What was the religion in Africa before colonization?

Polytheism was widespreaded in most of ancient African and other regions of the world, before the introduction of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. An exception was the short-lived monotheistic religion created by Pharaoh Akhenaten, who made it mandatory to pray to his personal god Aton (see Atenism).

What are the three main ways African religions communicate with the supernatural?

What are the three main ways African religions communicate with the supernatural?…Terms in this set (72)

• the mythic (or sacred narrative)
• the doctrinal (or philosophical)
• the ethical ( or legal)
• the ritual (or practical)
• the experimental (or emotional)
• the social.
• the material.

What are the main characteristics of African religions?

There have been many attempts at describing African Traditional Religion according to its main characteristics. Turaki (1999:69) lists the following main characteristics: belief in a Supreme Being • belief in spirits and divinities • the cult of ancestors • the use of magic, charms and spiritual forces.

What is the concept of God in African traditional religion?

God is the Supreme entity to the adherents of the traditional religions of. Africa and is considered to be the origin of everything in this universe. In Africa, God is viewed in both immanent and transcendent dimensions.

What kind of religion do people in Africa have?

OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa. Indigenous African religions are by nature plural, varied, and usually informed by one’s ethnic identity, where one’s family came from in Africa.

How did religion affect the relationship between Africans and colonial authorities?

Yet religious interaction between ordinary Africans and the colonial authorities was by no means a straightforward relationship between dominance and dependence. Africans often used their religious beliefs as a means to adjust the relationship between themselves and colonial authorities in their favor (as far as possible).

What do you mean by indigenous African religions?

GAZETTE: How would you define indigenous African religions? OLUPONA: Indigenous African religions refer to the indigenous or native religious beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic colonization of Africa.

What was the population of Christians in Africa in 1900?

Nevertheless, since 1900, Christians in Africa have grown from approximately 7 million to over 450 million today. Islam has experienced a similar rapid growth. Yet consider that in 1900 most Africans in sub-Saharan Africa practiced a form of indigenous African religions.