Traditional Religion Research Articles

A sociotheological interpretation of Genesis 50:25 in a Zimbabwean context

Migration to foreign lands is as old as the biblical stories of Abraham leaving his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans to go to a land that God was to show him. Concomitant with migration, however, is the possibility of death in the new habitat and oftentimes important decisions are made on how to fund the funerals. In the case of Zimbabwean diasporas, this has seen the rise in popularity of funeral insurance companies such as Diaspora Insurance and the GoFundMe initiatives. While the issue of funding funerals appears to be the primary thing that people are seized with when a funeral strikes, the most salient aspects would be issues of religion and culture. This article endeavours to show how, despite the challenging economic environment, the costly repatriation of dead relatives can best be appreciated through a sociotheological interpretation of Genesis 50:25. In other words, Genesis 50:25 can be used as a mirror to understand the value people place on issues of religion and culture. It is thus my argument that the religious background of the actors as well as their socio-cultural setting are critical in making important decisions regarding the place of interment as well as influencing the funding logistics to take the corpse to the desired resting place.Contribution: As the death toll continues to rise of diasporas who would have gone offshore in search of a reprieve from the economic challenges that have become almost an indelible mark of Zimbabwe, issues around the values of traditional religion and culture continue to come to the fore. This research adds a voice to the ongoing religious and political dialogue in Zimbabwe in so far as it seeks to explain and understand the underlying reasons behind the costly repatriation of deceased relatives through a sociotheological reading of Genesis 50:25.

Religious hydro-healing and medical hydrotherapy: Links, benefits, contrasts and challenges

here seems to be some recognition of the relevance of dihydrogen oxide (water) in many spheres. Among others, literature in poetry, religious texts and medical science, address the value of water in emotional, physical and psychological healings. To understudy how religion, spirituality and medical science connect and contrast in domesticating water for healing purposes, this article undertook literary research on religious and medical hydro-healings in Christianity, African and Native American traditional religions, and medical science. It presented links, benefits, challenges and contrasts between spiritual healing and medical water therapy as well as inter-religious connections. Based on the literature, the article discovered that spiritual hydro-healing is spiritual, instantaneous and non-scientific, but medical hydrotherapy is organic, naturopathic, gradual and scientific or logical. On the positive side, the article found that indigenous spiritual knowledge is a key motivating factor in the popularity of hydro-healing practices. Whereas, on the negative, it observed the danger of the grey areas of spiritual hydro-healings which include, but are not limited to, unethical practices, commercialisation of healing waters, addiction, river baptism mortality and the quest for instantaneous hydro-healing leading to health hazards and death.Contribution: The article concluded with an urgent call to stakeholders to pay attention to the hydro-healing practices that can compromise public health and safety.

Artificial Canon

Widespread concern over threats that pose an existential risk to the entire human species has provoked increasing attention and commitment to religious views of digital technology. These apocalyptic expectations of a glorious new digital world draw on American Christianity and play a visible role in tech culture and public life. The reshaping of traditional religions into new, but parallel, technological religions is characterized by a triple transformation of humanity into machines, machines into gods, and the universe into a cosmic and cosmically meaningful computer.

Sacred Naturalism and Cosmic Unity: Seeking Harmony in the Midst of Chaos

Abstract This article argues for a version of sacred naturalism within the framework of a processual metaphysics that characterizes the cosmos as an interplay between Chaos (disunity) and Logos (unity). I argue that although creativity is highly valuable from the perspective of life and humanity, at a cosmic scale it is overshadowed by the universal tendencies toward conservation and destruction. Within this metaphysical picture I develop a naturalist notion of the sacred as a phenomenological object inspiring particularly intense feelings of inner harmony but functioning eudaemonically to strengthen mind, body, and soul against forms of Chaos, whether anomie, stress, or personal conflict. After developing some criteria for a sacred but immanent meta-unity in contrast to the transcendental unities of traditional religion, I describe how the unity of the cosmos might be experienced as a sacred object by emphasizing its heterarchical, aesthetic and life-affirming dimensions.

