Religions Of Africa

Religions in Contemporary Africa is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the three main religious traditions on the African continent, African indigenous religions, Christianity and Islam. The book provides a historical overview of these important traditions and focuses on the roles they play in African societies today. It includes social, cultural and political case studies from across the continent on the following topical issues: Witchcraft and modernity Power and politics Conflict and peace Media and popular culture Development Human rights Illness and health Gender and sexuality With suggestions for further reading, discussion questions, illustrations and a list of glossary terms this is the ideal textbook for students in religion, African studies and adjacent fields approaching this subject area for the first time.

While African religions are as diverse as the continent itself, most Africans can be placed in one of three groups: followers of traditional religions, Islam, or Christianity. Until the 20th century, religion was rarely a primary source of conflict. However, in recent years Muslim-Christian tensions have contributed to unrest in such nations as Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. This book is intended as an introduction to the practice of religion in Africa today. It provides a brief history of religious development in Africa, discusses the common religious practices in various regions of the continent, and explores the role of religion in current African conflicts.

This book connects traditional religions to the thriving religious activity in Africa today.

In his widely acclaimed survey, John Mbiti sheds light on the survival and prosperity of African Religion in different historical, geographical, sociological, cultural, and physical environments. He presents a constellation of African worldviews, beliefs in God, use of symbols, valued traditions, and practices that have taken root with African peoples throughout the vast continent. Mbiti’s accessible writing style sympathetically portrays how African Religion manifests itself in ritual, festival, healing, the human life cycle, and interplay with the mystical and invisible world. The account embraces foundational traditions, while touching on elements that spawn transitions, including migration, the spread of Christianity and Islam, political-economic development, and modern communication. This popular introduction leaves readers with informed knowledge of the riches of African heritage.

This is the first major collection for over a decade on the subject of African religion. It is part of a continuous stock-taking solidly grounded in archival and field research in Africa and the African diaspora. This book provides the views of some of the most distinguished academics in the context of African history, anthropology, archaeology, politics, comparative religion, health and healing, languages and literatures, and the visual and performing arts.

"African Religions and Philosophy" is a systematic study of the attitudes of mind and belief that have evolved in the many societies of Africa. 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. Mbiti adds a new dimension to the understanding of the history, thinking, and life throughout the African continent. Religion is approached from an African point of view but is as accessible to readers who belong to non-African societies as it is to those who have grown up in African nations. Since its first publication, this book has become acknowledged as the standard work in the field of study, and it is essential reading for anyone concerned with African religion, history, philosophy, anthropology or general African studies.