African culture and christianity pdf

The westernized few, persuaded by european culture and christianity, first denied african traditional culture, but with the increase of african nationalism, a cultural recovery occurred. Christianity, especially protestantism, demanded a complete abandonment of african culture and religion, and a total dedication to christianity. Christianity and public culture in africa article pdf available in journal of contemporary religion 273 october 2012 with 44 reads how we measure reads. Christian faith and african tradition the southern cross. Regrettably, some scholars of african culture and religion have acquired a persistent habit of assuming that christianity began in africa only a couple of centuries ago. Specifically, the study set to examined the demand and relevance of inculturation for cultural development, assess inculturation message to africa, determine the role of small christian communities and examine the impact of inculturation in african church. But christianity is not a recent arrival in africa. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on christian muslim relations in ghana from 1920 through the present.

Different levels of interreligious dialogue and its obstacles will be discussed. This article discusses briefly what postcolonialism and the meaning of air and its encounter with christianity are. Polygamy and christianity in africa t a falaye, ph. The place of african traditional religion in interreligious encounters in sierra leone since the advent of islam and christianity is my own work and that all the sources that i have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. The thesis examines the indigenous beliefs and practices of the black people in south africa which were suppressed by western culture and christianity. This emerging issue has led researchers both in academia and the church to rethink the. Since the introduction of slavery in the americas in the early 1600s, christianity has had a powerful effect on the african american culture. Jul 22, 2012 the latter confirms that african culture is predominently patriarchal. These burial and mourning customs suggest that many practices still prevailing in african christian funerals are vestiges of the ancestor cult, especially the ritual killings and the homebringing rites. African traditional religion and the coming of christianity. When the european settlers discovered the communities in africa, they saw opportunities for advancement. Chukwuelobe2, collins ugwu3 1institute of african studiesdepartment of philosophy, university of nigeria, nsukka, nigeria 2department of philosophy, university of nigeria, nsukka, nigeria. As we african christian intellectuals continue to meet to discuss christianity and african culture, other african christians are in the process daily of shaping a christianity that will be at home in africa and in which africans will be at home.

Because a funeral is preeminently a community affair in which the church is but one of many players, the church does not always determine the. The african we are referring to here is the black, largely sub saharan african and his dominant values and those of his traditional culture prior to contact with christianity. Native african historians and scholars, from mid20th c. Christianity and the african traditional religions. It speaks of a relation to, or characteristic of africa, or its people, language, culture, geography, etc. African religion customs before christianity synonym. Crises of life in african religion and christianity. Africa is the birthplace of humankind and knowing its history is essential for understanding the global society thats grown around it. In contrast, most christian missionaries adopted an exclusive and insensitive approach to african culture and religiosity. Prior to the introduction of cosmopolitan medicine, traditional medicine used to be the dominant medical system available to millions of people in africa in both rural and urban communities. This is why their entire culture is permeated with religious practices. Second, there is no culture which is superior to another, meaning that teaching the christian faith to african people through the medium of western culture, as many missionaries did on the grounds that traditional african culture was primitive, was a wrong approach, even if the intentions were good. The focus of the book is on east africa, and particularly kenya, where the author lived and worked for ab out 25 years.

This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. Explaining how culture is passed on as a generational heritage, fafunwa 1974. Western civilisation and culture began to creep into african sociocultural milieu, first, with the contact of europeans with africa, a consequence of berlin conference in the quest for imperial pilfering of african resources and, later, consolidated by the unstoppable wave of globalisation. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. Christianity came to africa it found fertile soil for the gospel because africans have been from the beginning a godfearing people. Mbiti has this to say about african culture intertwining with religion. Trends and challenges of traditional medicine in africa. This work begins with an examination of the controlling themes in black theology and black cultural studies.

In this regard african traditional religions can be perceived as preparatio evangelica. Serious scholarship on african religion began in the 1960s and 1970s, but this work still had problems, perceiving a number of separate african traditional religions, rather than witnessing the uniformity across the continent. African religion and its influence on christianity and. The historical fact is that christianity came to africa before it came to europe and north america. Reprinted by permission of the university of california press. This attitude has continued by some indigenous clerics and religious leaders. Conflicts between african traditional religion and christianity article pdf available in international journal of the humanities 62. I recommend it highly to those who have sought to understand life and the world from an african. Early african christianity regrettably, some scholars of african culture and religion have acquired a persistent habit of assuming that christianity began in africa only a couple of centuries ago. By and large they had a much better perception of african traditional religion and they saw the relevance of the system of beliefs for african traditional society. The ungodly expressions of our human nature may change from culture to culture, but the result is usually the same. The primary objective of this paper is to define the african traditional religious system as the basis of understanding christian spiritual warfare within an african context. This paper investigated the theology of inculturation and the african church.

All this arrived at bringing dialogue between christianity and african culture in particular. While earlier studies of christianity in africa focused on the roles of european missions and missionaries in establishing christianity in africa, historians now tend to stress the roles of african converts, catechists, translators, and evangelists in interpreting christianity, spreading it to their neighbors, and establishing new christian movements and churches that are as. Traditional african cultural practices paved the way for foreign way of doing things as africans became fully westernised. Extensive contact in many african countries and several african cultures and languages provide a comparative reference base for this topic. Traditional african religion and culture pm express on joy. Invariably the study will examine the undulating influence of christian values on african culture, that is the good and the bad effects of the influence of christian values especially on the religious and social aspects of culture. 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 the two mission religions. However, the arrival of the europeans marked a significant turning point in the history of this agelong tradition and culture. Crises of life in african religion and christianity the lutheran. Moreover, the centrality of the place of values in african culture as a heritage that is passed down from one generation to another, will be highlighted. The central characteristic of african christianity is that it is experiencebased. Mugambi introduction the term culture in its widest usage is the totality of a peoples way of life. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage.

