attributes of god in traditional african society

Another attribute of the traditional African God is that he is Omnipotent; the All-Powerful One. God is described with many names, which are God’s attributes. in Conflict Resolution and Management (a) Introduction – meaning/concept of conflict in West African traditional society. 0000008471 00000 n However, the date of retrieval is often important. In traditional African societies, nature was regarded as a gift by a supreme Creator God for the benefit of humanity who believed that mankind was created at the centre of the universe. Religion and Reproductive Health in West African Traditional Religion. In the Pentecostal fold, the spirit possession in the African Traditional Religion is classified under other evil spirits which are not from God but from a satanic The ability of African Traditional Religions to promote the community ideal of peaceful and harmonious co-existence in contemporary African society is in a state of progressive decline. The Role of W.A.T.R. 24. Both the Biblical and traditional African view or agree that 1) God is supreme. O’Donovan (1995: 41) goes as far as suggesting that “there is probably no native-born African who is not aware of the existence of God”. There are four foundational religious beliefs in the traditional religions: (1) the belief in impersonal (mystical) power(s); (2) the belief in spirit beings; (3) the belief in divinities/gods and (4) the belief in the Supreme Being. New Religious Movements (NRM) in West African Traditional Religion. "Nyanko" in Akan means "friend" and "pon" means "mighty or great." (vii) God is All Powerful (Omnipotent). In addition to the belief in deity, the Supreme Being of Africa largely overlaps conceptually with the identity and work of the biblical God. Which is why they break God up into different spirits in … It is composed of initiating the infant through a naming ceremony. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. O’Donovan (1995: 41) goes as far as suggesting that “there is probably no native-born African who is not aware of the existence of God”. African tribal societies are rich in the awareness of a Supreme Being to the extent that no native-born African is unaware of God’s existence (O’Donovan 1996:41). (a) Meaning and types of stress situation in West Africa traditional society (b) Causes and effects of stress situations (c) Management of stress situations. (vi) God is merciful. The word God (Supreme Being) refers to “the living eternal Being who is the creator and source of all living and … Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural and passed down from one generation to another through folk tales, songs and festivals, include belief in an amount of higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme creator or force, … Such things are regarded as “divine” due to th… In the traditional African society, God was given different attributes. Myths, folklores proverbs therefore become the major sources of African philosophy (Jaja, 1995:28). This Ghanaian Adinkra symbol means \"except for God\" and symbolizes the supremacy of God. rain, air and sunshine. (a) West African Traditional … heals the sick. Background to African traditional religion African religion involves the whole of the African’s life: the environment, values, culture, self-awareness—a complete worldview. African philosophy reflects belief in God, the concept of belief in God in Africa forms the bedrock of every religious worship and ceremony; it is an idea that is fundamental to African religion. 0000005573 00000 n It is the most popular for decoration and can often be seen printed on cloth or stamped on pottery.The rapid spread of Pentecostal Christianity and fundamentalist Islam has greatly affected the role of indigenous religion in African society. In Africa, God is viewed in both immanent and transcendent dimensions. During sacrifices seeking forgiveness, Africans used to … God is a comforter; He comforts those who are in sorrow. Africans have different names for God they worship. African traditional religious system has the following components: A. Foundational Religious Beliefs. Must obey God’s laws and commandments. God is experienced as an all-pervading reality. African Ceremonies Inc, a 501c3 charitable foundation, is dedicated to the preservation of African tribal traditions through the photographic documentation of ceremonies and customs, thereby ensuring that the strength and essence of African culture is preserved for the history of mankind and for the education of future generations. food, air, water and fire. God is merciful- The Akamba refer to God as “God of pity”, the ‘merciful one’. Africans believe in the existence of a supreme primordial being, the Lord of the society, which a traditional form of education seeks to achieve. Many writers still describe the African Traditional Religion as animistic. The ancestral spirits will intercede who will carry it forward to God, because we also believe in God." This ambivalence of God being both transcendent and immanent among the Nuer, one of the Primal societies, is pointed out by Evans-Pritchard (2004). He is immortal and lives forever. traditional african concept of evil It is an offense against another person of the community or it is an offense against God, the spirits or ancestors. It is used principally to aid man’s perception and concentration and to remind the worshipper of the divine presence. In traditional African society, there is implied and widespread belief in a Supreme Being, God. The African traditional society is a homogenous and close one with its unique characteristic features that set it apart from other cultures of the world. More so, myths encode the traditional settings of the African and their belief system. He gives rain, sunshine and life among many other gifts. In addition to the belief in deity, the Supreme Being of Africa largely overlaps conceptually with the identity and work of the biblical God. trailer Each name has serious significance and authority to the supreme being called God. There are different classes of divinities in ATR (African Traditional Religion). The symbol can be found throughout Ghana. %%EOF 4. He removes suffering from communities. 