FOUNDATIONS OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION AND WORLDVIEW – Paperback – Revised Edition 2019 YUSUFU TURAKI

Description

FOUNDATIONS OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION AND WORLDVIEW – Paperback – Revised Edition 2019 YUSUFU TURAKI

This book is an introduction to the foundations of African traditional religions and worldview. The theological basis of the traditional belief- in (1) gods, (2) divinities and (3) spirits are examined. These beliefs are defined and interpreted in the light of (1) the traditional religious worldview and (2) with some clarifications from the Biblical and Christian theology. The theological implications of these traditional beliefs and worldview are essential for developing and formulating a relevant Biblical and Christian theology in Africa. The traditional theological, philosophical and moral and ethical foundations and the nature and meaning of man are analysed and examined.

RELIGION AND SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY

This chapter defines and interprets the African traditional religious system and worldview. It is divided into four major parts. The first gives a general functional definition of religion; the second defines and interprets the theological foundations of the traditional religious system and worldview; the third defines and interprets the philosophical foundations of the traditional religious system and worldview and the fourth defines and interprets the moral and ethical foundations of the traditional religious system and worldview.
One of the major difficulties faced in this study, was the choice of literature. Anyone who is familiar with the amount of literature and the general terrain of the African traditional religions knows that not much has gone beyond the classics of the pioneers. Creative and innovative studies and works have not gone that much beyond the Idowu’s and the Mbiti’s. The comparative, anthropological, phenomenological, historical and the descriptive methods have dominated the scene.

The few works on the theological and Biblical methods are in themselves not comprehensive, systematic and coherent. Much of the approach from Biblical theology has remained stunted at the level of perspectives. Such studies do set out to study the traditional religions and cultures from the Biblical Perspectives. The valuable knowledge gained in such studies has yet to be given a serious theological and methodological