Download or read book Religion and Myth The Comparative Study of African Spirituality written by James MacDonald and published by Library of Alexandria. This book was released on 1969-01-01 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religion in the widest sense may be defined as man's attitude towards the unseen, and the earliest forms of human thought furnish the clue from which must be traced the development of those great systems of religion that have at different periods been professed by the majority of men. Under the term religion we must include, not only beliefs in unseen spiritual agencies, but numerous customs, superstitions, and myths which have usually been regarded, by both travellers and students, as worthless and degrading, till within a comparatively recent period. Only by taking account of such, and comparing usages common among tribes far removed from the influence of civilisation with survivals in other parts of the world, can we arrive at any definite knowledge regarding the world's earliest systems of thought. In both ancient Greece and Italy the union of royal title with priestly functions was common. At Rome the tradition was, that the sacrificial king had been appointed to perform sacred functions formerly belonging to the ruling monarch, after the overthrow of the ancient dynasty and the expulsion of the kings. In republican Athens the second magistrate of the city was called King, and his wife Queen. The functions of both were religious. Other examples will occur to readers familiar with the classics. Such traditions and usages leave no doubt but in very early times kings were not only civil rulers, but also the priests who offered the sacrifices and stood between the worshippers and the unseen world. The king would thus be revered as the ruler and father of his people who protected and cared for them. He would be also alternately feared and loved as the ghostly intercessor of men, and regarded as himself partaking of the ghostly nature, for the divinity which hedged a king in those days was no empty title, but a sober fact. He was regarded as able to bestow or withhold blessings; to bring blight and curse, and remove them; and so, being above and beyond the control of his subjects, reverence and fear would easily pass into adoration and worship. To us this may appear strange, but it is quite consistent with savage thought. To the savage African or South Sea Islander the world is largely, if not exclusively, worked by supernatural agents, and these act on impulses similar to those which move and influence men, and with which he is familiar in himself and others. Where the forces of nature are under the control of the king-priest, the worshipper sees no limit to his power and the influence he can exert on the course of nature, or even upon the material universe itself, as when a man's father's spirit shakes the earth because the king hurt his toe. He holds converse with the gods. From them come abundant crops, fecundity, success in war, and kindred blessings, and the king who bestows these is regarded as having the god residing in his own person; to the savage man he is himself divine.
Download or read book Comparative Studies of African Traditional Religions written by Emefie Ikenga Metuh and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book African Traditions in the Study of Religion in Africa written by Ezra Chitando and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-01 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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. This book presents a unique multidisciplinary exploration of African traditions in the study of religion in Africa and the new African diaspora. The book is structured under three main sections - Emerging trends in the teaching of African Religions; Indigenous Thought and Spirituality; and Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Contributors drawn from diverse African and global contexts situate current scholarly traditions of the study of African religions within the purview of academic encounter and exchanges with non-African scholars and non-African contexts. African scholars enrich the study of religions from their respective academic and methodological orientations. Jacob Kehinde Olupona stands out as a pioneer in the socio-scientific interpretation of African indigenous religion and religions in Africa. This book is to his honour and marks his immense contribution to an emerging field of study and research.
Download or read book The Historical Study of African Religion written by Terence O. Ranger and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1976 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book African Traditional Religion written by Edward Geoffrey Parrinder and published by . This book was released on 1974-01-01 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book African Religions written by Jacob K. Olupona and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book connects traditional religions to the thriving religious activity in Africa today.
