Sep 21, 2017 christianity is one of the dominant religions in the african continent, the other being islam. African churches develop which blend native traditions with christianity in many ways, such as ancestor worship and traditional music, dance, and dress 5. 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. Reprinted by permission of the university of california press.
Bible and culture in african christianity by ezeogu. Explaining how culture is passed on as a generational heritage, fafunwa 1974. This work begins with an examination of the controlling themes in black theology and black cultural studies. Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great influence upon the conduct of the african people. Christianity is more dominant in the south, while islam is more dominant in the north. As he gazed at the pyramids, a stirring feeling overwhelmed him about the achievements of his ancestors. Culture and religion share space and are deeply intertwined in african cultures. The historical fact is that christianity came to africa before it came to europe and north america. Traditional religion in the development of christian theology. With africa subjugated and dominated, the western culture and european mode of civilisation began to thrive and outgrow african cultural heritage.
Modern african christians are often faced with a dilemma as. This is not to imply that christianity is being vilified, not at all. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage and sexuality dr. 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. These impacts have come through many different national cultural, economic, and political channels from the west. 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. Christian faith and african tradition the southern cross. It speaks of a relation to, or characteristic of africa, or its people, language, culture, geography, etc. Christianity and culture dallas baptist university.
According to all the major surveys, christianity and islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the african population. Given the oral tradition that forms the background of african christians, and given the literary tradition that the bible represents, the question of the relationship between the bible and culture in african christianity becomes an intriguing one. Gender refers to the different roles that are assigned to males and females. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation. African religion and its influence on christianity and islam traditional african religion has been the basis of spirituality for the people of africa. 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. Culture, african societies, health, implications and rural development. This bitter conflict has led to wanton destruction of lives and property, and this has become a source of great worry to the writers. The religion is also present in some nations in the. The common charge laid against missionaries that they are destroyers of african culture is shown to be untrue of the missionaries treated in this book, who worked with considerable success to integrate christianity and african culture. African churches in the ancient era, to the growth of afrochristian churches in the contemporary era.
It does not exist in a vacuum or up there in the blues but among humans. 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. The first half of the course will explore some north african variants of christianity such as gnosticism, donatism, and coptic christianity, including prominent early theologians such as origen and cyprian. Black liberation theology and african american cultural criticism. Most of all i hope it can help to smooth some of the tensions that arise at times between christians of european and african background working together in an african setting. 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. Academic works on the history, growth and development of. Christianity is not a culture, but the christian faith can be. The way it was during the colonial era is totally different from the way it is now. Culture, in abstract this study examined the impact of christianity on african culture in nigeria. Similarities between christianity and african religion. The author examines the endeavours of the missionaries from the perspective of the local christians, who were not themselves interested in africanization as such.
It will additionally examine christianity in subsaharan africa before 1800 including the ethiopian orthodox church and kongo catholicism. The african americans were forced to leave behind their traditions, religions, and culture. African religion and its influence on christianity and. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798 j. Since christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and christians. This is why their entire culture is permeated with religious practices. Religion and globalization david lehmann introduction 00 background. Chukwuelobe2, collins ugwu3 1institute of african studiesdepartment of philosophy, university of nigeria, nsukka, nigeria 2department of philosophy, university of nigeria, nsukka, nigeria. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. I recommend it highly to those who have sought to understand life and the world from an african. All this arrived at bringing dialogue between christianity and african culture in particular.
The focus is not on abstract thought and logic, but on human experience, including experience of the divine. Box 4384400100, nairobi, kenya abstract it is the opinion consensuses of a few scholars that the institution of marriage has continued to. Christianity and the african traditional religions. 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. 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. Mbiti has this to say about african culture intertwining with religion. If the adjectives african and independent were once employed as markers of authentic, indigenous interpretations of christianity, these terms proved to be increasingly problematic to capture. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage.
Impact of christianity it seems clear then that the impact of christianity in africa has by no means come only through christian missions. 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. Christianity, despite its eclipse from most of northern africa in subsequent centuries. The amalgamation of christianity and african traditional religion appears to. Jul 22, 2012 the latter confirms that african culture is predominently patriarchal.
