- identify the history of four broad religious traditions (indigenous, Judaism, Christianity and Islam) in Africa,<\/li>
- describe religious diversity in Africa<\/li>
- evaluate the religious landscape in your selected African country<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Studying Religion in Africa<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Religion shapes and is shaped by human social experiences and interpretations of reality. In the 20th<\/sup> century, scholars began studying religion using an interpretive analytical framework that aimed to develop a better understanding of the symbols and meanings that comprise religion as a cultural system. In the his book, The Interpretation of Cultures<\/em> (1966\/73), Clifford Geertz defined religion as<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive and long-lasting moods and motivations in people by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
From Geertz’s perspective, religion provides frameworks for life that shape human behavior by offering a blueprint to understand deep questions that science and reason fail to answer and providing webs of meaning or frameworks to live life. In this way, studying religion provides a window into deeper meanings and experiences shared by people and cultures. This is what makes religion in Africa particularly relevant to the humanities of Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Religion in Africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on African art, culture and philosophy. Today, the continent’s various populations and individuals are mostly adherents of Christianity, Islam, and to a lesser extent several indigenous African religions. In Christian or Islamic communities, religious beliefs are also sometimes characterized by syncretism<\/em>, the practice of mixing or integrating beliefs and practices of different religions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Review the different religion maps in the gallery below and consider the spatial distribution of different religions throughout the African continent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/world-religions-map-infographic-pie-chart-vector-illustration-45065195-1024x839.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/religious-composition-map.png\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/West-Africa-1900-2010.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/East-Africa-1900-2010.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/South-Africa-1900-2010.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/a332ca4c3fb2241eb0c45cfa99245fdd-1024x766.png\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/3692623_orig.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/africa_eastern_christianity_2020_940.png\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.anthrocervone.org\/africanhumanities\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/indigenousafricanreligions1.gif\")
<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>To view or save image, select right-click and open image in a new tab.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Abrahamic Religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) in Africa<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Africa is home to the some of the earliest forms of Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) in the world, and Christianity and Islam are the predominant religions in Africa today. Many people often combine unique indigenous elements into Christian or Muslim beliefs and practices. That have been adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christianity<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.gordonconwell.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Screen-Shot-2019-08-05-at-2.23.17-PM.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nChristianity in Africa dates from the earliest Christian churches to the recent introduction of European and American Protestant denominations introduced through colonialism and contemporary technologies and missionizing. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church<\/strong> is one of the oldest Christian churches and is the second country historically (following only Armenia) to have officially proclaimed Christianity as its state religion (in AD 333). It is one of the few pre-colonial Christian churches in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has a membership of about 36 million people, the majority of whom live in Ethiopia. It is a founding member of the World Council of Churches. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is in communion with the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church. The spread of African people throughout the world has also contributed to the spread of he Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The music video below was created by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Edmonton, Canada.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n