The ... salvation by Africans through their traditional religion. african traditional religion vs christianity pdf, The African Traditional Religious view on religion is not an influence from Christianity, but rather enrichment to it. you are right my friend, you seem to have the insight and the knowledge of understanding matters. Religion is Although there are other religions in Africa such as Islam and Judaism, this study concentrates on African Traditional Religion and Christianity. This is because African Traditional Religion is a natural religion while Islam and Christianity are salvation religions. The difference between the Western and African idea of God may be understood as a difference of names due to languages. I am not saying that converts to Christianity from African traditional beliefs practice polygamy, I am presuming your original purpose is to clarify what is acceptable and workable within Christianity for the purpose of dialogue and what is not. Africa's influential university departments of religion have usually approached the theme in terms of establishing correlations between Christianity and Africa's traditional religions. (vi) Marriage makes it possible for traditional Africans to link the three dimensions of existence together ( the living, the dead and the yet to be born). 1 Where possible, the same headings have been … This is called the Trinity. Inter-religious relations, especially, among African Traditional Religion (ATR) worshippers, Muslims and Christians are becoming sources of social tension and violence. In a later post I will discuss some of the differences or contrast between African Traditional Religion and Christianity. The original religions of Africa “are not static”; according to Mayo, “contacts with Christian and Islamic traditions have brought about transformations and syncretism of all three” a perfect example of the triple heritage of Africa[5]. Th e report then “zooms in” on East Africa, where the three religious “families” of traditional religion, Islam and Christianity are all present in large numbers. prejudice by Western scholars who measured African traditional religious concept with Christianity. For many Africans and Ghanaians, in particular, it is religion more than anything else that shapes their worldview and participation in … While both Christianity and African religion have a concept of a Supreme Being, Christians believe in a God who exists in three persons. population. Kofi Johnson Fayetteville State University ... they maintain that the traditional religions are the foundation upon which Christianity gained roots in Africa. Differences 39 4.3.1. There is no one “African Traditional; Religion”, there are many, and Christianity could be said to be one of them, since it has been in Africa as long as it has been in Europe, and almost as long as it has been in Asia. Traditional African religion still has notable traces in northern Africa. The early European missionaries brought Christianity to Africa and the religion was embraced by Africans. TABLE 3: N % Worshipping God 38 4.3. These figures represent peo-ple who primarily follow African traditional religion; however, there are also Christians and Muslims who still practice elements of traditional African religion alongside their professed beliefs. The Europeans, however, unfortunately did not take into consideration the culture of the Africans like Polygamy, mode of dressing, mode of worship and other peculiar traits of the Africans. Understanding African Traditional Religion. Not only do many Africans believe in Abrahamic religions, like Islam or Christianity, but they also often blend in parts of the belief systems of indigenous African religions as well. african traditional religion vs christianity pdf, One of the abiding features of traditional religion is the annual festival of divinities and the veneration of ancestors. Relationship between African Traditional Religion and Christian Religion in the understanding and ... 4.2.3. [81] IN CONCLUSION Today the study of African religion and religions is a neglected aspect of Religious Studies. Commonalities between Christianity and Africa Traditional Religion Creator God The supreme being in most African Traditional Religions is seen as the creator of humans and all other living things. The central figure in worshipping 39 4.3.2. Its study has to go hand-in-hand with the study of the people who practise the religion. Followers of African religion in Muslim dominated areas can be found, adhering their beliefs, rituals, magic, medicines. Religion is human experience found in all societies in various forms. The African Traditional Religion is the oldest religion in Zambia and Africa as a whole. – either by traditional religions or Islam. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. Most feasts are observed to mark important religious and social In 2013 a majority (84.2%) of South Africans described their religious affiliation as ‘Christian’; this is an increase from the 79.8 % that was reported in the 2001 census. Traditional Africans believe that the cosmos was created by a Supreme Being, God. 2 Rolland Green, “Religion and Morality in the African Traditional Setting”, Journal of Religion in Africa, 14: 1 (1983); Paul Gifford, Ghana’s New Christianity: Pentecostalism in Globalising African Economy (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2004). African traditinal religion has always been pushed to the backstage and has been degraded and abused by us Afrricans and its the same all ova da world where the old tolerant religions have been dropped becuz of d monotheistic fanatical islam n christianity. Missiologists have worked more broadly on a correlation of Christianity with African culture as a whole, speaking in terms of an ethnotheology. African Traditional Religions are still practiced today, along with Christianity and Islam. God’s Grace 37 4.2.4. The difference between that type of polytheism and the structure of African Traditional Religion is that in Africa the Supreme … Popularity: 12% between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. In things purely spiritual, they appear to have enjoyed equal privileges; but their relationship, as masters and slaves, was not dissolved. take more objective view, seeing some value in social functions of African religions • 3. Each divinity in Ijebuland has his or her annual festivals, which may be seen as the birthday or the occasion of some event in his or her mythology. Generally they have adopted the Muslim way of dressing but in matter of deeper subjects such as life, birth, marriage, death, they remain the followers of African religion. Other factors include lack of indebt study of African religion leading to hasty conclusion. Native African historians and scholars, from mid-20th c. close interplay between religion and worldview is very critical to mission as it implies that we ... religions such as Christianity, Islam, etc. Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life / Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa www.pewforum.org ii While sub-Saharan Africa has almost twice as many Christians as Muslims, on the African continent Roman Faso more than 33 percent follow African religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. They are highly creative and contain elements which appeal to many people in modern society. Differences between Christianity and traditional African beliefs and customs (Exodus 20:3-5,Hebrews 10:8-10) 1. african traditional religion vs christianity pdf, Many of these with their masters, were converted to the Christian Faith, and received, together with them into the Christian Church, while it was yet under the ministry of the inspired Apostles. African Traditional Religion and Christianity agree that God has made covenants with humans. Religion journalist Terry Mattingly devised the “TMatt Trio”: three questions, the answer to which neatly summons the divide between traditional and modern Christians in America today: Another thing that is common between all three religions is that they all believe that religion should be all embracing. African Religion and its Influence on Christianity and Islam Traditional African religion has been the basis of spirituality for the people of Africa. Adherence to Animism and Folk African Religions in Zambia is … PDF | This paper focuses on the conicts between African Traditional Religion and Christianity. African religions have been remarkably successful in confronting modernity. (v) In traditional African community marriage is a duty of the corporate society whereas Christianity does not insist on everyone getting married. Religion enters into every aspect of the life of the Africans and it cannot be studied in isolation. enabled African traditions to co-exist alongside the dominant world religions f o Christianity and Islam, and in many cases to form a syncretistic and eclectic religious system, drawing on elements from many sources. Foreign anthropologists from late 19thc. The traditional religion focuses its belief in the spirits, a Creator, the dead, ancestors, sacred places, and magic among other faiths. Traditional African Religion • 1. constantly liable to misunderstand the African worldview and beliefs. for this, i praise you. Since independence, religions has also played a role in various armed confl icts, e.g. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. Belief in the Trinity . When we speak of African Traditional Religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs Most of those who came to study the religions of Africa were armchair scholars who depended on data from missionaries who (Turner 1994a:129). However, African Traditional Religion is very essential in that it is universal, unifies and disunites and diverse in nature. This supreme being is viewed in different forms and dwelling places, yet he is the almighty. Man quickly broke the covenants and that is what has caused a separation Creator God and humans. European Christian missionaries from 16th century onwards see African religions as demonic, primitive, evil & stupid • 2. in West Africa. Ancestral or traditional African religions are practised by 5 % South Africa. This paper focuses on the conflicts between African Traditional Religion and Christianity. The latter confirms that African culture is predominently patriarchal. 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