0000000636 00000 n Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Atheistic tendencies in Africa are minimal. Explain why and how socialization took place in African traditional society. Outline ways in which traditional African communities show respect for unborn child. Those who obey prosper. 0000002908 00000 n He gives His people rich harvests and large herds of animals, which lead to a healthy population. God is neither the creator nor author of evil 2) Sin comes from the disobedience of God by human beings 3) Evil and misfortune are God’s curse to man (Biblical) while the traditional African society sees evil as curses by ancestors, and elders. African traditional religions have a strong foothold in contemporary Zimbabwe as an integral part of the everyday lives of many Zimbabweans. African communities are aware of the existence of evil in the society and the existence of evil in the society and they try to avoid it. > Did the Africans believe in God before the missionaries came? In many traditional African religions God IS everything and therefore has all attributes. He/She is both good and evil, generous and stingy, ect. It is found in most religions. (a) Meaning and types of stress situation in West Africa traditional society (b) Causes and effects of stress situations (c) Management of stress situations. c) What are the consequences of breaking taboos in traditional African ... AFRICAN CONCEPT OF GOD PAST KCSE QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC 1. a) What was the significance of the Traditional African initiation rites? b) Write down seven teachings about God from the Traditional African myths of creation. The African traditional society is a homogenous and close one with its unique characteristic features that set it apart from other cultures of the world. The most significant similarity between the African God and the Biblical God is the fundamental belief in a deity. It is most often used to…, Afrocentrism has a long and often misunderstood history. 0000001151 00000 n In the African philosophical-theology, God’s relationship with the smaller divinities and spirits are only a manifestation of the attributes of the Supreme God. Africa occupies the 20% of the world area and has the 14% of its population. Therefore, there is no single African traditional religion that can be seen as a generalized representation of the religious and cultural beliefs of the people of Africa. The most significant similarity between the African God and the Biblical God is the fundamental belief in a deity. II. This Ghanaian Adinkra symbol means \"except for God\" and symbolizes the supremacy of God. These are belief in God, belief in divinities, belief in Spirits, belief in the ancestors, and the practice of magic and medicine, each with its own consequent, attendant cult .5 If this is the object of the symbol, it must be wrong to describe it as an idol. society, which a traditional form of education seeks to achieve. In this vein, religious symbolist would argue that African spirits and deities are symbolic representatives of reality. c) What are the consequences of breaking taboos in traditional African Communities? African peoples do not consider God to be a man, but in order to express certain concepts, they employ languages and images about God as an aid to their conceptualization of him whom they have not seen and about whom they confess to know little or nothing. The ancestral spirits will intercede who will carry it forward to God, because we also believe in God." States Societies. Taking Africa as a whole, there are in reality fi ve important elements that go into the making of African traditional religion. He protects human beings from evil, e.g. The S… (of authority or an office, or someone holding it) superior to all others: a unified force with a supreme commander.…, The African diaspora is a term that refers to the dispersal of African peoples to form a distinct, transnational community. Traditional religion promotes respect for elders in the society. Rather attributes of God in African religion can be found in the songs, proverbs, sayings, recitals and liturgies of so many African people. He is the giver and sustainer of life, provides necessities of life e.g. African identity and culture are preserved in African Traditional Religion. 63 0 obj <>stream preme / səˈprēm; soō-/ • adj. (d) West African Traditional Religion and Conservation of the Environment. The paper shows that the concept of God is not strange to Africans but in traditional Africa there is no atheist. Most African traditional societies believe that a newborn comes from the spirit world with a message from the gods or ancestors. Concepts of God in the traditional African society and in Christianity . Explain five roles of a diviner in the Traditional African society. Stateless Societies. Christianity and the African traditional religion(s): The postcolonial round of engagement ... [African society of culture]. They are seen to be … the attributes of God. K���?h,5f��.f�R�#ԩ. (ii) God is everlasting / eternal. %PDF-1.5 %���� God shows mercy in times of danger, illness, difficulty or anxiety. venerating-and-communicating-with-spirits-and-ancestors.html. the case of a prophet or soothsayer. He/She is both good and evil, generous and stingy, ect. These classes depends on the different location within the African society. (v) God is a provider. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. (iii) Good is good. 0 Contemporary Situations. Are less powerful than God. (iv) God is the creator of the universe and everything in it. God is experienced as an all-pervading reality. Ancestors maintain a spiritual connection with their living relatives and generally most of them are good and kind. All majestic deeds, such … According to Wikipedia, in religious terms, divinity or godhead is the state of things that come from a supernatural power or deity, such as a god, supreme being, creator deity, or spirits, and are therefore regarded as sacred and holy. of traditional religious practices, but it is a sign of the Holy Spirit s presence and guidance (Acts 2:3, 8:17, 19:6-7; 1 Cor.12:13; 1 John 2:20). Many African myths of creation point to the fact that human beings are dependent on God e.g. 6. a) Identify six causes of death in the Traditional African Community b) Explain how Africans demonstrated their belief that death was not the end of life 7. In many traditional African religions God IS everything and therefore has all attributes. the attributes of God. Atheistic tendencies in Africa are minimal. The African societies and ethnic communities believed in a supreme being who had different names for different communities.The people worshiped this God through singing,offering sacrifices,dancing,dedications as well as invoking blessings. rain, air and sunshine. 47 0 obj <> endobj The men in traditional Shona society might be said to have ... “The Fulfilment of African Religious Needs through the Bible,” in Rewriting the Bible: The Real Issues (Gweru, ... as a fertility God, Mwari’s attributes corre-spond with aspects of the culture with a woman focus. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Must obey God’s laws and commandments. <]/Prev 175811>> Like in Christianity, the traditional African heritage acknowledged that God exists and God is a living force. He is not evil and did not create evil. 0000001088 00000 n The traditional African religions or traditional beliefs and practices of African people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. Failure to heed these regulations may lead to punishment. In this vein, religious symbolist would argue that African spirits and deities are … 0000002650 00000 n (b) Causes of conflicts (c) Effects of conflicts (d) Conflict resolution and management in West African society 19. Resurgence of ATR. The S… Traditional African religion is a way of life in which ancestors are part and parcel of every major or minor event such as wedding, births and deaths as well as fetching firewood. Fafunwa (1974:13) observes that: The aim of traditional African education is multilateral and the end objective is to produce an individual who is honest, respectful, skilled, co-operative and conforms to the social order of the day. These attributes are anthropomorphic in nature. He is a just God. The Supreme Deity is … He provides and sustains His creation. Symbolic representation is not peculiar to African Traditional Religion. 2.Belief in Mystical Powers They depend on God for the most essential requirements of life e.g. Those who obey prosper. ... give the person information for the larger society in . in Conflict Resolution and Management (a) Introduction – meaning/concept of conflict in West African traditional society. Fafunwa (1974:13) observes that: The aim of traditional African education is multilateral and the end objective is to produce an individual who is honest, respectful, skilled, co-operative and conforms to the social order of the day. possession is noticed, the traditional doctors and . They depend on God for the most essential requirements of life e.g. Very large. These are among others: God is Good – Nearly all-African communities describe God as being good to all people and things. A. There are so many other great attributes of God in African religious ontology which we may not expatiate in this work such as: God is the absolute controller of the universe, God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient in Africa; the Supreme Being is one in Africa; God is good and merciful, and God is Holy. This means attributing a living soul to inanimate objects and natural phenomena. ... Love and marriage. 0000001949 00000 n 0000005822 00000 n delegated powers to act by the Ultimate God. Are less powerful than God. Attributes of God (Supreme Being) in Africa: Attributes of God refers to words or phrases ascribing traits, properties, qualities or characteristics to the Supreme Being. This is the popular assumption amongst many African theologians of which Maluleke (1994) is one example. 0000001493 00000 n 47 17 startxref When spirits . Explain how wealth was acquired in African Traditional Society. 0000002537 00000 n It is the most popular for decoration and can often be seen printed on cloth or stamped on pottery.The rapid spread of Pentecostal Christianity and fundamentalist Islam has greatly affected the role of indigenous religion in African society. It is an accepted position that the African Initiated Churches (AICs) were formed as a result of the search for a unique African identity and culture. God is holy. 0000034056 00000 n From our own study of the African Traditional Religion, we find there are unmistakably elements of animism. II. Does not process there own states. The subject of Hunhu/Ubuntu has generated a lot of debate within public and private intellectual discussions, especially in South Africa and Zimbabwe where the major focus has been on whether or not Hunhu/Ubuntu can compete with other philosophical world views as well as whether or not Hunhu/Ubuntu can solve the socio-political challenges facing the two countries. – Nearly all-African communities describe God as being good to all people and.. Philosophy ( Jaja, 1995:28 ) contemporary Zimbabwe as an integral part of the universe and everything in it God... The most essential requirements of life e.g as an integral part of African! Also believe in God before the missionaries came lives of many Zimbabweans components: A. Foundational religious.. Vein, religious symbolist would argue that African spirits and deities are symbolic of... ( iv ) God is good – Nearly all-African communities describe God as “ of... 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