Okot p’Bitek’s case against traditional African theism

In this article, I locate Okot p’Bitek’s evaluation of African traditional religion and his critique of the traditional African theistic stance in the broader African limited God tradition. I argue that while p’Bitek’s claim is plausible that traditional African societies do not believe in a supreme being that possesses the omni-properties in the context of commitment to the limitation thesis, the other claim, that these societies are atheistic because they merely acknowledge the reality of mystical forces and powers rather than God or gods, constitutes a hasty, unsustainable generalisation. Adopting the method of philosophical exposition and argumentation, I point out that in purporting to make a cultural statement in favour of atheism, p’Bitek fails to reckon with the existence of two culturally rooted but conflicting views of God in African traditional religion and traditional African thought. One view endorses traditional theism while the other, for the most part, proposes that God is limited in power, knowledge and goodness. I argue that both views are damaging to p’Bitek’s second claim.

Cultural Conflicts In Christian Conversion: The Talensi Perspective

This paper focuses on the conflicts between the Christian faith and African traditional religion with particular reference to the Talensi of northern Ghana. It examines the religious and cultural experiences of Talensi Christian converts. Through interviews and participation of participants, the study set out to examine the phenomenon of religious conversion and Christian expression among the Talensi. African scholars believe that whenever a new religion comes into contact with African cultures there is always conflict. Christian evangelization involves the propagation of the Christian faith and the establishment of churches. The study revealed that wherever the gospel is proclaimed, it engages local cultures, and the result has always been conflict or accommodation. Critical to this encounter is the way the new faith is propagated and appropriated in the traditional society. The study concludes that since African traditional religion is part of the African ethos, an understanding of it should be considered in Christian evangelization. Ignoring the traditional beliefs, attitudes and practices of traditional people has implications for the way the Christian faith can be transmitted, accepted and appropriated in traditional societies. For Christianity to gain deep roots in traditional contexts such as the Talensi, the study recommends that proper bridges be built between the Christian faith and traditional cultures. Keywords: Culture, Gospel, Evangelization, Conversion, Syncretism, Discipleship.

The interplay of Christianity and Ndau African traditional religion in shaping climate change adaptation in Zimbabwe: An Afrocentric analysis

AbstractThis paper utilizes Afrocentric tenets to explore how the Ndau people's shift from African traditional religion to Christianity affects their understanding and experience of climate change. Set against recent climate‐induced disasters in Chimanimani, the study employs Afrocentric qualitative methods, including talking cycles and philosophical sagacity interviews, to gather data from household heads and village leaders. Findings indicate that traditional religious practices significantly influenced rainfall patterns and disease control, impacting agriculture. The transition to Christianity has markedly altered the community's climate change adaptation strategies. Despite this shift, Christianity has provided benefits, aiding communities in coping with droughts, death, property destruction, livelihood disruption, and climate change‐induced diseases. This study contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 13, emphasizing the importance of understanding society's social rubric to combat climate change. By employing Afrocentric lenses to analyze the Ndau people's historical and cultural narratives, it offers a unique perspective on religious evolution and climate adaptation.

Spatiotemporal topology of religious spread in a multi‐religious metropolis: A historical religious profile of Taipei City in Taiwan from 1660 to 2020

