Looking At The African Traditional Religion

Looking At The African Traditional Religion To discuss the question that Christianity should not influence African Religion, but that African Religion can also enrich Christianity, it is important to state what the two religions are and the misunderstanding that has locked up the two Religions. It is equally very essential to mention the concepts, which were at one time concrete to African Traditional Religion before the coming of Christianity in Africa. Therefore, in this paper, my major concern is to discuss issues that indeed African religion has contributed to the enrichment of Christianity In this paper, it is also important to discuss what Christianity and African Traditional Religions are all about. Therefore, Christianity is a religion believed to have been founded by Christ. Christ is believed to be the supernatural Son of God and mediator between people and God. He is considered to be the ancestor in Christianity belief. He is believed to have died and rose from the dead, interceding for human beings. Christianity is a religion that acknowledges the existence of the Supreme Being, God the almighty the creator of the unseen and seen things. This supernatural Being is called by different names such as the provider, just as he has been given different names and attributes in African Traditional Religion. Christianity is the religion that has practices and beliefs that are believed to be the teachings are well as the works Jesus Christ. It is believed to have been brought to African by the Europeans. It is a foreign religion in Africa from the western world. When the missionaries were spreading the Christian beliefs and practices, they used also their culture to dominate other people including Africans; who at the time already believed in African Traditional religion. As for African religion, many people say that it is not easy to define. It has made scholars fail to understand and explain it fully. As a result they have ended up defining African Religion using terminologies, which are misleading. They have described African Traditional Religion as magic, animism, primitive religion, ancestor worship and many more wrong descriptions. Nevertheless, African Traditional Religion is believed to be the oldest religion. It is believed that the beliefs and practices of the African tradition religion are indigenous that have been in existence from time immemorial for indigenous black African people. In other words, African Traditional Religion is part of the mental cultural heritage of indigenous Africans and are able source of identity and consciousness, morality and spirituality, in all spheres. It is passed on through traditional education done by elders of the community. Wilsons idea of educating that: Education involves initiating people into various forms of thought and activity in such away that they are helped to become better informed, more understanding and more reasonable. (Wilson 1971:1) However, Wilsons view is that traditional religious education by elders through oral or handing down of culture in Africa attempts to be as its set emphasis on keeping the tradition. The African Traditional Religious view on religion is not an influence from Christianity, but rather enrichment to it. However, African Traditional Religion is very essential in that it is universal, unifies and disunites and diverse in nature. Religion is human experience found in all societies in various forms. Holm (1975:7). States that a religion is vital, universal and that every human being has a form of religion. Her argument is based on the assumption that every person has farther concern in life. Therefore, a religion is not only about Christianity. Hence, it is important for African Traditional Religion to enrich Christianity. Despite that African Traditional Religion unifies, Africa being a multi racial, multi ethnic, multi religious and multi culture and belief, it enriches other religions like Christianity. Nevertheless, African Traditional Religion can play a role effectively as it assists to remove bigotry and fanaticism among Christians; it helps Christians to realize that human beings are equal and that they should respect others their ways of life and beliefs. Such realization comes about by African Tradition Religion objective teachings. In this way it can play the significant role of holding society together in the spirit of Ubuntu- which of a spirit of oneness, the spirit of love one another as yourself in the Christian concept. Actually the Religion is said to have no founder and has no sacred books such as the Bible for the Christians. The beliefs and practices of African Traditional Religion are said to have been handed down from generation to generation by both verbally and as well as by the practical performances as narrated earlier on. African Traditional Religion is based on communitarian kind of lifestyle. That is, living as tribes or clan and as extended families, hence there are so religious because of these many tribes or clans in Africa, but Africans themselves remain in union as they have common God to whom they worship. Despite having many religions, It is generally agreed that there is one African Religion because they have common and important beliefs such as the Supreme Being as already stated above. The Religion puts man on the center as a central concern, the universe, life, death and life after death. The religion does not separate believers from unbelievers. There is no demarcation between them. Everyone is welcome in the society because Africans are born into the religion. They born and live in it wherever theres an African, religion is there too whether in field, at school, at funeral etc. The religion has influence on all affairs of life starting from before birth of a human being through life itself and even after death. It is centered on life and how to protect it against misfortunes such as sickness, infertility, death and many more adversaries that can happen in human life. African Religion embraces Spiritual, political and social aspects of human beings. Its practices and beliefs are based on the faith of the ancestors. This is what makes African Religion a traditional belief. The beliefs and the concepts of beliefs are found in the idea of God, the creators of all things; the concept that has enriched Christianity. The beliefs are expressed in different ways from culture to culture but the same presence of God permeates the lives of Africans. God is believed to be a higher Being Personal with Feelings that he/she can be offended or be appeased. God is thought to be mysterious and he is named according to his manifestations, for this reason God can be referred to as Greatness, Holy, the Provider, and Healer, Protector, Deliverer, and many more attributes. All these titles reflect the same to Christianity, therefore no influence to African religion. It is believed that God can be communicated to through the ancestors those