importance of religion in africa

It is apparent that Africa is almost 50 percent Christian and 50 percent ISLAM. There are an estimated 2-2.5 million adherents of Hinduism in Africa. Other religions found in Africa have their origins in other parts of the world. Traditional/Indigenous African religions are the traditional beliefs and practices of African people including the various traditional religions and customs. important to review some key elements of African cultures that impact the focus of this article. "Spirit Possession, Islam, and European Power." The Importance Of Religion In Central Africa 1475 Words 6 Pages The DRC is located in Central Africa, is about one fourth the size of the United States, and has the potential to be a rich country as a result of its excellent farm land and abundant natural resources. The African Concept . Some distinctions between West African and East or Horn African traditional religion often includes considering the supernatural and natural or tangible as being one and the same, and using this stance to incorporate divination. Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, African Christianity, 2020, "AFRICAN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS - Tewahedo - Palo - Serer - Tijaniyyah - Vodon". [9] Some of the African traditional religions are those of the Serer of Senegal, the Yoruba and Igbo of Nigeria, and the Akan of Ghana and the Ivory Coast, and the Bono of Ghana and Ivory Coast. The Sande initiate girls by teaching them domestic skills and sexual etiquette, as well as the religious significance of female power and womanhood. and the nomadic farmers in Africa mostly apply charms of adverse actions to any that may try to steal their products, most of this charms are been collected from juju. Traditional African medicine is also directly linked to traditional African religions. In the commonwealth of Africa syncretism with indigenous beliefs is practiced throughout the region. Nicolini, Beatrice. 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. According to him, the belief in spirits and ancestors is the most important element of African religions. Good and evil: in A.T.R evil includes both the physical and moral evils. More than 100 million Africans still adhere to the traditional African religions. 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. Religion in Africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on art, culture and philosophy. African people often combine the practice of their traditional belief with the practice of Abrahamic religions. Adherents of Judaism can be found scattered in a number of countries across Africa; including North Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Southern Africa. Ranger, T. O. Religion is the foundation upon which these values rest. The African cultures are . This community is made up of people who remember and share the same traditions. [13] According to the author Lugira, the Traditional African religions are the only religions "that can claim to have originated in Africa. By Friday Chisanyu. African Cultures. [citation needed] The faith's historic roots on the continent stem from the time of the Prophet Muhammad, whose early disciples migrated to Abyssinia (hijira) in fear of persecution from the pagan Arabs. Gandhi lived and worked among the Indian community in South Africa for twenty years before returning to India to participate in India’s freedom movement.[41]. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Tyrannius Rufinus, a noted church historian, also recorded a personal account as do other church historians such as Socrates and Sozemius. The African Energy Chamber forecasts that 2021 generation is likely to range between 870-900 TWh if demand picks up aggressively throughout the year. Plants play an overriding role in African folk religions, which in turn are closely associated with health practices and influence management decisions concerning natural resources. They worship secondary deities such as Da, Ogoun, Mbari, Esu and Agwu, and these gods serve other, more important gods such as, Roog, Olodumare, Nyame and Chukwu. security: most Africans particularly Nigerian farmers especially plantation farmers and that of yams, cassava etc. Aseffa, Abdi, Bula Sirika Wayessa, and Temesgen Burka. The primary requirement of society is the possession of social values by which individuals control the action of self and others and through which society is perpetuated. [23] Some experts predict the shift of Christianity's center from the European industrialized nations to Africa and Asia in modern times. Religion is a controversial issue in world affairs. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religion of the African people. summary of African cultures, worldview, and religion. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. RELIGION is a fundamental, perhaps the most important, influence in the life of most Africans; yet its essential principles are too often unknown to foreigners who thus make themselves constantly liable to misunderstand the African worldview and beliefs. It has also become the predominant religion on the Swahili Coast as well as the West African seaboard and parts of the interior. [25], A 2015 study estimates 2,161,000 Christian believers from a Muslim background in Africa, most of them belonging to some form of Protestantism.[26]. The consequences under this definition, according to missiologist Keith Ferdinando, are a fatal compromise of the religion's integrity. [38] On the other hand, Sub-Saharan Baháʼís were able to mobilize for nine regional conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice 20 October 2008 to celebrate recent achievements in grassroots community-building and to plan their next steps in organizing in their home areas. [citation needed] Others state that the term syncretism is a vague one,[53] since it can be applied to refer to substitution or modification of the central elements of Christianity or Islam with beliefs or practices from somewhere else. 