AbstractReligious identities play an important role in shaping migrants' experiences. Understanding the spatiotemporal distribution of religions enhances our knowledge of both religious expansion and religious cultures. This paper aims to leverage spatiotemporal analysis to characterise the topology of the spread of multiple religions in the Taipei metropolitan area from 1660 to 2020, including Folk Taoism (853 temples/altars, 55.39%), Christianity (306 churches, 19.87%) and Buddhism (332 temples, 21.56%). Three major factors affecting religious distribution are considered: the year of establishment of religious units (churches, temples or altars), the reclamation year of religious locations, and the economic index of religious sites. The results show that Folk Taoism and Buddhism have a long history of development in early reclamation regions with a hopping expansion pattern. However, Christianity expanded later in the later reclaimed and early reclaimed areas. The Christian religious units have highly concentrated spatial patterns and are located in the higher‐income districts, centralised in the core regions of the Taipei metropolis. Modern forms of highly institutionalised religion, such as Buddhism and Christianity, are more prevalent in the relatively higher‐income, later‐cultivated areas, which provide richer social resources for development. Folk Taoism, as a traditional religion, is maintained and developed by local communities. This macroscopic analysis helps to (1) identify the exact chronology of different growth waves and explain them in a historical context, and (2) elucidate the spatial distribution differences between institutionalised religions and folk religion. Our research shows the evolution of religious landscapes from an undeveloped city to a developed city, offering valuable insights for geographical and religious studies, and enhancing understanding of diffused and institutionalised religious expansion.

This Is the Sacrifice: Language, Ideology and Religious Identity Performance in Erei Personal Names

This paper examines personal names derived from traditional religious beliefs and practices among the Erei people in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State in South-South, Nigeria while utilising insights from the multidisciplinary inferences of socio-onomastic theory to account for the cultural, social and situational contexts that create the religious content of the names. Data were obtained by means of participant observation and semi-structured interviews during six months of fieldwork involving 40 participants who were the name-givers, name-bearers and name-users. Our findings highlight the socio-onomastic tradition of Erei people in which personal names are bestowed through a conscious application of symbolic linguistic resources to express and perform ideologies and identities that are rooted in the traditional religion’s foundations and sociocultural practices that represent Erei people’s indigenous beliefs system and spiritual worldview. Focused on the ideals of African traditional religion, religious identities are constructed through the use of personal names related to idol worship, the mysteries of death, reincarnation and commemoration, cultural festivals and performances, symbolic objects, familial rankings and other aspects derived from their environment that also bear traditional religious significance. And because this set of personal names is now predominant among the ageing population and is losing contemporaneity due to an increasing subpopulation with a new (Christian) beliefs system, this study serves to preserve a transiting and endangered Erei socio-onomastic practice that represents the people’s traditional cosmology.

Catholic Sacraments of Initiation and Religious/Spiritual Pathways to Well-Being in Emerging Adulthood: Longitudinal Evidence from the United States

Recent evidence suggests that participation in Catholic sacramental life has declined over the last few decades, which indicates diminished fidelity to significant elements of the faith. Against this backdrop, this study draws on nationally representative longitudinal data from the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) to test for an association between receipt of two Sacraments of Initiation in the Catholic faith (First Eucharist, Confirmation) in adolescence and well-being several years later in emerging adulthood. Results from structural equation models (SEM) of 308 Catholics suggests that receiving First Eucharist was associated with lower depression and better self-rated health in emerging adulthood. No such association was observed for receiving the sacrament of Confirmation. The association between First Eucharist and well-being was mediated by more frequent attendance, higher religious salience, and greater perceived closeness to God. This is the first study to examine the link between receiving two Catholic Sacraments of Initiation and well-being using national longitudinal data, representing an important extension of traditional religion and health research which has, until now, excluded the role of the sacraments. We discuss the sociological and pastoral implications of our findings for the Catholic faith in the context of a changing society.

Network technologies as a tool for self-presentation of small religious groups (the case of Buddhism new for Russia)

