major claims of christianity. As a result, africans still feel a significant influence from traditional african cosmologies and beliefs. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional. African traditional religion, african indigenous religion and african traditional religions are all common terms used to discuss the faiths found within of africa. This study seeks to explore the concept of henotheism in african traditional religion.
African traditional religion is all about, basically by sampling the opinions of different scholars in this regard. Gods or mans, an inaugural lecture delivered at the university of ibadan on thursday, october. The tumbuka, kamaangand the tonga people of malawi names for god are. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religions of the african people. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. Religion enters into every aspect of the life of the africans and it cannot be studied in isolation. Pdf god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology. Africa is a massive continent with diverse religious traditions, to the extent that within the same tradition there have been variations.
African traditional religion african studies oxford. In addition, there are elements of indigenous religion in african cultural practices. The african, particularly the yoruba, about whom idowu, mbiti and others have written. Reality is seen as a composite, unity and harmony of natural. List of books and articles about african religions. Not being a revealed religion, traditional african religion can be characterized as a natural religion, a religion that derives from the peoples own reflections on this complex world and their experiences in it. The three main religious traditionsafrican traditional religion, christianity, and islamconstitute the triple religious heritage of the african continent. Many, if not most, african traditional religions employ henotheism. Let us start with the ritual in connection with the worship of god olodumare and gods orisa. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the africans. African traditional religion is one of the religions of the world. African traditional religion religion is a difficult subject to inquiry including attempts at definition and conception. He is also well known for his ethnographic and theological studies of the yoruba people.
The african metaphysic, to be sure, is a theistic metaphysic. These included size of the continent, derogatory appellations, such as the dark continent, multiplicity and complexity of every aspect in africa like. It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so on. Ekwunife 1990 defines african traditional religion as those institutionalized beliefs and practices of indigenous religion.
The best interpreter of african religion is the african with a disciplined mind and the requisite technical tools. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. Mbitis african religions and philosophy is a great addition to philosophy. Christianity and the african traditional religions. Traditional african environmental ethics and colonial.
African religions rituals, world, burial, body, funeral. Pdf african traditional religion in contemporary africa. Because religion is a way of life, it relates to culture and society as they affect the worldview of the african people. The concept of god, divinities and spirits in african traditional religious ontology has been so. Francis njoku summarizes the african concept of life into four points 167 168 as follows. A definition 1973, omosade awolalu in yoruba belief and sacrificial rites and john mbiti in the concept of god in africa 1970 are a few examples of postcolonial scholars of religion who have resisted and denounced colonial idea that africans do not know god. In a field that is predominantly angloid, due primarily to a methodology that still refuses to recognize nonwestern forms of philosophy, mbitis work shines light on the much maligned and fetishized field of its african variant. Its study has to go handin hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. A practice that seems to be disappearing in african urban areas is the homebringing ritual, although it is still observed in some parts of africa. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions. African religion is traditional for the following reasons. African traditional religion cannot easily be studied by nonafricans.
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