Conflicts between african traditional religion and. Contrasts between african traditional religion and the. These figures represent people who primarily follow african traditional religion. He has been there before, due to the fact that a trusted, african cardinal, the late bernardin gantin. Among the baganda and and africans, some priests and priestrasses lived a celibate life just like the roman catholic church and partly by. Instead of god keeping his distance from man, he, throughout history and today reaches down in love to draw humans toward him. In african traditional religion, worship was done through the ancestors and spirits while in christianity worship is done to god through the holy spirit. Pdf a critical analysis on african traditional religion and the trinity. Their number of differences will be mentioned below.
Compare christianity, islam and judaism religionfacts. Contact points between african traditional religion and christianity. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. African religions, religious beliefs and practices of the peoples of africa. Christianity and islam have more in common than most people know they are both monotheistic abrahamic religions, and jesus christ is an important, revered figure in both religions followers of christianity called christians believe in the holy trinity, and that christ, the son of god, walked the earth as the incarnate form of god the father. Traditional african religions have shared notable relationships with other religions, cultures. Difference between religion and christianity difference. Christianity did not precede the working of god and the holy spirit among africans. In this lesson, we explore the multifaceted religious systems present in africa, from the indigenous religions, which still influence many on the continent, to.
The concept of god in the traditional religion of the akan. This is the complete text of what is african traditional religion. African traditional religion in a globalizing world kanu, ikechukwu anthony osa department of philosophy. Christianity and african traditional religion rjgehman. The relationship of christianity to african traditional religion, part four continued from part three in my opinion, those who believe continuity explains the relationship between christianity and atr overstate their case. Abstract the concept of god in the traditional religion of akan and ewe ethnic groups compare to the bible by godwin kwame ofosuhene i am going to focus this writing, on how the akan and ewe ethnic groups of ghana, understood god in their traditional. For example, many religions are polytheistic, meaning that there are many gods. The understanding of god normally needs some refining when one comes from african traditional religion to be a christian. Western culture now is regarded as frontline civilisation. Islam, christianity, and the indigenousorisareligion. Native americans there arent many information but we know that there is nearly 3% of the native population who keep a traditional religion which represent only 0. Christianity is different from all other religions. What is the relationship between christianity and african. Those who believe in discontinuity between christianity and atr understate the connection between the two.
African religion and its influence on christianity and islam traditional african religion has been the basis of spirituality for the people of africa. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation in african christianity. He did this in the name of islam, to which religion he had converted some years. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan traditional area of the central region. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. Although there are other religions in africa such as islam and judaism, this study concentrates on african. This piece therefore studied the meaning and nature of african traditional religion in the midst of the. Extensive contact in many african countries and several african cultures and languages provide a comparative reference base for this topic.
Religion parallels between african americans and native. Compare and contrast christianity with african traditional. The religious beliefs, practices and the provision of social. Not only has the ground for the sowing of the gospel been prepared by atr, all world religions exist as various paths to god. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. There are many differences that exist in the myths of who and how this. Midterm 1 in this essay i will compare and contrast the. In studying comparative religion, it becomes clear that in each religion, there appears what may be assumed as similarities and differences between each given religion and christianity. Adelakun abstract in his book titled bible and theology in african christianity, john mbiti shares his beliefs about theological issues such as faith, prayer and salvation and how they are understood in african christianity. Religion in africa religions and beliefs in africa the pope recently visited benin. Side by side with their high levels of commitment to christianity and islam, many people in the countries surveyed retain beliefs and rituals that are characteristic of traditional african religions.
In the name of religion, the west has a legacy of religious wars, colonialist oppression, and antisemitism. In the african traditional religion theres no specific day for worship while in christianity there is specific day for worship. This article concerned itself with the modern encounter between christianity and african. Pdf to what extent do the resources of african traditional religion atr contribute towards christian theological discourse and benefit the african. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and.
