African Traditional Religions :: essays research papers fc

Traditional African faithThe Religious playing areathither is widespread belief in a supreme God, unequaled and transcendent. Africans have a sense of the sacred and sense of mystery at that place is high reverence for sacred places, persons and objects sacred times are celebrated. flavour in the after liveliness is incorporated in myths and in funeral ceremonies. Religion enfolds the whole of life there is a difference between life and religion. Ancestors mediate between God and men. It is believed that sin harms the public good thereof there are periodical purification rites in order to fire public welfare. Worship requires a fundamental attitude of strict moderate and reverence. The Ritual SphereRites form and essential part of social life. Rites elicit ancestors and the dead. The whole person, body, and soul are totally involved in worship. There are many rites of purification of individuals and communities. Religious sacredness is preserved in ritual, in dress and the arrangements of the places of worship. The sick are healed in rites, which involve their families and the community. roughly of the handed-down blessings are rich and very meaningful. In worship and release there is co-responsibility each person contributes his share in a temperament of participation. Symbols bridge the spheres of the sacred and secular and so make possible a balanced and unified view of reality. An important part of the African conventional religion is the presence of spirits.The Spiritual SphereIn the African foundation spirits are everywhere in persons, trees, rivers, animals, rocks, mountains and ever automobiles and other in the flesh(predicate) effects. The presence of these spirits in the African society offers a secure challenge to the behavior patterns of the people on the continent and elsewhere because traditional religious practices permeates every aspect of life on the continent. These spirits in many ways act as moral entrepreneurs of the Afric an society. They nauseate crimes like adultery, stealing, cheating and suicide. These spirits communicate their wishes, demands and prescriptions to the larger society finished the traditional priests. The traditional priests are able to satisfy their clients through the surgical operation of rituals.