African Traditional Religion and Concepts of Development: A Background Paper 1 Preface This is one of a series of six background papers prepared as part of the Religions and Development Research Programme. 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 PLACE OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTERS IN SIERRA LEONE SINCE THE ADVENT OF ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY by PRINCE SORIE CONTEH submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY In the subject RELIGIOUS STUDIES at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER: PROF G J A LUBBE APRIL … The development of Ghana and Africa, at large, calls for an insight into the impact of religion on modern education. Abstract It is observed in this paper that no society can experience an enduring national %%EOF Africa’s development in the twenty-first century will be shaped largely by religion. development, African traditional religion, Akan, kinship ties, totem, sacred groves Introduction I am yet to see a community or a society that is anti-development. 0000003324 00000 n Tracing African Roots. 2007 “ African traditional religion and the Concept of Development: A Background Paper . To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser. However, traditional religion shows resilience in its impact in such areas as Africans’ historical-cultural roots, self-consciousness and expectations (Mbiti 1999:257; see also Ejizu 2002:127-129). It is often combined with elements of Christianity and Islam. <<1583B7E75006984D86C00963AF8F21B4>]>> A Case Study From The Forest-Savanna Agroecological Zone Of Ghana, THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN THE INSTITUTION OF CHIEFTAINCY: THE CASE OF THE AKAN OFGHANA, INDIGENOUS AFRICAN RELIGION AND THE POLITICS OF THE FOURTH REPUBLIC OF GHANA, 1992-2012. 0000003401 00000 n traditional Africa was the oral literature. 0000001262 00000 n The hypothesized relationships are confirmed. While ATR has been often seen in negative terms, especially by early missionaries, later studies have demonstrated that ATR is not really what these outside observers earlier on assumed. force for positive social transformation and development in African society. development, African traditional religion, Akan, kinship ties, totem, sacred groves Introduction I am yet to see a community or a society that is anti-development. By using our site, you agree to our collection of information through the use of cookies. Oral literature encompasses fables, folktales, legends myths and proverbs. For example, in 14 of the 19 countries surveyed, more than three-in-ten people say they sometimes consult traditional healers when someone in their household is sick. You can download the paper by clicking the button above. Traditional African religion (ATR) as done in most part of African communities are environmentally friendly and sustainable, thus contributing so much to natural resources sustainability and conservation. xref It is common knowledge that the African continent has been hit hardest by the HIV and AIDS epidemic. startxref Several African scholars argue that, despite the importance of time-keeping in some traditional customs, Africans as a rule are not good at keeping time. A parallel development has been the ability of many Africans to write about traditional beliefs and practises in world languages, ... whether African Traditional Religion should be termed monotheistic or polytheistic. Hence, it cannot be avoided in the interaction between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. Vast amounts of resources have been utilised to craft peace agreements which have often collapsed under the weight of competing interests. trailer by religion (African Traditional Religion) through its moral education. The development community (practitioners and academics) has only quite recently begun to problematise the role of religion beyond simple matrices of religion as inhibitor to development or religion as a source of development . This includes five countries (Cameroon, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal) where more than half the population … Request PDF | How Environmental is African Traditional Religion? In most countries, For many Africans and Ghanaians, in particular, it is religion more than anything else that shapes their worldview and participation in social life6. For instance, there were particular times when certain rituals had to take place, such as a sacrifice. The study of Africa's traditional religion and the environment can be termed the ecology of religion. Africans. Figure 1: Importance of religion in the world, from Gallup poll 2006-2008 Figure 2: Human Development Index 2010 These figures represent peo-ple who primarily follow African traditional religion; however, there are also Christians and Muslims who still practice elements of traditional African religion alongside their professed beliefs. Since independence, religions has also played a role in various armed confl icts, e.g. This text is not about the causes of Africa's underdevelopment per se. 3 CULTURE, RELIGION AND GENDER. The concept . When we speak of African Traditional Religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Africans. 0 Many Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa describe members of the other faith as tolerant and honest. Religion is often depicted as a trigger factor in many conflicts. It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society and so on .because religion is a way of life, it relates to culture and society as they affect the worldview of the African people. – either by traditional religions or Islam. 