This article analyses the results of a long-term study of the strategies of the Russian-speaking Buddhist community in relation to the Internet and new media. The authors present the results of a study of two cases of Buddhist digital innovators - communities of the Russian-speaking branch of the International Dzogchen Community and Russian Theravada. The authors chose these two cases for analysis, since they are representative for the sociological consideration of the multidimensional connections between online and offline communications of Russian digital Buddhism. The subject of the study seems to be especially relevant, since in modern sociology more and more attention is paid to the study of the influence of media technologies, the Internet and social media on religious traditions, practices and forms of social organisation of religion. The reason for this is the deepening process of mediatisation of modern societies. It has brought with it fundamental transformations of various spheres of social activity. Religions are involved in the process of mediatisation, that poses a number of serious questions that require new answers unknown to their traditions. Thus, the digitalisation of sacred texts brings with it the devaluation of the tradition of canonical knowledge and interpretation of sacred texts. In this complex context of reformatting social reality, Russian traditional religions are developing their own reflections and responses to the risks of mediatisation. On the Russian-language Internet, Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism are represented by a rich variety of websites of the corresponding religious communities and centres of various trends, podcasts, channels, publics, groups and blogs on social networks. And, as the results of sociological research demonstrate, the discussion of the correlation of the value-normative coordinates of everyday life with religious-doctrinal regulation serves as the semantic core of trans-local religious communications mediated by media. New digital media challenge religious traditional values, since they provide space and ways of forming new religious authorities, new ways of influencing a certain religious group. The study was conducted using a methodology developed by the authors, combining methods of mathematical modelling and qualitative sociology. The authors conclude that, paradoxically, non-traditional Buddhist organisations in Russia have adopted an innovative strategy and have proven to be very creative in attracting new media and promoting their own presentations in the public space. And the directions of Buddhism that have been institutionalised in the past 30 years, on the contrary, are conservative.

Eschatology of the Singularity: “Deus ex machina” in the Construction of Film Images of the Future

The mixed assessment by critics and theorists of the deus ex machina artistic device common in popular cinema requires a more thorough study of its dramatic and narrative functions in science fiction films. It is in the construction of film images of the future that this technique is combined with a fantastic assumption, expressing the narrator’s attitude towards artistic narration and becoming an argument in dialogue with the viewer. The study reveals, based on the analysis of empirical material, the multifunctionality of deus ex machina using the example of the development of the theme of technological singularity in cinema. The analysis of films significant for the development of the science fiction (Sci-Fi) genre and the most popular television series among science fiction fans today demonstrates the evolution of the deus ex machina technique. In addition to the trivial function of arbitrary resolution of peripeteia, it acquires various dramatic functions (accelerating or slowing down the rhythm of action, connecting parts of the plot in a large form), obtains the properties of scaling and fragmentation, synchrony and asynchrony with a fantastic assumption, adding complex narrative functions to the toolkit of expressive means, through which the narrator reveals or, on the contrary, conceals his attitude to artistic reality, involving the viewer into the game of probable meanings. The authors of the article come to the conclusion that the theme of technological singularity has been penetrating cinema since its appearance in the work of L. Lumiere and determines, depending on the narrator’s attitude to the topic, the vector of techno-skepticism or techno-optimism in the eschatological dilemma that characterizes the cosmogony of traditional religions. The article is of interest to researchers and film lovers and contributes to the study of artistic and scientific communication.

Women, Leadership, and Ordination in the Anglican Church in Nigeria

Paul’s injunction in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 has often been used to restrict women from holding certain leadership positions in the Church. This paper examines 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 in light of the female ordination debate in the Anglican Church in Nigeria. Through an exegetical study of the text, Paul’s perspective on women is demystified. To understand the place of women in the Church using scriptural texts, this article examines the perspectives of egalitarian theory, complemen­tar­ian theory, and liberation theology. The latter is included because it aims at interpreting biblical texts in a liberational way — Scripture is meant to deliver humans from all kinds of bondage and not to enslave. Exegesis is accompanyied by an examination of leadership roles of women in Igbo Traditional Religion, in which women are recognized as priestesses. The place of women in leadership in Igbo Traditional religion is pertinent to this work. Biblical texts are necessarily interpreted from the perspectives of human experience — including African women’s experiences. This article discovers through exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 14:26–40 that Paul was correcting a problem in the Corinthian church rather than hindering women from participating in the worship service or serving as leaders in the church. The Church should thus stop using the text to silence women or restrict them from holding certain leadership positions.