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. Since african worldview is a religious one, it therefore means that religion and religious practices are their waking thought. As a matter of fact, it has become one of the most embraced religions on the continent and influences the way many think. Profile of african christianity at home and in the west. A theological reflection on mbitis conception of salvation in african christianity. Bruce riley ashford surveys a variety of perspectives on the relationship between christianity and culture. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan area of the central region. Conflicts between african traditional religion and. Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great influence upon the conduct of the african. Christianity enjoys widespread popularity in africa particularly in the nations situated in the southeast, southern, and central regions of the continent. Christianity and african culture by oduyoye, mercy amba. Christianity in africa has consistently been enjoying serious publicity and attention in terms of written literature as from the last quarter of the 19th century up to the present day. Traditional african cultural practices paved the way for foreign way of doing things as africans became fully westernised. Conjure and christianity in the nineteenth century.
Reasons will be explored for the relative marginality of christianity in most of africa before the nineteenth century. But christianity is not a recent arrival in africa. Conflicts between african traditional religion and christianity in. 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 traditional religion in a globalizing world. This emerging issue has led researchers both in academia and the church to rethink the. This first perspective sees christianity and culture as two opposing forces of influence. 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. 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. 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. Christianity helped control the slaves, but eventually aided in the end of slavery. African culture are used, all these aspects are presupposed. The ungodly expressions of our human nature may change from culture to culture, but the result is usually the same.
Since the introduction of slavery in the americas in the early 1600s, christianity has had a powerful effect on the african american culture. Sex refers to a persons biological characteristics. We shall try to illustrate that african culture and values can be appraised from. The theology of inculturation and the african church. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship. When the european settlers discovered the communities in africa, they saw opportunities for advancement.
In christianity, they believe that god is the alpha and omega, and in traditional african religion, they also believe the same. 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. The central characteristic of african christianity is that it is experiencebased. 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. In ethiopia, christianity and islam form the core aspects of ethiopian culture and inform dietary customs as well as rituals and rites. This is as a result of the fact that christian catechetical teachings which hails from. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798. Many times neither side knows why the difficulties are arising. Crises of life in african religion and christianity. The history of christianity in africa probably began during the earthly ministry of jesus christ, two thousand years ago. Native african historians and scholars, from mid20th c.
The effects of christianity on traditional african religions. Language is one of the most important aspects of a peoples identity because it is the most common medium of communication. 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. Western culture now is regarded as frontline civilisation. Questioning culture and the theological paradigm on women oppression ani casimir1, matthew c. The literature on african christianity is huge and often characterized by diverse colonial and religious perspectives and biases, requiring one to read it critically. Christianity and the african traditional religions scielo. 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.
Conflicts between african traditional religion and christianity article pdf available in international journal of the humanities 62. For more on african religions, see the related oxford bibliographies articles on african traditional religion and islam in africa. This paper investigated the theology of inculturation and the african church. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. 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. In this regard african traditional religions can be perceived as preparatio evangelica. However, the impact of inculturation has not been felt in most african churches. 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.
That is why african christianity, reexported to the. According to ashford, the conversation boils down to these three main views. 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. How christianity was used to exploit africans the african. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage. Themes such as experience, black culture and black religion are examined as to. Submitted by francis acquah to the university of exeter as a thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy in theology in december 2011.
How is the bible used in the cultural environment of africa by recentgeneration african christians. The article further describes the impact of christianity on subsaharan africa in terms of education, sociopolitics, and health. There are many reasons why i ascribe to my traditional african religion or customs. Christianity in africa and in most parts of africa. African traditional religion and the coming of christianity. He further maintains that african culture has much in common with the old testament culture and people of african descent have. European cultural background and some of the problems this causes europeans in africa. Traditional religion atr worshippers, muslims and christians are becoming. D department of religious studies olabisi onabanjo university, agoiwoye ogun state, nigeria abstract. Religious elements in african american magic, in religion and american culture 7, no. It is only the fact that when it came, it was used to exploit africans. Apr 17, 2016 christianity now was the glue that held the black communities together and pushed them forward towards and through to the civil rights movement. Indigenous african practices tend to be strongest in the central states of africa, but some form of their practices and beliefs can. Traditional african religion and culture pm express on.
Even within the different christian missions those national forces have. 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. Christianity came to africa it found fertile soil for the gospel because africans have been from the beginning a godfearing people. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on christian muslim relations in ghana from 1920 through the present. This creates a chasm in which it is apparently impossible for the christian faith to meet african traditional religion and african cultural practises. The thesis examines the indigenous beliefs and practices of the black people in south africa which were suppressed by western culture and christianity. The child just grows into and within the cultural heritage of his people. Polygamy and christianity in africa t a falaye, ph. 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. He decided on a vocation to urge the descendants of these.