Africans Are Inherently Religious

By George Warner (former Education Minister)

John Samuel Mbiti, considered the father of modern African theology, famously asserted that Africans are inherently religious. This idea is captured in a Ghanaian proverb that emphasizes how the African child inherently knows about God without being taught.

Prior to the introduction of Islam and Christianity, African Traditional Religion (ATR) was the dominant belief system on the continent. ATR is a complex set of beliefs that encompasses creation myths, ancestral traditions, rituals, and doctrines. It also includes its unique medical practices, and even African Muslims and Christians often turn to African Traditional medicine for healing.

African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity are distinct belief systems with unique characteristics, but they do share some common elements. Here are a few points of commonality among these religions:

1. Belief in a Higher Power: All three religions acknowledge the existence of a higher power or deity. In African Traditional Religion, there are various gods and ancestral spirits, while Islam and Christianity believe in one supreme God.
2. Rituals and Worship: Each of these religions has specific rituals, ceremonies, and practices that followers engage in as part of their worship. These rituals often involve prayer, sacrifices, festivals, and other forms of worship.
3. Moral and Ethical Guidelines: African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity all provide moral and ethical guidelines for their adherents to follow. These guidelines help shape the behavior and interactions of believers within their communities.
4. Importance of Community and Family: In all three belief systems, community and family play a crucial role. They emphasize the importance of social bonds, support networks, and communal responsibilities.
5. Concept of the Afterlife: African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity all have beliefs about the afterlife. While the specifics vary, they all address questions about what happens to individuals after death.
6. Sacred Texts and Oral Traditions: Islam and Christianity have sacred texts (Quran and Bible, respectively) that serve as authoritative sources of religious teachings. In contrast, African Traditional Religion relies more on oral traditions, myths, and rituals passed down through generations.

While these religions share some common elements, it’s essential to recognize and respect their unique beliefs, practices, and cultural contexts. For many Africans, daily life experiences involve navigating these religious traditions.

Wishing all Christians a meaningful Holy Week! My heart is Methodist, my mind is Catholic, and my soul is African!

Should we say those strong and frisky guys decided not to do any woman business for more than six months? And, were the women, too, not interested in any man business for the nearly seven months?

I am just wondering! Nobody should tell me that the three boys were very respectful and didn’t want to do man-and-woman business near their parents because the Bible says the Ark had three storeys and many rooms (Genesis 6:14, 16). They had their own rooms.

Also, nobody should argue that the boys and their wives were not able to have children because it is clearly shown in Genesis 10 that they had children after they left the Ark.

Noah’s three sons were very strong and frisky. So why nobody got pregnant in the Ark?

Please remember that I am just wondering yah!