This work participates in that recovery by providing a comprehensive guide to research on the indigenous religious heritage of this dynamic country. Professor of public law, university of cape town, south africa. This article about christianity in south africa today first appeared in the fall 2016 issue of providences print edition. The country came into being through the 1910 act of union that united two british colonies and two independent republics into the union of. East african case studies 45 djibouti 45 ethiopia 47 from axum and the ethiopian empire to the dergue 47 th e eprdf, ethnicity, nationalism and religion 50 th e present situation 53 eritrea 54 sudan 57 islam in preindependence sudan 57 independence and the northsouth con. The freedoms of religion and culture under the south african. African spirituality is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the black conscious community. It is clear to me that the organisers of the seminar had post1948 south africa in mind. The wide variety of religions in south africa is a reflection of the cultural diversity in south africa s rainbow society. The different ethnic and cultural groups of the south africa do, however, appreciate their own beliefs and customs.
The south african harter of religious rights and freedoms sarrf is a religiouslegal document that defines the freedoms, rights, responsibilities and relationship between the state of south africa and her citizens concerning religious belief. Christianity and the african traditional religions scielo. Mugambi introduction the term culture in its widest usage is the totality of a peoples way of life. The total population of about 51 770 560 million is made up of 79,2 per cent black people. The charter expresses what freedom of religion means to those of religious belief and religious. The soutpansberg mountains of the limpopo province in south africa is the home of the venda people, the smallest of the south africa cultures. Almost 80% of south african population adheres to the christian faith. This is to be seen in worship of african deities, the homage to ancestors, and the recourse to divination, magic. South africa is a secular state with a diverse religious population.
South africa history, capital, flag, map, population. Many religions are represented in the ethnic and regional diversity of the population. This is a 3hour summary lecture on the basic components of african traditional religions. Celebration of the hindu festival of holi in south africa, a secular and multicultural country in africa. Mbiti, african religions and philosophy, heineman, 1969, p. During the formative years of dutch influence in the late seventeenth century, the religion of the reformed church was given special protection as the vehicle through which the afrikaner. The wide variety of religions in south africa is a reflection of the cultural diversity in south africas rainbow society. The religious beliefs, practices and the provision of social services of these immigrant religions have impacted on the religious and cultural life of the traditional communities. Constitution, charter and religions in south africa. Up until the 19th century, travellers noted that, indigenous southern africans had no appearance of any religious worship whatever.
List of books and articles about african religions. Religion without belief and community in africa mdpi. The south african charter of religious rights and freedoms sacrrf is a charter of rights drawn up by south african religious and civil organisations which is intended to define the religious freedoms, rights and responsibilities of south african citizens. African traditional religion south african history online. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. Ask 3 people to define it and you will get three different answers. Christianity and the african traditional religions. Language is one of the most important aspects of a peoples identity because it is the most common medium of communication. To receive whole copies of future issues, subscribe here on the 12th of september 2014, a sixstory church hostel collapsed suddenly in lagos, nigeria, killing 116 people, 85 of whom were south african.
Throughout south africas three centuries of modern history, religion has played a major role in shaping the contours of all areas of south african life. Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. The traditional african religions or traditional beliefs and practices of african people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in an amount of higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic and traditional. Because religion is a way of life, it relates to culture and society as they affect the worldview of the african people. If we talk about the traditional african religions when have to associate it with the indigenous people. Eleven languages are considered the countrys official languages. African religions, african religions this entry presents a brief, general picture of africas traditional religious heritage, focusing on the major beliefs because religion, religion stephen w. Welcome to the summary lecture of african traditional religions. As confusing as spirituality can be, there are 4 easy ways to develop your spirituality, with or without religion. Ndzovu is a senior lecturer of religious studies at moi university. In sierra leone, botswana, and burkina faso more than 33 percent follow african religion, although it is not the religion of the majority. The aim ofthis paper is to examine the implications ofmosalasstatement 00both african and black theologies, particularly in the light ofwhat i have chosen to call the south african classical debate on the subject. Because of the african religions dependence on oral stories, doctrine tends to be more flexible, changing in accordance to the immediate needs of religious followers.
Religions in south africa, south africa religion overview. It is the religion which resulted from the sustaining faith held by the forebears of the present africans, and which is being practised today in various forms and various shades and intensities by a very large number of. Christianity, especially in its protestant forms, predominates. According to all the major surveys, christianity and islam each represent approximately 40 percent of the african population. It is the religion which resulted from the sustaining faith held by the forebears of the present africans, and which is being practised today in various forms and. Many of these traditions, besides african culture, are. A minority of south african population does not belong to any of the major religions, but regard themselves as traditionalists or of no specific religious affiliation. Pdf religion, literature and identity in south africa. In a changing south africa, recovering the meaning and power of african tradition is a matter of crucial importance. The aim of the drafters of the charter is for it to be approved by parliament in terms of section 234 of the constitution of south africa. To visit the covid19 corona virus south african resource portal go to. These ideas that view reincarnation as something to be feared and avoided are completely lacking in african religions.