Download or read book African Spirituality written by Udobata Onunwa and published by Arima Pub. This book was released on 2005-12 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To penetrate the complex domain of African Spirituality is a task that demands personal contact with the living votaries of the traditional religion.It needs extra patience, commitment and an open mind to listen and understand the deep and immense spiritual powers that guide and direct African thought and action. The most important channel to use is to explore the African myths, which the Africans use enormously to express their philosophical, theological, cosmological and moral wisdom and values. Professor Onunwa has attempted to give a fresh insight into this complex domain of African studies. He has taught in universities and theological colleges in Nigeria, Tanzania, UK and India. Among his published works are Studies in Igbo Religion (1990), African Spirituality (1992 - Revised and Enlarged,2005), Selected Themes in African Religion and Culture (2000), Studies in African Religion and Culture: A Critique of Methodologies (2002 - reprinted 2004), Proclaiming Christ in all Cultures (2003), Studies in African Religion and Culture: A Critique of Methodologies (200
Download or read book African Theology written by Kɔdzo Mawusi and published by FriesenPress. This book was released on 2015-09-16 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a theological research done as a comparative study of African Traditional Religion in comparison to Christianity. Since Africans in most part, are seen around the world as pagans without any concept of the true God until white missionaries got to the continent, this study is an effort to change that mentality. This book is a result of my research as a theology student to find out what both the Traditional and Christian religions have in common. Those who will approach this book with an open mind will realise that, Africans when it comes to their spirituality, are more spiritual and prayerful than the average Christian in the West. Readers will find to their surprise that there are some similarities or commonalities within these religions, which most Christians are not even aware of. Since the people who brought the notion of this ONE God Christians hold on to so dearly, - the Hebrews, were originally Africans, readers should not be surprised when they come across the facts that, most of the traditional religious sacrificial traditions are in the Christian book of life we call the Bible. Yes, this may come as a surprise to most Christians; but the truth is, we cannot deny their similarities and probably their origin in the Christian tradition because of their African background. Hopefully this book will open the door for dialogue between Christians and non-Christians about God's presence in every culture....
Download or read book African Theology A Study of African Theology written by K. Dzo Mawusi and published by FriesenPress. This book was released on 2015-09-16 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a theological research done as a comparative study of African Traditional Religion in comparison to Christianity. Since Africans in most part, are seen around the world as pagans without any concept of the true God until white missionaries got to the continent, this study is an effort to change that mentality. This book is a result of my research as a theology student to find out what both the Traditional and Christian religions have in common. Those who will approach this book with an open mind will realise that, Africans when it comes to their spirituality, are more spiritual and prayerful than the average Christian in the West. Readers will find to their surprise that there are some similarities or commonalities within these religions, which most Christians are not even aware of. Since the people who brought the notion of this ONE God Christians hold on to so dearly, - the Hebrews, were originally Africans, readers should not be surprised when they come across the facts that, most of the traditional religious sacrificial traditions are in the Christian book of life we call the Bible. Yes, this may come as a surprise to most Christians; but the truth is, we cannot deny their similarities and probably their origin in the Christian tradition because of their African background. Hopefully this book will open the door for dialogue between Christians and non-Christians about God's presence in every culture.
Download or read book African Spirituality Cosmological and Theological Values written by Udobata R. Onunwa and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2018-07-27 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To penetrate into the world of another people is simply a task that demands patience, skill, and humility. It is easy to write off people on the basis of racial or ethnic pride, ignorance, and hasty judgment. Until one carefully studies a peoples way of thought, reasoning, and logic, it is not easy to understand and interact with them. Once peoples cosmological views are properly understood, it would be easy to relate, associate, interact with them, and even criticize them from within and not from outside their scheme or realm of thought and action. This work has tried to peer into the world of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states of Nigeria, people with immense, rich culture and tradition and, in contemporary times, enormous oil wealth and attractive tourist attractions. The author has argued that the best in any people can be caught only when one understands and works with them from within. The myths of the people can help explain their lifestyle and actions.
Download or read book Religion Culture and Spirituality in Africa and the African Diaspora written by William Ackah and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-10-05 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religion, Culture and Spirituality in Africa and the African Diaspora explores the ways in which religious ideas and beliefs continue to play a crucial role in the lives of people of African descent. The chapters in this volume use historical and contemporary examples to show how people of African descent develop and engage with spiritual rituals, organizations and practices to make sense of their lives, challenge injustices and creatively express their spiritual imaginings. This book poses and answers the following critical questions: To what extent are ideas of spirituality emanating from Africa and the diaspora still influenced by an African aesthetic? What impact has globalisation had on spiritual and cultural identities of peoples on African descendant peoples? And what is the utility of the practices and social organizations that house African spiritual expression in tackling social, political cultural and economic inequities? The essays in this volume reveal how spirituality weaves and intersects with issues of gender, class, sexuality and race across Africa and the diaspora. It will appeal to researchers and postgraduate students interested in the study of African religions, race and religion, sociology of religion and anthropology.