who have died, just like what happens to Christianity through Jesus. This is one of the issues which Christianity have misunderstood African Religion so that they have always wanted to influence African Religion. While at the same time they are the same valuable elements, which are used in Christianity. African Religion and Christianity are in constant misunderstanding though they are compatible. When Christianity was brought to Africa, Europeans thought that Africans did not have knowledge about God. They thought African Religion was all about worshipping of ancestors and that it was a primitive religion just as stated earlier on. I conquer with Richard Gehman when he said that we should not think that the missionaries were preaching the gospel to Africans whose heads were empty or may be to think that Africans are not aware of the existence of God. For example, in African religion the spirit of oneness has been a practical issue that existed long before. This deals with the African concept of the community. In Africa, nouns like cousin, niece, nephew, uncle, and aunt does not exist. In Africa, one may have many fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. Brothers to their father are also their fathers, and sisters to their mother are their mothers too. That is how the African communit y is set up. Extended families are appreciated. This is what Christianity of the western world should do. Westerners who brought Christianity should embrace the extended families too, and embrace everyone as members of the same family. Oneness has no limit to nuclear family like Westerners who brought Christianity; it extends beyond the ancestral tree to clan and so forth. The Christian religion instead preaches of love your neighbour, which is enrichment from African religion of oneness. Moreover, there is uniformity in African religion. All what they believe in are the same everywhere, unlike Christianity which different in Africa and in the western world. The missionaries dominated African with their western culture to try to influence African culture. They coupled African Religion and culture with Christianity; hence the failure to harmonize the two and what has come out is misunderstanding. Like in the Ngoni tradition ceremony (Ncwala) of the people of Zambia, the culture of giving thanks to God for the harvest of the new crops is a long outstanding issue back dated to the time of our ancestors. This has been enrichment to Christianity, being given a name of Harvest Sunday. Africans in their religion knew that there was a supreme being who deserves appreciation. Hence traditional ceremonies like the Ngonis. The crops are presented before the Paramount Chief for thanksgiving now. And a Chief can be equalled to a Priest in the Christian circles, whom also performs similar duties of that of a chief; though through different mediators, ancestors for the African religion and Jesus Christ for the Christians. Misunderstanding intensify because the westerners came with their own ways of living and thinking together with Christianity as stated earlier on and tried to rob African religion. Despite the misunderstanding that has been exhibited between African Religion and Christianity it is important to mention that the two religions are compatible Though Christians think that African religion is a religion of ancestral worshipping, the African religionist have indicated that it is not about worshipping the ancestors, but rather to honour the ancestors just as Jesus is honoured What Christianity has failed to understand is the reason why African Religion venerates and not worships the ancestors. Actually African Religionists have said that we do not worship ancestors, we remember them and thank them. Veneration is honouring the ancestors and their spirits. This is one of the values, which are similar to Christian denominations like the Roman Catholic, and the Anglican churches do the veneration when commemorating the saints. These are believed to play a similar role as intermediaries and are believed to be closer to God who is the Supreme and Supernatural Spiritual Being. In African religion, life is perceived to be sacred. There is almost a feeling a divine imperative that life must be lived, is to be enjoyed and to be honoured. No wander both Religions believe that people continue to exist even after death and there is need to remember them as Mbiti said that as much as Christianity and African Religion are aware of the existence of God, they would also remain in contact with him through intermediaries. It is believed that the spirit of the living dead of those who have died in fourth to fifth generations ago became ancestors who mediate between God and those who are still living. Mbiti also explains that the natural relationship and the sacred status are included in this ancestral. In African tradition religion there is a very high sense of the sacred. There is a reverence of sacred places and persons, and it enfolds the whole of life. The relationship ties continue to exist. Hence they are venerated in remembrance of them as though they were still alive. Now Christianity holds the some similar belief that death is not the end of the relationships between the living and the dead. That is why there is the remembrance for the departed ones. This is what the west failed to understand why African Religion honours the dead. For example, the ideas of Religions about faith in the Supreme Being, ideas about morality and worship are concrete to both Christianity and African Religion. Unfortunately such concrete issues and many others have been neglected in Christianity whilst African Religion has been up holding them. African religion is actually being urged to enrich Christianity by urging it to reinstate the lost values. As seen in 1 Corinthians 14:36, Paul gives a picture of what an African would ask the Christians that the values of life can not only come from the whites but from Africans too. African Religion has something to offer the west as Peter. K. Sarpong states that; African Traditional religion challenges Christianity to re-appraise it self with regard to the main concepts which once were its pillars, but now are disappearing or becoming irrelevant Sarpong may mean that Christianity has lost very important elements needed for the better relation between human beings and God as well as among people themselves. Like what is happening today, homosexuality is tolerated among Christians who was at a certain time criticised but in African religion it has remained an abomination- a taboo up to today. Lastly, as a person born in Africa and attached to an African tradition, can proudly say that there is nothing that African tradition religion can enrich from Christianity. Christianity instead, enrich from African religion. And I have observed that there is some wrong perceptions about African religion practices that are actually in some form performed in Christianity, and just failed the other religion.