Get facts about african religion in the following post below. The south african religious demography may also be placed within a broader framework as part of the demographic movement of christianity towards the south and as these churches grow, they will define their own ways that differ from the preferences from the north jenkins 2002. South africa is a nation with a wonderful and varied culture. Their religions involve with the arts, societies, ritual practice, cosmology and symbols. The core philosophy of african religions is formed by narratives about the creation of the universe cosmogony and the nature and structure of the world cosmology. The major faiths practiced in south africa are christianity, islam, hinduism, traditional african religions and judaism.
Indigenous african practices tend to be strongest in the central states of africa, but some form of their practices and beliefs can. When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs. This country has been called the rainbow nation, a name that reflects the diversity of such amazing place. African religion is traditional for the following reasons. The population of south africa is composed of people from different backgrounds, speaking different languages. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage798 j. Guineabissau, liberia, and the ivory coastafrican religion is the majority religion. Box 4384400100, nairobi, kenya abstract it is the opinion consensuses of a few scholars that the institution of marriage has continued to. The general household survey, published by statssa, showed that more than 5% of individuals subscribe to religions described as, ancestral, tribal, animist or other traditional african. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values.
A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage and sexuality dr. Kenya, with a phd degree from the university of kwazulu natal, south africa. In fact, africa is a vast continent encompassing both geographic variation and tremendous cultural diversity. The sacrrf is the first such charter developed in south. Instead, africans are worldaffirming, and welcome reincarnation. South africas remotenessit lies thousands of miles distant from major african cities such as lagos and cairo and more than 6,000 miles 10,000 km away from most of europe, north america, and eastern asia, where its major trading partners are locatedhelped reinforce the official system of apartheid for a large part of the 20th century. African religions, religious beliefs and practices of the peoples of africa. The first official languages were english and dutch.
This article is concerned with traditional african religions, in particular. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage. African traditional religion refers to the indigenous or autochthonous religions of the african people. African religions rituals, world, burial, body, funeral. Nearly all south africans will tell you that they belong to a church and practice a faith, although their thinking when it comes to religion and religious beliefs differ widely. The venda culture is built on a vibrant mythical belief system, and water is an import theme, believing lakes and rivers. People are also encouraged to learn about and respect different spiritual practices. African traditional religions although a proper historical analysis of their position and role would obviously indicate certain differences. The south african religious landscape is diverse and has a profound effect on the role that faith communities and its members may and should play within this context. South africa is the only nationstate named after its geographic location. South africa openly advocate dialogue with air denis 2006.
When we speak of african traditional religion, we mean the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the africans. Most blacks in south africa are christians in principle, but a large percentage of them have retained their links with traditional religious beliefs and practices. Christianity is more dominant in the south, while islam is more dominant in the north. African traditional religion and the religion of the san people come africa, but other religions such as judaism, christianity, islam, hinduism and buddhism, were brought to south africa by people from europe and asia. Lifeskills term 3 grade 4 term 3 knowledge of major religions in south africa eng. These religions are often adapted to african cultural contexts and indigenous belief systems. Protestantism across several denominations is the largest belief set in south africa, with irreligious south africans being a significant proportion of the population. Chapter twenty christianity and the african cultural heritage.
South africa is a country of many cultures and many religions indeed, a country of pluralities. The purpose of this is to help to orient a person who would like to work in the context of africa. It should be noted that any attempt to generalize about the nature of african religions risks wrongly implying that there is homogeneity among all african cultures. African religion, we are not stressing its primitive nature as some opine nor are we stressing that it is a fossil religion a religion that is incapable of adapting to changes. Other major religious groups are hindus, muslims and jews. European and other foreign settlers brought most of these religions. Religious freedom in apartheid south africa wa saayman the topic of my article calls for some clarity on the concept of apartheid south africa.
A map of the africa, showing the major religions distributed as of today. African religion and religion education university of cape town. It deals with their cosmology, ritual practices, symbols, arts, society, and so on. These figures represent people who primarily follow african traditional religion. It was estimated in 2000 that christians form 45% of africas population, and muslims forming 40. The west african area is important because this is where the majority of slaves departed for the new world. Private bag x20 hatfield, pretoria 0028, south africa dates. It is anticipated that the findings from this study will assist in the organisation, the management and the sustainable development of religious tourism in south africa. Opportunities and problems by etherecia oryetta damons submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree ma biblical and religious studies in the department of biblical and religious studies university of pretoria faculty of humanities supervisor. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. South african charter of religious rights and freedoms.
The general household survey ghs, conducted in 20 by statistics south africa statssa, gave, for the first time since the census of 2001, a picture of the south african. African religions and philosophy is a systematic study of the attitudes of mind and belief that have evolved in the many societies of africa. The impact of african traditional religious beliefs and. South africa openly advocate dialogue with air denis. In this second edition, dr mbiti has updated his material to include the involvement of women in religion, and the potential unity to be found in what was once thought to be a mass of quite separate religions. In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all african societies have the same. The majority of south africans can speak more than one language.
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