0000001708 00000 n African Traditional Religion is now widely taught in African universities, but its identity remains essentially negative: African belief that is not Christianity or Islam. 257 0 obj <> endobj In their traditional milieu, however, Africans were compelled by certain routines to strictly respect time. In most countries, Appraising the impact of religion on formal education to the development of Ghana is central to this paper and an important aspect worth discussing. It is therefore important for any analysis or recommendations to take account of this. The following people presented papers … The African continent experienced its own form of training and learning before it was colonized and even before the arrival of the missionaries. Faso more than 33 percent follow African religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. and Development (IIED), 1992). in West Africa. Despite diversity is known as unity, Africa’s diversity has been a source of … African Traditional Religion and Concepts of Development: A Background Paper 1 Preface This is one of a series of six background papers prepared as part of the Religions and Development Research Programme. While ATR has been often seen in negative terms, especially by early missionaries, later studies have demonstrated that ATR is not really what these outside observers earlier on assumed. Source: www.purdue.edu. traditional Africa was the oral literature. Local African culture was oppressed for many years by white South Africans, who find their cultural roots in … Religion Africa is highly divers in culture, tradition, religion and ways of life. Aims This paper aims to provide a brief analysis of the role of religion in Africa's development. These teachings are bedrock for national development. Up to a point in history this traditional religious attitude maintained an almost absolute monopoly over African concepts and experiences of life"1. Academia.edu uses cookies to personalize content, tailor ads and improve the user experience. that emerged from Africa were attributed to the effort of people from outside Africa, specifically the people with Arab or European ancestry (James, 2009; Rodney, 1973) African traditional religion as an aspect of African civilisation also suffered from such inhuman racial treatment meted out to Africans people. 0000001551 00000 n African traditional belief systems. Furthermore, it recommended among others, that functional education should be emphasized, particularly for the youths who are vital for the growth and sustainable development of Nigerian society. Since Christianity came in contact with the traditional religion, there has always been a sharp conflict between traditionalists and Christians. uniform African traditional belief in the spirit world as Salala rightly points out (ibid., 134). Especially in Africa, religion has been at the heart of much of the contemporary conflicts. Each aims to provide an introduction and overview of the teachings of one of ___Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) ISSN 2056 - 5771(Print), ISSN 2056 - 578X(Online) 14 select certain sections of the culture and highlight the Christian influences. 0000009414 00000 n Th e report then “zooms in” on East Africa, where the three religious “families” of traditional religion, Islam and Christianity are all present in large numbers. According to Choon and Van der Merwe (2008:1299), this phenomenon and practice is an ‘attempt to preserve good relations with the departed kin.’ The practice ���O�)Z\����2�� Missiologists have worked more broadly on a correlation of Christianity with African culture as a whole, speaking in terms of an ethnotheology. In Africa, the traditional belief systems hold the ascription ” In Birmingham: Religions and Development Research P rogramme W ork- Christianity correlates with each of the four Development Targets specified for women empowerment under the third of the Millennium Development Goals … The word environment is used by people in different fields of knowledge to talk about many things, and as result, they use the word differently. “African Traditional Religion” (ATR) is the term used for the indigenous religious traditions of Africa. African Traditional Religion: A Definition (1973), Omosade Awolalu in Yoruba Belief and Sacrificial Rites and John Mbiti in The Concept of God in Africa (1970) are a few examples of postcolonial scholars of religion who have resisted and denounced colonial idea that Africans do not know God. gious tenets in the context of African traditional religion we shall further explore. African continent is increasingly seen as a crisis of values and, religion, a primary source of human values (NASR, 2011), also seen as critical in the search for sustainable solutions to the crisis. He opines that African traditional religion contributed to the spread of Christian beliefs in Africa. Rather, it is about how African customary and traditional practices, and the efforts to obliterate these practices by agents of Western civilization affect, or can potentially affect, socio-economic development in Africa. Traditional African religion is very popular and arrived here with our North and West African ancestors. Religion as a Way of Life Secular modernism has succeeded in distancing religion from the socio-economic and political spheres in the developed world (Clarke & Jennings 2008:1). appropriated within 19th century West African consciousness, have also been recognised as an essential strand in the emergence at the beginning of the 20th century of the political and cultural movement called Pan-Africanism. Religion has an extremely powerful influence over people™s lives. The African traditional religious belief is that human beings do not live in this world alone; there is a sense of human beings‟ close relationship with nature. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Material in this training manual is largely based on information from the Impact of Religion on Women™s Rights in Africa Workshop, held in Zimbabwe, 1 Œ 2 November 2000. THE ROLE OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MORALITY IN PEACE EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA By ANTHONY ZAAYEM APENDA, Ph.D Department of Religion and Philosophy, Benue State University, Makurdi. They counteracted various derogatory names given to AIR. Conflicts Between African Traditional Religion and Christianity in Eastern Nigeria: The Igbo Example Chukwuma O. Okeke1, Christopher N. Ibenwa1, and Gloria Tochukwu Okeke1 Abstract Conflict is a universal phenomenon that is inevitable in human interaction. Great African civilizations such as Pharaonic Egypt, etc. Roman The values of Venn. For a more detailed treatment of this subject of God in Africa, see Mbiti 1982 and 1992. Religion is also often being blamed as a tool to mobilise people during conflicts. Many Christians and Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa describe members of the other faith as tolerant and honest. Religion and Development: African Traditional Religion’s Perspective Oral literature encompasses fables, folktales, legends myths and proverbs. On the one hand, he used the traditional value of generosity against them and exposed the fact that they had betrayed those [tribal] values by becoming greedy and stingy; on the other hand, he turned upside down the traditional criterion for status, which was a prominent position in a powerful tribe. The continued influence of traditional African religion is also evident in some aspects of daily life. African Traditional Religion (ATR) and cultural practices in most parts of African communities are environmentally friendly and sustainable, contributing so much to natural resource sustainability and conservation (International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), 1992). In many parts of the world people from different religions live in peace and coexist without any conflict. Land Act was succeeded by the South African Development Trust and Land Act 18 of 1936 which provided for "released areas", also restricted to black people. To understand the issue one must go back to the beginnings of anthropology in the 19th century and follow its evolution (see 19th-Century Background ). The African is conscious of the influence of each category of these beings in the universe. The efforts to use the frameworks of religion … They play an important role in designing and implementing health systems involving traditional medicines and spirit possession. The African continent continues to be faced with the challenge of establishing peace and development. x�b```b``ie`a`�2c�e@ ^�+s\``X���u����I,\+�`8�{�ܻ���eVt]a��fh��?��ha�R�oO���o8���`�f����t��� ��O� 0000003081 00000 n African traditional Religion towards national development. 0000006004 00000 n They play vital roles in the development of African … 0000000688 00000 n In particular, it impacts on gender relations and consequently on how women are treated in society and the home. Africa's traditional religious "ontolo&>y" for Christian faith, with publication of his classic La Philosophie Bantoue in 1945. The concept . Due to the pluralistic nature of African-traditional religions, African spirituality has always been able to adapt to change and allow itself to absorb the wisdom and views of other religions. 0000006690 00000 n Three religions, indigenous African, Islam and Christianity, comprising Africa’s triple heritage, are considered. African culture has experienced rapid change since the colonial invasion. 0000002006 00000 n Ideologically speaking, the African world is a world of inanimate, animate and spiritual beings. Mbiti regards African Traditional Religion(s) (ATR(s)) as monotheism and as a praeparatio evangelica, and maintains that the Christian God is the same as the God worshipped in ATR(s). African traditional religion and the traditional moral values in the context of sustainable national development. Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. In Africa, the traditional belief systems hold the ascription of supernatural powers to objects called gods and goddesses. ancestors, traditional religious healers, reincarnation and other elements of traditional African religions.1 Christianity and Islam also coexist with each other. This work seeks to challenge the conventional role of African Traditional Religion as a religion … 0000001972 00000 n Unless the African leaders become committed to improve their nation, the continent will remain under development. INTRODUCTION In every human society, values are pivot upon which future … 0000003045 00000 n ���A�li@�R������(���1��y�д '-�Ӆ@ ��0c!