British Politics and Society Essay

– Between 1947-51, there was a considerable degree of economic recovery from the severe crisis of 1945-57. – Nationalisation of key industries, and creation of the welfare state – Ernest Bevin’s work as the Foreign Secretary ensured continuation of ‘ special relationship’ with USA and the formation of NATO – After losing power in 1951, labour only had two terms until Tony Blair’s landslide victory in 1997 – History of British politics & society between 1951 – 1997 was framed by Attlee’s govt and the beginning of Blair’s administration. Trends& Developments – 1951 – 1973 sustained periods of employment & relative popularity – the long post-war boom – 1973 – 1979 oil price crisis – 1979 – 1990 Thatcherism, industrial unrest, and privatisation of nationalised concerns. – Post-war years= extensive social & cultural change, with emergence of a youth culture, the advance of women, vast developments in the mass media & the growth of multiculturalism. Politics & Govt – 1951-64 was marked by dominance of moderate Tory govts under Churchill, Eden& Macmillan – Between 1964 – 79, it was a period of mainly Labour govts under Wilson & Callaghan, interrupted by Tory govt, under Heath 1970 – 4. – 1979 – 97 era of ‘Thatcherite’ conservatism – During those years Labour fell into decline due to internal divisions and the formation of SDP – 1969 – 98 problems of security in N.Ireland Foreign Affairs – Period marked by slow & uneven ‘retreat from empire’, with further decolonisation. – Continuance of cold war enhanced Britain’s ‘special relationship’ with USA , whilst relationship with Europe grew more complex – Britain joined EEC 1973 Section 1 – Dilwyn Porter – † that of a ‘post-war consensus’ that the sense of national unity, which developed during and because of ‘People’s War’ was continued and consolidated by Attlee’s government† Legacy of war years – Post-war consensus after WW2 – Attlee, Churchill & Eden worked together in war time coalition – PMs until Wilson in 1964 fought in WW1 – Tony Blair’s background fitted in with Tory mould as well or even better than Heath – Right-winged Tories argued that continuation of Attlee legacy was a tragic ‘socialist’ mistake – Left-winged Bevanites argued Atlee legacy not socialist enough Political Tensions – labour was subjected to a series of intense internal divisions and personality clashes throughout post war history – post war labour didn’t move with the post war consensus – west Germany 1959, key turning point when SPD reformed and dropped Marxist ideology for modernisation and democracy – Thatcher’s successful rebellion against Heath in 1975 marked the conservative party ‘s shift from the post war consensus – Thatcher’s election success marked the degree of part divisions Politics – Tories could hardly be called right winged in the 1950’s – Both Churchill and Eden made radical movements to alter the relationships between the government and the trade unions – Steel industry was denationalised in 1953 – No attempt to reverse what the labour government had done between 1945 – 51 – Macmillan government did more to consolidate the post war consensus than to challenge it – 1959 Macmillan’s government continued to follow centrist policies Economic Policy – continuation of the post war consensus under the government was referred to as ‘butskellism’ – Butler was a key figure in the conservative party (chancellor of exchequer) and was a serious contender for leadership in 1957 – Butler clashed with Bevan over the costs of the NHS – 1963 – Gaitskell became leader of the labour party – Gaitskell had open feuds about with the left wingers in his own party especially over nuclear disarmament – a key feature of butskellism was the ideas that Butler and Gaitskell had much more in common with each other than rival wings in their own parties Foreign Policy – Foreign policy was a major element of the Attlee legacy and the post war consensus which was summed up as ‘ a commitment to maintain both the welfare state and national greatness’ – An issue was the dissatisfaction of the alliance with the USA, and large scale commitments such as the independent nuclear war deterrent and anti soviet policies of the cold war – Labour politicians were sensitive about the claims that the socialism was unpredictable and unreliable and they wanted to prove the opposite – Bevan had battle with the left wing and communists during the thirties – Bevan was a supporter of Churchill and was proud of his successes such as the formation of NATO and wanted to keep their special relationship in good repair – Many left wingers weren’t happy with the policies but were never able to do over turn them – Post war consensus was put under strain due to the Suez crisis – Macmillan read the lessons of the affair and was quick to mend bridges with the US – Macmillan’s wind of change speech led the way to rapid decolonisation across Africa – Macmillan applied to get Britain in the EEC which got declined due to De Gaulle – Under the government of Wilson is when Britain was accepted into the EEC The significance of the 1964 – The labour campaign made much of the theme of modernisation – Public mood of expectancy in 1964 , reflected the sense that 1960’s Britain was going through fundamental social and cultural change – There was no change in political direction, in 1964 the labour governments under Wilson & Callaghan succeed in carrying on with their radical promises – Labour’s policies weren’t that different from what the conservatives would have done and there was emphasis on the economic modernisation – Why were the labour governments between 1964 and 1979 unable to achieve more success? – When Harold Wilson came into power in 1964 optimism among the labour supporters was high, – Wilson seemed to be a talented leader who had a wide support in the country