Download or read book African Traditions in the Study of Religion in Africa written by Dr Afe Adogame and published by Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. This book was released on 2013-06-28 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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. This book presents a unique multidisciplinary exploration of African traditions in the study of religion in Africa and the new African diaspora. The book is structured under three main sections - Emerging trends in the teaching of African Religions; Indigenous Thought and Spirituality; and Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Contributors drawn from diverse African and global contexts situate current scholarly traditions of the study of African religions within the purview of academic encounter and exchanges with non-African scholars and non-African contexts. African scholars enrich the study of religions from their respective academic and methodological orientations. Jacob Kehinde Olupona stands out as a pioneer in the socio-scientific interpretation of African indigenous religion and religions in Africa. This book is to his honour and marks his immense contribution to an emerging field of study and research.
Download or read book Black God written by Julian Baldick and published by Syracuse University Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comparative study of the Afroasiatic traditional religions of northern Africa and Arabia. The author argues that there is a common Afroasiatic language in those regions, so is there a common family of religions. He compares traditions as diverse as those in Yemen and Nigeria.
Download or read book Readings in African Traditional Religion written by Emele Mba Uka and published by Peter Lang Group Ag, International Academic Publishers. This book was released on 1991 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book consists of classic articles on African Traditional Religion by eminent scholars in the field. It has six sections. The first one deals with definitions and how the African perceives his world; the second looks at ATR in terms of its academic, historical, western and methodological perspectives. The third examines some vital elements of the theology, spirituality, ethics and salvific value of ATR. Section four reviews the impact of ATR in its environment as it bears on family life, nation building, education and health. Section five examines the encounter of ATR with world missionary religions like Christianity and Islam. The final section, which ends with a selected bibliography on the subject considers the future and the way forward for ATR. The book is designed as a resource and reference material for anyone interested in the field of Religion. It will also appeal to both scholars and students in the field of Religious studies, Sociology of Religion, Comparative study of Religions and «Mission» studies.
Download or read book What Is Not Sacred written by Magesa Laurenti and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2014-04-10 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "It is not for you to call profane what God counts clean."
Did Christianity replace traditional African religion with the arrival of European missionaries in past centuries? Or did sub-Saharan African cultures persist in maintaining their religious worldviews even after accepting the salvific message of Christianity? In this compelling book, Laurenti Magesa argues that despite missionary Christiaity's refusal to acknowledge the worth of traditional African religious culture. the incarnational spirituality of those cultures remains vibrant and visible today, and has much to offer and teach other cultures, both Christian and not.
Download or read book Divining the Self written by Velma E. Love and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2012-10-25 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Divining the Self weaves elements of personal narrative, myth, history, and interpretive analysis into a vibrant tapestry that reflects the textured, embodied, and performative nature of scripture and scripturalizing practices. Velma Love examines the Odu—the Yoruba sacred scriptures—along with the accompanying mythology, philosophy, and ritual technologies engaged by African Americans. Drawing from the personal narratives of African American Ifa practitioners along with additional ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Oyotunji African Village, South Carolina, and New York City, Love’s work explores the ways in which an ancient worldview survives in modern times. Divining the Self also takes up the challenge of determining what it means for the scholar of religion to study scripture as both text and performance. This work provides an excellent case study of the sociocultural phenomenon of scripturalizing practices.
Download or read book Theoretical Explorations in African Religion written by Wim van Binsbergen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-10-28 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1985. This collection of papers on theoretical and methodological perspectives in the study of African religion is the outcome of a conference which the editors were asked to convene on behalf of the African Studies Centre, Leiden, in December 1979.