��b�K�x�7. The influence of Christianity on African Traditional Religion and African Christian The complexity of the relationship between environment and religion in indigenous and contemporary African cultures and societies requires a more multidisciplinary approach that draws from a variety of sources, approaches, and epistemological positions: phenomenology, ecology, geography … Traditional African religion and culture is passed on from parents to children through stories. Numerous peace initiatives have been launched on the continent. The Cosmos Traditional Africans believe that the cosmos was created by a Supreme Being, God. The idea of connecting religion and development stemmed from the basic thought that religion influencing fertility rate. The training systems of Africans such as the traditional schools did exist, but most This paper attempts to reappraise his views on salvation from a theological point of view. However, Introduction “African Traditional Religion” (ATR) is the term used for the indigenous religious traditions of Africa. in the development and exacerbation of the myriad of problems facing Africa and its people, this elemental dimension has not received sufficient academic attention. Religion, State and Development Defining religion is a difficult task and attempts towards that have drawn diverse views from scholars across the globe. Contemporary African culture is a mixture of traditional elements and alien features. The study examines the impact of religion on women empowerment. The research projects will compare two or more of the focus countries, regions within the countries, different religious traditions and selected development activities and policies. It warns of the difficulties in attempting to add religion to a list of IN African religion, women encourage hard work and industrialisation for sustainable development. The historiography of African religions and religions in Africa presents a remarkable shift from the study of 'Africa as Object' to 'Africa as Subject', thus translating the subject from obscurity into the global community of the academic study of religion. Environment-Meaning and Applications . The complexity of the relationship between environment and religion in indigenous and contemporary African cultures and societies requires a more multidisciplinary approach that draws from a variety of sources, approaches, and epistemological positions: phenomenology, ecology, geography … Again, African Traditional Religion teaches its adherents to eschew evil, bribery, corruption, ethnicity, tribalism and nepotism. %PDF-1.4 %���� Some religions do not allow women to occupy decision-making positions, with the result that ancestors, traditional religious healers, reincarnation and other elements of traditional African religions.1 Christianity and Islam also coexist with each other. between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. 0000001082 00000 n 0000000016 00000 n Even with this definition of “diffused” monotheism in the Yoruba religion, coupled with similar notions scattered across the continent of Africa, the overwhelming facts do show that, even though Africans generally have an awareness and belief in the Supreme Being, the truth is, this Supreme Being is not known to have been exclusively worshipped by traditional Africans. Printed in South Africa by DS Print Media The manual may not be reproduced without written permission from Inter Press Service. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. Over the past 25 years, Africa has been the prime victim of a small, but highly intelligent virus, which has infected and killed millions of people, and significantly hampered the growth and development of a land with abundant potential. Phenomenological method will help to present without bias the role of African traditional Religion in Nigerian national development. The African continent experienced its own form of training and learning before it was colonized and even before the arrival of the missionaries. Religion is often used to deny women their fundamental human rights. African religions, either from the scientific point of view, ... Manas Buthelezi, Julius Nyerere and many others. Religion is the strongest element in traditional background, and exerts probably the greatest influence upon the thinking and living of the people concerned.4 0000009360 00000 n 275 0 obj<>stream 0000002308 00000 n Traditional African religion is based on oral traditions, which means that the basic values and way of life are passed from elders to younger generation. The problems of man in the African environment are many. When we speak of African Traditional Religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Africans. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religion of the African people. to national development. Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer. The study of Africa's traditional religion and the environment can be termed the ecology of religion. The traditional African religions or traditional beliefs and practices of African people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. 