The african was taught to abhor everything african and to accept a new way of living, a new way of life, a new order that alienated them from who they. The comparisons with christianity were not flattering, as many people viewed african religion as somewhat primitive. Nel morality and religion in african thought 36 pagan gods were ridiculed. Questioning culture and the theological paradigm on women oppression ani casimir1, matthew c. Churches, he gives a timely reminder that we should seek aspects of african culture which can and should be integrated into church life and practice. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation in african christianity.

Culture, in abstract this study examined the impact of christianity on african culture in nigeria. Submitted by francis acquah to the university of exeter as a thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy in theology in december 2011. Culture and religion share space and are deeply intertwined in african cultures. Christianity and african culture by oduyoye, mercy amba. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation. Religious elements in african american magic, in religion and american culture 7, no. D department of religious studies olabisi onabanjo university, agoiwoye ogun state, nigeria abstract. It does not exist in a vacuum or up there in the blues but among humans. Based on the assumption that christianity is the only legitimate religion, the state has suppressed african indigenous religion at every level of society, but especially in the schools. The anthropologists were much less inhibited by the dogmas of christianity than the missionaries. African religions rituals, world, burial, body, funeral. The governments of most african nations encourage national dance and music groups, museums, and to a lower degree, artists and writers. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship.

Language is one of the most important aspects of a peoples identity because it is the most common medium of communication. Christianity is not a culture, but the christian faith can. When a christian experiences such a reaction, he or she may identify the problem as a spiritual. Western culture now is regarded as frontline civilisation. African christianity in particular and african culture in general, will be reconstituted from characteristically african frames of reference. Conjure and christianity in the nineteenth century. Although christianity and islam have added distinct elements to african religions, each has been and continued to be adapted to and shaped by. He further maintains that african culture has much in common with the old testament culture and people of african descent have. Subsaharan africa now is home to about oneinfive of all the christians in the world 21% and more than oneinseven of the worlds muslims 15%. Christianity and the african traditional religions scielo. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798. 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.

African churches develop which blend native traditions with christianity in many ways, such as ancestor worship and traditional music, dance, and dress 5. The kingpins of custom and the chief priests of the male domination of women have chosen to wrongly in terpret the gender values as revealed in the theistic humanism of african philosophy. Gender refers to the different roles that are assigned to males and females. Many philosophers and theologians alike have written on african religious heritage from different perspectives. The effects of christianity on traditional african religions. 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. Black liberation theology and african american cultural criticism.

With africa subjugated and dominated, the western culture and european mode of civilisation began to thrive and outgrow african cultural heritage. However, the impact of inculturation has not been felt in most african churches. Conflicts between african traditional religion and. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798 j.

If the notion of extended family were to disappear from the african cultural worldview, traditional african culture would be greatly affected. Modern african christians are often faced with a dilemma as. The missionary version of christianity accepted by africans can be described as hypocritical because many african christians still patronises air. I hope it will never happen because otherwise african culture would lose one of its foundations. 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. 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 focus is not on abstract thought and logic, but on human experience, including experience of the divine. Dec 04, 2014 traditional african religion and culture. Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great influence upon the conduct of the african. It was not imported into africa neither was it preached to africans rather each person in africa was born into it, lives it, practices, and is proud to make it his own awolalu and dopamu, 1979.

The amalgamation of christianity and african traditional religion appears to. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. Since christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and christians. Toward an integral african theology mokgelhi b g motlhabi itumeleng mosala concludes his essay od therelevance of traditional african religions and their challenge to black theology in thewords without a creative reappropriation oftraditional african religions and. In christianity, they believe that god is the alpha and omega, and in traditional african religion, they also believe the same. The theology of inculturation and the african church. Themes such as experience, black culture and black religion are examined as to. African culture are used, all these aspects are presupposed. Roman catholic contributions have frequently introduced a philosophical note, seeking correlation with the implicit world views of. Similarities between christianity and african religion.

This is as a result of the fact that christian catechetical teachings which hails from. African traditional religions predated christianity and had a. This background is essential to any application of christian spirituality in africa. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship by odejobi cecilia omobola institute of education, faculty of education, obafemi awolowo university, ileife, osun state, nigeria. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan area of the central region. Missiologists have worked more broadly on a correlation of christianity with african culture as a whole, speaking in terms of an ethnotheology. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. The child just grows into and within the cultural heritage of his people. We shall try to illustrate that african culture and values can be appraised from. African religion and its influence on christianity and islam traditional african religion has been the basis of spirituality for the people of africa. Christianity in africa shows tremendous variety, from the ancient forms of oriental orthodox christianity in egypt, ethiopia, and eritrea to the newest african christian denominations of nigeria, a country that has experienced large conversion to christianity in recent. A philosophical study \ 27, tr,v t,r rr,s \ i\l 1 i. Here, youll discover resources on the continents prominent historical figures, complex racial politics, and turbulent military past.

Sex refers to a persons biological characteristics. Christianity and culture dallas baptist university. Gresham machen this address on the scientific preparation of the minister was delivered september 20, 1912, at the opening of the one hundred and first session of princeton theological seminary. Modern african christians are often faced with a dilemma as regards how to respond to the issue of conflict between christianity and traditional african cultures. In ethiopia, christianity and islam form the core aspects of ethiopian culture and inform dietary customs as well as rituals and rites.