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. ), https://www.pewforum.org/2012/08/09/the-worlds-muslims-unity-and-diversity-1-religious-affiliation/#identity, "Government Must Find Solution for Baha'i Egyptians", "Regional Conferences of the Five Year Plan; November 2008–March 2009", https://rlp.hds.harvard.edu/religions/hinduism/hindu-diaspora, "Most Buddhist Nations (2010) - QuickLists - The Association of Religion Data Archives", "Most Chinese Universist Nations (2010) - QuickLists - The Association of Religion Data Archives", "Religious Adherents, 2010 – Mauritius (0.2% Buddhist + 1.3% Chinese Folk Religion)", https://books.google.com/books?id=pOcWLGktIYoC&pg=PA254, http://www.missiology.org.uk/pdf/cotterell-fs/15_ferdinando.pdf, "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency", "Numbers and Percentage of Muslims in African Countries", "Muslims of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)", Global Religious Landscape Table - Percent of Population - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, "Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project: Kenya", "Malawi Facts and Figures | RIPPLE Africa", "Welcome religiousintelligence.co.uk – BlueHost.com", "UGANDA 2016 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT", "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050", "Refworld - 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom - Swaziland", "African Traditional Religion" in "The Story of Africa" from the BBC World Service, African Religions at Africa Missions Resource Center, Tutelary deities of the Akan people of West Africa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Religion_in_Africa&oldid=992311246, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 December 2020, at 16:47. Encyclopædia Britannica, (2003), Pew Forum on Religious & Public life. The young M.K. African religions - African religions - Mythology: In African oral cultures, myths embody philosophical reflections, express values, and identify moral standards. Africans are not allowed by family, society and the state to think, reason or live outside the religious box. It is believed by some to explain religious tolerance between different groups. THE APPLICATION OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEM IN A NON-PROFIT MAKING ORGANIZATION (STUDY: 3... A STUDY OF PROBLEMS FACING VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF... A TOTAL OF 34 INDIGENOUSLY MANUFACTURED PHARMACEUTICAL ORAL LIQUIDS WERE PURCHASED FROM DIFFERENT POTENT... SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS. The essence of this school of thought is based mainly on oral transmission; that which is written in people's hearts, minds, oral history, customs, temples and religious functions. "AHM El Zein, The Sacred Meadows (Book Review)." According to Clemmont E. Vontress, the various religious traditions of Africa are united by a basic Animism. Dr J.O. [46], A Gallup poll shows that the irreligious comprise 20% in South Africa, 16% in Botswana, 13% in Mozambique, 13% in Togo, 12% in Côte d'Ivoire, 10% in Ethiopia and Angola, 9% in Sudan, Zimbabwe and Algeria, 8% in Namibia and 7% in Madagascar. IMPLICATION FOR COUNSELLING. Science and technology cannot create this value. The upside is that even though it is so, there is a separation of church and state; so religion seldom interferes with civil matters. Traditionally African ethnic groups used a complex ceremonial system to convey cultural principals and ideology, as well as the facilitation of the adolescent to adulthood transition. "Animism: Foundation of Traditional Healing in Sub-Saharan Africa", "US study sheds light on Africa's unique religious mix", Ian S. Markham,(A World Religions Reader. The vast majority of Muslims in Africa are followers of Sunni Islam , belonging to either Maliki or Shafi schools of jurisprudence. Religion is the ultimate source of social cohesion. In five of these countries—Benin, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast—African religion is the majority religion. [48] Kwesi Yankah and John Mbiti argue that many African peoples today have a 'mixed' religious heritage to try to reconcile traditional religions with Abrahamic faiths. Africans go through religious indoctrination from cradle to grave. Religion gives people hope, faith, and belief for a better future during hard times Rites of passage are critical in nation-building and African socialization. Shackled Sentiments: Slaves, Spirits, and Memories in the African Diaspora (2019): 137. 9 August 2012. [8] It has no missionaries or the intent to propagate or to proselytise. [2][3][4], Africa encompasses a wide variety of traditional beliefs. ADVERT SPACE !!! Britannica Book of the Year 2003. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic, and traditional medicine. The Sande secret society of the Mande-speaking peoples is an important example, because its religious vision and political power extend across Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. THE REASONS WHY AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IS STILL RELEVANT. Buddhism is a tiny religion in Africa with around 250,000 practicing adherents,[42] and up to nearly 400,000 [43] if combined with Taoism and Chinese Folk Religion as a common traditional religion of mostly new Chinese migrants (significant minority in Mauritius, Réunion, and South Africa). Ethnoarchaeology 8.1 (2016): 57-68. religion with the newly embraced religion. Especially in Africa, religion has been at the heart of much of the contemporary conflicts. Since religion is such a vital part of a people’s culture, it is . However, communities in Africa (e.g. Religion 20 [1990] contains some articles on the study of African Religions that are worth reading. It is an African custom. Thus, the importance of traditional marriage in Africa cannot be overemphasized. All three individual heads of the religion, Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi, were in Africa at various times. Marriage in Africa entails much more. The belief occupies an important place in the understanding of the role of the traditional religion in inculcating the ideals of culture and religion among African peoples. [11] Another distinction of East African and Horners is the greater prevalence of prophets within the oral traditionas and other forms of generational transmissions of traditional African religion. 3. Religion is by compulsion and not according to one’s conscience. This map is based on the results, and shows religiosity by country, ranging from the least religious to the most religious … (Spring, 1976). 3. The primary object of God's giving you being, was not that you might be men of business. [citation needed] The spread of Islam in North Africa came with the expansion of Arab empire under Caliph Umar, through the Sinai Peninsula. Religion is also often being blamed as a The reasons why Africans are the most religious people in the world are not far-fetched. Although the Bible refers to them as Ethiopians, scholars have argued that Ethiopia was a common term encompassing the area South-Southeast of Egypt. South Africa is the third least religious country in Africa, but it is still pretty religious, with between 85–91% saying religion is important [ 1] [ 2] [ 3], or are religious. Instead, myths are embedded and transmitted in ritual practice. 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