The Decline Of A Fall - 1599 Words

A fall is defined as inadvertently coming to rest on the ground, floor or some lower level, excluding intentional change in position to rest. Another definition states that a fall is an event reported either by the faller or a witness, resulting in a person inadvertently coming to rest on the ground or another lower level, with or without loss of consciousness or injury. The worldwide population of the older adult as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) may grow to 1.5 billion by the year 2050. The astounding fact is that approximately eighty percent (80%) will be living in developing countries. A ‘senior citizen’ or ‘older adult’ is defined as a person aged 65 years and older. This is the fastest growing population around†¦show more content†¦Considering the magnitude of the ageing population and socio-economic changes around the world, measures to keep older people healthy and active are of utmost importance. (WHO, 2007). In most de veloped countries, population aging is a gradual process and most of the older adults live independently. Traditionally it was the responsibility of the family to care for older adults. We find ourselves in a care giving crisis as roles are changing, employment of women taking a major role, erosion of traditional family values, and an increasing trend for nuclear families. (Dsouza, 2014). The number of older adults living alone is increasing. Older adults are living both in residential care facilities or nursing homes and most often on their own in communities for the aged. It is estimated that more than 50% of those living in nursing homes and residential facilities fall every year and about 50% of these fall repeatedly. (CMS, 2014). The actual incidence is likely to be even higher, since many falls are not reported. Falls often lead to reduced functioning, which increases morbidity and mortality. Around 20% of falls need medical attention, 5–10% result in fractures (with o ne in five of these being a hip fracture), severe head injuries and joint distortions, and 5–10% in soft-tissue contusions hcdxd lacerations. Fall-induced injuries are the fifth leading cause of death in elderly adults

The Sense of Self in Adolescence Teenager Movies Essay

Who are you? This question could be exceedingly intricate to answer if you were to ask an adolescent. Teens are experiencing countless changes in their development, which is why it is such a significant time for them. During this time teenagers develop their sense of self. Film has helped portray some of the changes that occur during this evolving developmental period. For this paper, I will be describing the differences between two adolescent films to depict differences in developing the self. Some differences I will cover include types of self, Erickson’s Identity Crisis, Marcia’s Identity Status Interview theory, and culture over time.(Arnett, 2013) Perks of Being a Wallflower (Halfon, Malkovich, Smith Chbosky, 2012), is a film that†¦show more content†¦He was also not afraid to get up in front of the whole school and defend his best friend. When Patrick was being called names and tripped for being gay, Charlie selflessly stood up for him, even though he k new people might even think he was gay for doing so. He always did what he wanted to do and never let anyone including himself stray from who they truly are. (Halfon, Malkovich, Smith Chbosky, 2012) On another note, you have Ronnie. Most of the film he was portraying his ideal self. A prime example of this is when the report cards came in the mail for the semester. He and his family were sitting around the dinner table and his parents were reading his little brothers report card. Afterwards, they asked Ronnie where his were and he claimed he hadn’t received his report card and that it shouldn’t matter, because he was invariably a â€Å"straight-A† student. The truth was that he had received his report card, but since he was popular he chose to stop caring about his grades which caused them to drop dramatically. 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