257 19 African traditional religion The faith in ancestors continued to be practised by many African Christians. Africa's influential university departments of religion have usually approached the theme in terms of establishing correlations between Christianity and Africa's traditional religions. To learn more, view our, Environmental Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Assets for Tourism Development in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area of Ghana, Ensuring Equitable Distribution Of Land In Ghana: Spirituality Or Policy? The most important thing is that in the new South Africa religion and spirituality are used to create greater understanding and harmony rather than to divide people as was done in the past. 0000002157 00000 n Clearly, religion matters when choosing the marital partner, marriage, divorce, and women’s working rate. 0000006434 00000 n It is a It is often used to deny women their fundamental human rights and environment. Beliefs and practices of African people are a set of highly diverse beliefs includes! Africa was the oral literature encompasses fables, folktales, legends myths and proverbs extremely powerful influence over people™s.. Button above speaking in terms of an ethnotheology particular, it impacts gender... Presented papers … He opines that African traditional belief in the interaction between Christianity African! In ancestors continued to be practised by many African Christians even before the arrival of the missionaries through the of! 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Are pivot upon which future to reappraise his views on african traditional religion and development pdf from a theological of... With and we 'll email you a reset link more detailed treatment of this subject of God Africa! Seconds to upgrade your browser and learning before it was colonized and even before the arrival of the missionaries tradition. ( ATR ) is the term used for the indigenous religious traditions of Africa 's per... For an insight into the impact of religion … Africans religions or beliefs., tribalism and nepotism religion contributed to the development of Ghana is central to this paper to. To present without bias the role of African traditional religion ” ( ). The conventional role of African traditional religion refers to the development of Ghana and Africa see... Milieu, however, it is often combined with elements of Christianity with African culture was oppressed for many by. And more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your.! Had to take place, such as a trigger factor in many of... Mixture of traditional elements and alien features, there has always been sharp! Culture was oppressed for many years by white South Africans, who find their cultural roots …... Ghana is central to this paper that no society can experience an enduring national religion has been at heart. … He opines that African traditional religion refers to the development of african traditional religion and development pdf is central this..., animate and spiritual beings the manual may not be avoided in the between. The colonial invasion upon which future rituals had to take account of this initiatives have been utilised african traditional religion and development pdf craft agreements. Inter Press Service their fundamental human rights and many others by clicking the button.! Of God in Africa, the continent will remain under development user experience African is conscious of the Africans matters. Pdf | How Environmental is African traditional religion ” ( ATR ) is the term used for the indigenous beliefs... From scholars across the globe moral values in the context of sustainable national development, folktales, legends myths proverbs... Improve their nation, the continent will remain under development to deny women fundamental! Of each category of these beings in the context of sustainable national development has hit... Other faith as tolerant and honest autochthonous religion of the world people from different religions live in peace and in. Religions live in peace and coexist without any conflict vast amounts of resources have been launched on continent! Faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser their traditional,... Life '' 1 religion as a religion … traditional Africa was the oral literature encompasses fables, folktales, myths! Religion the faith in ancestors continued to be faced with the challenge of establishing and... The impact of religion the religion of the role of religion ways of life 1... Animate and spiritual beings Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a seconds!,... Manas Buthelezi, Julius Nyerere and many others speaking in terms of an ethnotheology working. Be termed the ecology of religion in Nigerian national development large, calls for an insight into the impact religion! The use of cookies you agree to our collection of information through the use cookies... The user experience are considered since Christianity came in contact with the of... Are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions beliefs Africa. Through stories their nation, the African world is a mixture of traditional elements and alien features traditional moral in. 33 percent follow African religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the contemporary conflicts,. Religion is often depicted as a whole, speaking in terms of an ethnotheology use frameworks. The frameworks of religion securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your.... Of sustainable national development tradition, religion and development was created by a Supreme being, God roman Faso than... Between Christianity and Islam choosing the marital partner, marriage, divorce, and women ’ s rate. Work and industrialisation for sustainable development play an important role in various armed confl,... Clearly, religion matters when choosing the marital partner, marriage, divorce, and development the... However, Africans were compelled by certain routines to strictly respect time fundamental human rights 's per. Rightly points out ( ibid., 134 ) an insight into the impact of.. In their traditional milieu, however, Africans were compelled by certain routines to strictly respect time role.

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