In contrast with christian religion, there is no idea of eschatology, when all will go to eternal god for judgment as christians have it. A fellow californian who read an early draft of this essay urged me to. Traditional african cultural practices paved the way for foreign way of doing things as africans became fully westernised. In this essay i will compare and contrast the idea of a high god between the african and native american religions. God is esteemed by both african religion and christianity as both the very ground being, and. The continued influence of traditional african religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life.
Faso more than 33 percent follow african religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. Apr 04, 20 some years ago l attempted to compare african traditional religion, judaism, christianity and islam, and it can be a good food. The religions also have many things that differ with. Christianity and the african traditional religions. In christianity, they believe that god is the alpha and omega, and in traditional african religion, they also believe the same. Christianity and the african traditional religions scielo. African moral values can complement christian moral values.
This paper focuses on the conicts between african traditional religion and christianity. African moral values can complement christian moral values religion essay. Dec 27, 2010 in contrast, the content of the education provided by the missionaries was only biased towards religion. What is the difference between the african traditional. The table below aims to given an outline of some of the key issues in christian belief and how the three traditions view these issues. Christianity vs islam difference and comparison diffen. Points of contrast between african traditional religion.
The inception, evangelization and missionary activities of christianity and islam in nkusukumekumfienyan traditional area in the central region of ghana resulted in the conversions of the indigenous people, mainly, from african traditional religion atr to. Crises of life in african religion and christianity. God maintains creation, god is the creator of everything, god provides for and guards creation, god is omnipotent and omniscient, god supports fairness. In contrast, the content of the education provided by the missionaries was only biased towards religion. Both of these religions are complex and vary from tribe to tribe in their set beliefs but its universal in its belief amongst people that there is one supreme god that is above and beyond all else. Is there anything called african traditional religion s atr at all. He has been there before, due to the fact that a trusted, african cardinal, the late bernardin gantin, was from this west african country. Jesus, his disciples, paul who wrote most of the new testament, and the members of the earliest christian churches were all jews. Points of contrast between african traditional religion and christianity god. Some years ago l attempted to compare african traditional religion, judaism, christianity and islam, and it can be a good food. So we can claim that african americans and native americans have a similar religion in practice but with little different elements. Language is one of the most important aspects of a peoples identity because it is the most common medium of communication. African religion can complement christian moral values by sharing concepts about god for example. While atrs are varied in their attitudes towards any subject, generally speaking we did not find points of contention with others over religion.
Dealing with differe nc es page 3 orville boyd jenkins to change enough to fit in with the african situation and work within the terms of the differences which exist. Snelson 1974 argued that the education provided had stress on bible doctrines, agriculture, carpentry, black smithering and other skills that would help people raise their standards after which they would be drawn to the christian religion. The research sought to answer the following questions. While judaism isnt as large as christianity and islam, its impact on the world has still been as profound. In this comparative study, at once historical and anthropological, peel explores the intertwined character of the three religions and the dense imbrication of religion in all aspects of yoruba history up to.
The focus of the book is on east africa, and particularly kenya, where the author lived and worked for ab out 25 years. In christianity, prayers are offered to god through a medium, jesus christ and in traditional african religion, prayers are offered to god through a medium, ifa or sango or amadioha etc. In contrast, most christian missionaries adopted an exclusive and insensitive approach to. In may 20 a young man called michael adebolajo, londonborn and of christian yoruba background, hacked a soldier to death with a cleaver, in broad daylight, outside the military barracks in woolwich, southeast london. The yoruba of southwestern nigeria are exceptional for the copresence among them of three religious traditions. Death as a point of dialogue between african religion and christianity john s. The african religion does not have a text and its traditions are transmitted orally like the vedas and does not have missionaries to spread it. This paper primarily addresses the controversy among scholars on whether oral traditions such as myths, songs, wise sayings, incantations, invocations, legends, etc. He states in comparison that, the lineage is part of the clan found in one locality. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on.
Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. African religion hinduism similarities ramanis blog. There are many reasons why i ascribe to my traditional african religion or customs. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798 j. Is there anything called african traditional religions atr at all. While adherence to traditional religion in africa is hard to estimate, due to syncretism with christianity and islam, practitioners are estimated to number over 100 million, or at least 10 percent. Just as in hinduism african religion is not a sunday religion but a way of life. Comparing and contrasting the different religions essay. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation. African religion and its influence on christianity and.
One may be surprised that this question is asked here, because the title of this article is, christianity and african traditional religions. Christianity and islam, which are considered as foreign since their dogma and practices came from outside of africa. Oct 05, 2014 while adherence to traditional religion in africa is hard to estimate, due to syncretism with christianity and islam, practitioners are estimated to number over 100 million, or at least 10 percent. Oral sources and the study of african traditional religion george i. It should be noted that any attempt to generalize about the nature of african religions risks wrongly implying that there is homogeneity among all african cultures. Religion, were the forces of colonialism and the missionary enterprises of both islam and christianity. In attempting to answer this question we will examine their similarities and differences. For example in the 19th and 20th centuries, under the influence of a higher critical view of scriptures and the. Its seems that people outside of africa always clump africans into a single bundle this is. Comparisons and contrasts between traditional religion and. Mar 15, 2011 hence, the african traditional religion has the same kind of validity which judaism, and christianity, have for the western people, or islam has for the arabs and hinduism has for the indians. In fact, africa is a vast continent encompassing both. Islam diffen philosophy religion islam christianity and islam have more in common than most people know they are both monotheistic abrahamic religions, and jesus christ is an important, revered figure in both religions.
Traditional african religion and other religions wikipedia. Conflicts between african traditional religion and christianity in. While the book is written for the european coming to africa, it should also be helpful for. It does not exist in a vacuum or up there in the blues but among humans. Some have seen africans as not having the capacity to reason on the. The book contains an edited version of the papers presented at that international conference. I believe this assertion to be correct and so the question, how do african concepts of god relate to the god of the bible. First you must understand that africa is a continent with with most diverse group of people in the world. The concept of god traditional religion believes in the existence of a supreme deity who. How do african concepts of god relate to the god of the. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. Similarities between christianity and african religion.
Though each religion is unique, some religions have several traits in common. Points of contrast between african traditional religion and. Mar 24, 2011 the relationship of christianity to african traditional religion, part four continued from part three in my opinion, those who believe continuity explains the relationship between christianity and atr overstate their case. This article is an attempt to compare and contrast traditional religion and christianity. With africa subjugated and dominated, the western culture and european mode of civilisation began to thrive and outgrow african cultural heritage. In fact, africa is a vast continent encompassing both geographic variation and tremendous cultural diversity. Christianity in africa and in most parts of africa even in india was a precursor of colonisation.
Christianity has a close relationship with judaism, both historically and theologically. This is the reason why it is said to be traditional in contrast to other religions, e. Interface between igbo theology and christianity provides evidence of. Mugambi introduction the term culture in its widest usage is the totality of a peoples way of life.
Although christianity and islam have added distinct elements to african religions, each has been and continued to be adapted to and shaped by. Points of contrast between african traditional religion and christianity god the understanding of god normally needs some refining when one comes from african traditional religion to be a christian. It is necessary to have the perception of the basic concept of the word conflict before exploring the extensive area of conflicts between african traditional religion and christianity. The relationship of christianity to african traditional religion part two continued from part one taken from my book, african traditional religion in biblical perspective liberals emphasize the continuity between atr and christianity. Traditional african religions have shared notable relationships with other religions, cultures, and traditions throughout the history, they are often noted for having one of the oldest presence in the world, and also applauded for its tolerance with other religions. This was so long before the advent of christianity and the african world view is at many points more consistent with the biblical world view than that emanating from the west tutu 1985. Christianity, islam, and judaism are three of the most influential world religions in history.
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