African origins of the major western religions by yosef a. Download elementsofafricantraditionalreligion ebook pdf or read online books in pdf. Towards southern africa, the kushites seemed to have their own religion and worshipped their own gods. Parrinder in 1954, but later developed by bolaji idowu and john mbiti in this direction. In the northern onethird, dominated by islam, african religion exists. The crew was able to footageshoot and immediately upload itthe to l. One of its notable features is its interdisciplinary nature, pulling in scholars of anthropology, comparative religion, archaeology literature, material culture, and geography. Most of africas organized religions were brought to the country from europeans and other foreign settlers. African religions allowed men to possess more than one wife. Christianity and the african traditional religions.
Myth is associated with the mysterious and illogical, and philosophy with the rational and logical apostel, 1981. Buy african origins of major western religions by benjochannan, yosef a. Nevertheless, according to a common view, there is a radical separation between mythos and logos, between myth and philosophy. Its study has to go handinhand with the study of the people who practise the religion. Vibrant pioneer of inculturated african theology the sequence in this chapter is as follows. It is comprehensive in scope and very historical in perspective, examining each major religion by chapter. Islam is the other major religion in africa alongside christianity, with 41% of the population being muslim, accounting for 14 of the worlds muslim population. Paganism, voodooism, witchcraft, fetishism, black magic, obyah and oleamare are but a mere sample of the many names relegated to a few of the righteously sacred religions of solely traditional indigenous african origin according to most european and europeanamerican educators, theologians and general missionaries who believe within themselves that. Today, the continents various populations and individuals are mostly adherents of christianity, islam, and to a lesser extent several traditional african religions. Get file african origins of christianity pdf trying to execute an.
By highlighting the african influences and roots of these religions judaism, christianity and islam, dr. Possibly one of the best books written of its kind. The african origins of western civilization, religion and ethics philosophy ebook. Ekwunife 1990 defines african traditional religion as those institutionalized beliefs and. The scholarship on african religions is wide and expansive. African origins of the major western religions yosef ben jochannan free ebook download as pdf file. The typology of religion as a result of western scholarship led to a categorisation of religion according to levels of development. Religion in africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on art, culture and philosophy. African origins of the major western religions yosef benjochannan. Callaway s219, 404 7278671 129e candler library, 404 7272541. Christianity and islam, the other major religions of africa, while other elements resemble them. There are so many ethnic groups as there are many traditional religions mbiti 1990.
The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and cultural values on christian muslim relations in ghana from 1920 through the present. Ben reveals an untold history that many would prefer to froget. However, ardent critics of myths have branded them prephilosophic, irrational and devoid of authenticity. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. List of books and articles about african religions online.
Ben, egypt, islam, judaeochristianity, judaism, nile valley, sais, the concept of god the whole concept of a god or gods came out of the nile valley african civilizations thousands upon thousands of years before sumner the kingdom of hamurabi was established along the. Myths are part of a way of life and state precedence and. Paganism, voodooism, witchcraft, fetishism, black magic, obyah and oleamare are but a mere sample of the many names relegated to a few of the righteously sacred religions of solely traditional indigenous african origin according to most european and europeanamerican educators, theologians and general missionaries who. The religious beliefs, practices and the provision of social services of these immigrant religions have impacted on the religious and cultural life of the traditional communities. Parallel concepts are not found in many current and past cultures. It may also include key delivery schedule issues for critical elements. List of books and articles about african religions. Ademola ishola approached me to write the foreword to their new book. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or.
Compare western africa to other regions using the compare tool. This critical examination of the history, beliefs and myths. The material worldview sees the cosmos as a product of chance. Christianity and islam are the cause of almost all the wars and tribal conflicts in africa today. The mali empire practiced islam and their founder, sundjata inspired the traditions of griots. The fundamental tenet of any religion is its concept of theism. Professor dianne stewart professor bobbi patterson. The earliest reference of religion in africa can be made in egypt. African origins of major western religions by yosef a.
Indigenous african religions are distinguished from islam and christianity by the fact that they are. African origins of the major western religions, 1991. African origins of the major world religions paperback june 4, 1991 by amon saba saakana editor 5. Traditional religion, especially in africa, like all other religions of the world, have stories, myths, magic, beliefs, many performatives, lessons to learn, objects of worship, rewards for actions, be such actions good or bad and many other distinguishing properties. Both approaches assumed that african religious beliefs. The main religions in africa include hinduism, islam, christianity, judaism and traditional african religion.
The author links various afrikan pagan spiritual faiths and gods to each other juju, voodoo, odemare, sun worship, afrikan holy trinity and to all the major western religions. The three main religious traditionsafrican traditional religion, christianity, and islamconstitute the triple religious heritage of the african continent. Scholars have found it difficult to develop a consistent definition, with some giving up on the possibility of a definition. It shapes the character, and culture of the people.
