Leadership…

1. Leadership… Living Faiths 1 African Traditional Religions

2. Where are we going? • “In their shoes” – giving a picture of the people and their worldview. • “Digging Deeper” – unpacking a few of the more significant missiological and theological issues arising out of this.

3. Where are we going? • “Mind the Gap” – exploring the disconnections (and perhaps connections?) between ATR and Christianity • “Hands on” – how Christians are responding and engaging – both in terms of contextualisation and potential syncretism

4. Key Worldview Elements • Universe • God • Humanity • Spirits • Spirit Possession • Witchcraft, sorcery and magic • Divination • Rituals and rites of passage

5. The Universe • The universe is • created • divided • integrated • living • endless • ordered

6. God • In the African world view there is One God who is: • Creator • Sustainer • Provider • Ruler

7. Human Kind • Questions about humanity? • Who is at the centre of the created world? • Who is the world for? • How are things in the world defined? • What is our role in the world? • Why is the world in a mess? • What is the difference between man and woman?

8. Stop and think … In what ways are African views of the Universe, God and humanity similar to Christian views? In what ways are they different? Any surprises?

9. The Spirit World

10. The Tribal Web of Fear

11. Spirit Possession Spirits from the spirit world possess human beings. Most commonly these are human spirits. Usually the spirit possesses a person temporarily, perhaps on several occasions. Shamanism is when a Shaman uses a spirit to bring healing. Shamanistic spirits travel, sometimes over significant distances.

12. Witchcraft, Sorcery and Magic Sorcery: a deliberate, conscious act of an individual to harm another by use of non-empirical (“magical”) forces. Witchcraft: the result of an unconscious (magical) response of a person to another that causes harm. Witchdoctor: a healer who diagnoses and treats the problems caused by sorcery and witchcraft

13. Divination Finding ways to determine the origin of a problem and its solution, or to determine the best course of action for the future. Methods: mechanical, augury, spirit mediumship

14. Divination

15. Rituals and Liminality • Rituals relate to transitions • Birth • Puberty • Marriage • Death

16. Stop and Think

17. Stop and Think Consulting the Witchdoctor

18. Summary The Animistic Worldview • Corporate Anthropocentrism – its all about the village / tribe • The Spirit World – its all about keeping the spirits on our side • Holism – its all connected • Existentialism – its all about my day to day life • Power and pragmatism – its all about getting what I want • Orality – its all in the story • Transformation and transportation – its all a continuum • Fear and security – its all terrifying

19. Digging Deeper … the Excluded Middle How do we answer the big questions of day to day life? • Why is my child ill? Who caused the illness? • Why has my Aunt died? Who made this happen? • Where shall I going hunting? Which part of the forest will be propitious for me today? • When should I plant my maize seeds? • Who stole my goat? • How do I avoid the misfortune of a car accident?

20. The Excluded Middle The Excluded Middle

21. The Excluded Middle Excluded Middle

22. Stop and Think “The Flaw of the Excluded Middle” from Anthropolgical Reflections on Missiological Issues, Hiebert, P.G., Grand Rapids: Baker 1994. “Avoiding Split-Level Christianity” from Symbol and Ceremony, Zahniger, A.H., Monrovia: Marc 1997.

23. Stop and Think Case Studies

24. Stop and Think How do we respond to issues like spirit possession and witchcraft?

25. Mind the Gap • “Mind the Gap” – exploring the connections and disconnections between ATR and Christianity

26. Connections • Connections as the Gospel comes to Africa • Immanence • Power

27. Disconnections • Disconnections as the Gospel comes to Africa • The Excluded Middle • Rites of Passage • Traditions

28. Hands On … • How are Christians from different parts of Africa bringing the Gospel to their different cultures? • Consider: • Rise of Pentecostalism • Changes in “mission” churches • Role of African Indigenous / Instituted Churches

29. Rise of Pentecostalism • Rapid rise of Pentecostalism • Focus on healing and exorcism • Traditional music forms – drums etc. • Prosperity Theology

30. Changes in “mission” churches Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo

31. Isaiah Shembe Isaiah Shembe and the amaNazaretha Church amaNazaretha music

32. AIC Similarities • Three best known AICs are: • amaNazaretha in South Africa (Isaiah Shembe) • Kimbanguist Church in DRCongo (Simon Kimbangu) • Harrist Church in Ivory Coast (William Wade Harris) • Common Features • Deification or semi-deification of founder • Focus on the supernatural, ancestors, spirit possession • Orality – tradition passed through songs and stories • Confusion over the role of Jesus compared with the founder • Adopt local cultural customs – eg Zulu traditions • Highly syncretistic

33. Why should we care? God Embassy

34. Resources … Mbiti, J.S. Introduction to African Religion Burnett, D. World of the Spirits Hiebert, D. Understanding Folk Religion Hiebert, D. Transforming World Views Hiebert, D. Anthropological reflections on missiological issues Mugambi, J.N.K. Critiques of Christianity in African Literature Zahniger, A.H. Symbol and Ceremony Jenkins, P. The Next Christendom Moodley, E.J. Shembe, Ancestors and Christ Molyneux, K.G. African Christian Theology – the Quest for Selfhood (Study of Kimbanguist theology) Walker, S.S. Religious Revolution in the Ivorty Coast: Prophet Harris and the Harrist Church Asamoah-Gyadu, J.K. “African Initiated Christianity in Eastern Europe: Church of the Embassy of God in Ukraine” in International Bulletin of Missionary Research Volume 30 Number 2, April 2006.