Summary

The African continent is home to more than 6,000 different ethnic and cultural groups, each with its own religious customs. Yet these many traditions have common foundations, including an almost universal belief in a Supreme Being, a close interconnection between the sacred and the nonsacred, and a rich oral tradition that passes religious and ethical teachings down through the generations. For centuries, the indigenous religions of Africa were in danger of extinction as other beliefs, primarily Christianity and Islam, threatened to oppress the various sects. Today, a vibrant resurgence of African traditional religion can be encountered everywhere in Africa, and leaders of African religion can openly organize and render spiritual and healing services without hindrances.

In a clear and comprehensive manner, African Traditional Religion, Fourth Edition explores the many manifestations of African belief and their expressions, in the past and in the present, as well as the hopes for the future. Engaging sidebars, recommendations for further reading, a list of websites for additional information, and full-color photographs add to the well-written text. A glossary and bibliography make research easy and enjoyable for students.

Coverage includes:

• The various sects of African religion
• Effects of the African continent
• Rituals and beliefs
• The arrival of colonists and missionaries
• The spread of African religion to other countries.

Specifications

eBook

About the Author(s)

Aloysius M. Lugira, Th.D., is professor of theology at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He has authored numerous books and articles on African religion.

Series editor Joanne O'Brien has an M.A. degree in theology and has written a range of education and general reference books on religion and contemporary culture. She is coauthor, with Martin Palmer and Elizabeth Breuilly, of Religions of the World and Festivals of the World, published by Infobase, and, with Martin Palmer, of Atlas of Religion. She is a consultant to WWF, the World Bank, the World Council of Churches, UNESCO, and UNDP. 

Series editor and religious historian Martin Palmer is the founder of International Consultancy on Religion, Education, and Culture (ICOREC), in 1983, and the secretary-general of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC). He is the author of many books on world religions as well as a translator of ancient Chinese texts.