African origins of the major western religions quotes by. Mbiti, african religions and philosophy, heineman, 1969, p. Today western news media continue to use the old anthropological term animism to refer to the indigenous religions of africa. 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. In christian or islamic communities, religious beliefs are also sometimes characterized with syncretism with. Outside egypt, more in west africa, people seemed to worship one single god like the sky god or the. In that sense the concept was new and radical when it was introduced by g. The study of african spirituality in its own right is a recent phenomenon. Scribd is the worlds largest social reading and publishing site. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. For those who adopt this kind of world view, every occurrence, whether sickness or natural disaster is a product of chance. On a visit to africa, your host takes you to a religious temple. African origins of the major western religions by yosef.
Johnson, understanding african traditional religion. Submitted by francis acquah to the university of exeter as a thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy in theology in december 2011. By highlighting the african influences and roots of these religions, dr. African origins of the major western religions, 1991, 363. By highlighting the african influences and roots of these religions. Benjochannan, african origins of the major western religions. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. Because of the african religions dependence on oral stories, doctrine tends to be more flexible, changing in accordance to the immediate needs of religious followers. Ben reveals an untold history that many would prefer to forget. Rechargeable cordless green fuels then do a test print and scan off to work will now check. African origins of major western religions 5 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. There are two major categories of worldview namely, the material worldview and the religious worldview. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.
Many, if not most, african traditional religions employ henotheism. The former had been my postgraduate student in ibadan from the time he did his masters and proved to be one of the our finest students. More so, myths encode the traditional settings of the african and their belief system. African origins of western religion, christianity, dr. A case study of nkusukumekumfienyan area of the central region. Myths, folklores proverbs therefore become the major sources of african philosophy jaja, 1995.
Western africa, religion and social profile national. African traditional religion in a globalizing world. May 10, 2011 when early in 1997 two of my colleagues, dr. His reason is that africans are notoriously religious and there are different beliefs and tradition according to ethnic groups. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Western scholars, such as sir james frazier, had had a fascination with african religions, either from the scientific point of view, as a phenomenon to be studied, or from a missionary point of view. The african traditional religion has done more good than evil to africa but i cannot say the same about western christianity. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in an amount of higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic and traditional. African origins of the major western religions first published in 1970, continues to be one of dr.
African origins of the major western religions quotes showing 11 of 1 truth is a continuous examination, and fact. In contemporary discussions of ways to attain sustainable and authentic human development, there is a reluctance to consider the influence of african traditional religion. The rcs was created to fulfill the unmet need for a dataset on the religious dimensions of countries of the world, with the stateyear as the unit of observation. When the vast majority of mankind in the western world refer to a slave it is the africanamerican or his african ancestor is mean.
Though christian missionaries found polygamous marriages deplorable and offensive to womens rights, africans saw benefits in the arrangements. I wish the origin of this gods was well detailed, with pictorialsimages of each god. Ben critically examines the history, beliefs, and myths that are the. Healing and communal reconstruction in african communities herbert moyo abstract this article is of the view that current research and scholarship in pastoral theology in africa is influenced by western knowledge systems wks and culture at the expense of african indigenous knowledge systems aiks imbedded in african traditional religions. Traditional african religion encompasses all the religious beliefs of the indigenous african people. African traditional religion influences every area of an african life. Yet, many features of precolonial african religions appear to be similar in their fundamental tenets, rituals or traditions.
I cannot say the same about arab islam and i cannot say the same about the other foreign religions in africa today. African religion is practiced in the early twentyfirst century mostly in the southern twothirds of africa, including madagascar, where christianity is statistically dominant. The religious characteristics of states dataset project. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs. Both approaches assumed that african religious beliefs were necessarily false, the scientists, because they automatically discounted the. View detailed information on western africa including data on religious adherents, religious freedoms, demographics, and other social measures. In 3000 bc, people were worshipping gods like isis, horus, osiris, ra, and hapi.
African origins of major western religions by yosef b. Major african gods and their origin religion 8 nigeria. This acclaimed book by muata ashby is available at in several formats for your ereader. First, only wealthy men could marry large numbers of wives because each marriage required presenting a considerable dowry, or wedding gift. This image has been perpetuated by every branch of western education and religion, both christian roman catholic and protestant and jewish all branches of judaism. Demographics reports the estimates of religious demographics, both country by country and region by region.
The traditional african religions or traditional beliefs and practices of african people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. African religion customs before christianity synonym. African origins of the major western religions yosef ben. Outside egypt, more in west africa, people seemed to worship one single god like the sky god or the rain god. Religion enters into every aspect of the life of the africans and it cannot be studied in isolation. West african civilizations summary religion and rituals the ghana empire practiced soninke and islam. The material worldview sees the cosmos as a product of chance which has no meaning and has no end. African religions, old and new religion in the early modern. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. Religion in africa and the harmful effects africanglobe. Africa is a massive continent with diverse religious traditions, to the extent that within the same tradition there have been variations.