African culture and christianity pdf

Themes such as experience, black culture and black religion are examined as to. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. 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. Different levels of interreligious dialogue and its obstacles will be discussed. Black liberation theology and african american cultural criticism. If the notion of extended family were to disappear from the african cultural worldview, traditional african culture would be greatly affected. This background is essential to any application of christian spirituality in africa. This is as a result of the fact that christian catechetical teachings which hails from. 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. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation in african christianity.

The missionary version of christianity accepted by africans can be described as hypocritical because many african christians still patronises air. Modern african christians are often faced with a dilemma as. Submitted by francis acquah to the university of exeter as a thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy in theology in december 2011. 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. D department of religious studies olabisi onabanjo university, agoiwoye ogun state, nigeria abstract. With africa subjugated and dominated, the western culture and european mode of civilisation began to thrive and outgrow african cultural heritage. When a christian experiences such a reaction, he or she may identify the problem as a spiritual. This work begins with an examination of the controlling themes in black theology and black cultural studies.

Nel morality and religion in african thought 36 pagan gods were ridiculed. The amalgamation of christianity and african traditional religion appears to. The comparisons with christianity were not flattering, as many people viewed african religion as somewhat primitive. Conjure and christianity in the nineteenth century. 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. African christianity in particular and african culture in general, will be reconstituted from characteristically african frames of reference. 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. 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. African churches develop which blend native traditions with christianity in many ways, such as ancestor worship and traditional music, dance, and dress 5.

Christianity and public culture in africa article pdf available in journal of contemporary religion 273 october 2012 with 44 reads how we measure reads. 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. Culture, in abstract this study examined the impact of christianity on african culture in nigeria. Trends and challenges of traditional medicine in africa. Mbiti has this to say about african culture intertwining with religion. The effects of christianity on traditional african religions. Polygamy and christianity in africa t a falaye, ph. In christianity, they believe that god is the alpha and omega, and in traditional african religion, they also believe the same. Christianity is not a culture, but the christian faith can. But christianity is not a recent arrival in africa. This paper investigated the theology of inculturation and the african church. Christianity and the african traditional religions scielo.

African religion and its influence on christianity and. Missiologists have worked more broadly on a correlation of christianity with african culture as a whole, speaking in terms of an ethnotheology. The central characteristic of african christianity is that it is experiencebased. Crises of life in african religion and christianity. African religion customs before christianity synonym.

Conflicts between african traditional religion and. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on christian muslim relations in ghana from 1920 through the present. 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. 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. This emerging issue has led researchers both in academia and the church to rethink the. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798. Christianity and the african traditional religions. However, the arrival of the europeans marked a significant turning point in the history of this agelong tradition and culture. The theology of inculturation and the african church. This attitude has continued by some indigenous clerics and religious leaders.

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. Jul 22, 2012 the latter confirms that african culture is predominently patriarchal. 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. Since the introduction of slavery in the americas in the early 1600s, christianity has had a powerful effect on the african american culture. Conflicts between african traditional religion and christianity article pdf available in international journal of the humanities 62. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. It does not exist in a vacuum or up there in the blues but among humans. Language is one of the most important aspects of a peoples identity because it is the most common medium of communication. 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. 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. Questioning culture and the theological paradigm on women oppression ani casimir1, matthew c.

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. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. 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. 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. Religious elements in african american magic, in religion and american culture 7, no. African religions rituals, world, burial, body, funeral. The historical fact is that christianity came to africa before it came to europe and north america. Since african worldview is a religious one, it therefore means that religion and religious practices are their waking thought.

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. Africa is the birthplace of humankind and knowing its history is essential for understanding the global society thats grown around it. It speaks of a relation to, or characteristic of africa, or its people, language, culture, geography, etc. 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. Since christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and christians.

Christianity and african culture by oduyoye, mercy amba. I recommend it highly to those who have sought to understand life and the world from an african. The ungodly expressions of our human nature may change from culture to culture, but the result is usually the same. Gender refers to the different roles that are assigned to males and females. Traditional african cultural practices paved the way for foreign way of doing things as africans became fully westernised. Traditional african religion and culture pm express on joy. Western culture now is regarded as frontline civilisation. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan area of the central region. The focus is not on abstract thought and logic, but on human experience, including experience of the divine. Culture and religion share space and are deeply intertwined in african cultures. Sex refers to a persons biological characteristics.

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. However, the impact of inculturation has not been felt in most african churches. The thesis examines the indigenous beliefs and practices of the black people in south africa which were suppressed by western culture and christianity. Native african historians and scholars, from mid20th c. Many philosophers and theologians alike have written on african religious heritage from different perspectives. Reprinted by permission of the university of california press. I hope it will never happen because otherwise african culture would lose one of its foundations. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship. Christianity came to africa it found fertile soil for the gospel because africans have been from the beginning a godfearing people. Chukwuelobe2, collins ugwu3 1institute of african studiesdepartment of philosophy, university of nigeria, nsukka, nigeria 2department of philosophy, university of nigeria, nsukka, nigeria. Christianity and culture dallas baptist university. Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great influence upon the conduct of the african. A philosophical study \ 27, tr,v t,r rr,s \ i\l 1 i.

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. The focus of the book is on east africa, and particularly kenya, where the author lived and worked for ab out 25 years. 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. Christian faith and african tradition the southern cross. Extensive contact in many african countries and several african cultures and languages provide a comparative reference base for this topic. 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.

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. African traditional religions predated christianity and had a. 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. Mugambi introduction the term culture in its widest usage is the totality of a peoples way of life. The governments of most african nations encourage national dance and music groups, museums, and to a lower degree, artists and writers. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage. 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. Dec 04, 2014 traditional african religion and culture. All this arrived at bringing dialogue between christianity and african culture in particular. 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 culture are used, all these aspects are presupposed. 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. Similarities between christianity and african religion. African religion and its influence on christianity and islam traditional african religion has been the basis of spirituality for the people of africa.

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. Explaining how culture is passed on as a generational heritage, fafunwa 1974. This is why their entire culture is permeated with religious practices. 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. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798 j. 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. 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. As we african christian intellectuals continue to meet to discuss christianity and african culture, other african christians are in the process daily of shaping. In this regard african traditional religions can be perceived as preparatio evangelica. African traditional religion and the coming of christianity. The child just grows into and within the cultural heritage of his people. In contrast, most christian missionaries adopted an exclusive and insensitive approach to african culture and religiosity.

We shall try to illustrate that african culture and values can be appraised from. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. 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. The anthropologists were much less inhibited by the dogmas of christianity than the missionaries. Whereas it is believed erroneously among many people that polygamy implies the art of a man being married to more than one wife, the true definition of polygamy implies the. In ethiopia, christianity and islam form the core aspects of ethiopian culture and inform dietary customs as well as rituals and rites. 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%. Here, youll discover resources on the continents prominent historical figures, complex racial politics, and turbulent military past. This article discusses briefly what postcolonialism and the meaning of air and its encounter with christianity are. Roman catholic contributions have frequently introduced a philosophical note, seeking correlation with the implicit world views of.

Crises of life in african religion and christianity the lutheran. Christianity, especially protestantism, demanded a complete abandonment of african culture and religion, and a total dedication to christianity. When the european settlers discovered the communities in africa, they saw opportunities for advancement. 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.