Василий Розанов: богоискательство как трагедия

Religion is the dominant aspect of Rozanov’s creativity. The main topics of Rozanov’s spiritual search include: God, the world and man are focused around this dominant. The peculiarity of this topics is the explication of intuition of a single whole. This intuition was realized by means of symbols that belong to the world of traditional religions. Rozanov’s creativity actualizes the opportunity of vision of religion as a phenomenon despite the prevalence of images of material things in his texts. This vision is based on a metaphysical foundation of suggestions, examined in the work “On Understanding”, where he understands religion as a temporal undetermined phenomenon. Contact with the world of religion allows us to explicate the human spirit as unity. Rozanov’s vision moves from a description of religion as unity to the description of single images of paganism, Judaism and the Christianity. Rozanov emphasizes this particular content, but his search is inspired by the doctrine of religion as having a certain potency. The realization of this certain potency is the historical development of religions, that conditions the occurrence of new religion in a cultural vacuum, and appears after the distraction of Christianity. The presentiment of metaphysical emptiness is the culmination of Rozanov’s search for God and at the same time the tragedy. Rozanov conceptualizes this intention as the absolutisation of particular things. The transparency of the religious search and the concentration on religion itself makes Rozanov’s position in some aspects close to the narrative of the classic phenomenology of religion. We study the creativity of Rozanov by means of historical-philosophical reconstruction, using elements of hermeneutic analysis.

Exploring the Role of Spirituality in Healing: A Case Study of Patients at Bekwai Municipal Hospital, Bekwai, Ghana

Spirituality and its relationship to health and healing has been a topic of interest across cultures and religious traditions. While spirituality is a broad concept, for many it involves a connection to a higher power or search for meaning and purpose. This study explored the role of spirituality in the healing process from the perspective of patients receiving care at Bekwai Municipal Hospital, Bekwai, Ghana. A mixed method approach was used, incorporating the administering of questionnaires and interviews with 58 patients from various religious and spiritual backgrounds, including Christianity, Islam, African Traditional Religion, and non-religious beliefs. The results showed high levels of spirituality among patients, with most engaging in spiritual or religious practices like prayer, meditation, and music to cope with illness. The study furthermore showed that the majority believed these practices positively contributed to their healing process. From the study, it was also established that while definitions of spirituality varied, common themes of inner peace, transcendence, and connection to a higher power emerged. Furthermore, it was noted that both religious and non-religious patients described drawing strength and meaning from their spiritual worldviews. Healthcare staff also acknowledged the importance of addressing patients’ spiritual needs. This study provides insights into how spirituality is a significant part of the healing experience for many patients in Ghana. By exploring diverse spiritual and religious perspectives, this study highlights opportunities for more holistic and culturally sensitive care that meets patients’ spiritual as well as medical needs. Further research could continue investigating the mechanisms through which spirituality may support health and well-being. Keywords: Religion, Spirituality, Patients, Healing

Growing a Healthy Church: A Theological Reflection on Disability Inclusivity in Ghana

The interplay of medical, social, cultural and religious factors has led to stigma and marginalization of people with disabilities (PWDs) in the Ghanaian context. Observable church beliefs and practices render the relations between so-called abled-bodied people and people with disabilities (PWDs) as an ‘us and them’ relationship. Ironically, the church is supposed to be a place of welcome, restoration and integration. However, with its emphasis on ‘healing before integration,’ the church space has become a place of exclusion for many PWDs. The study argues that the various ways of modelling disability, and the contemporary Ghanaian Christian response to disability are inadequate and lead to the exclusion of PWDs. The study being a qualitative one used both primary and secondary sources. Observations were made at traditional healing centres and healing and revival church services of some churches in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area (KMA) where PWDs were present. Also, journal articles, books, unpublished dissertations, and church documents on the subject matter were consulted. The study points to the fact that a disability-friendly theology must be constructed in order to guide the church to be disability inclusive and hence engender full participation of PWDs in the various ministries of the church in Ghana. The study recommends ways of constructing a disability-inclusive theology in view of the intersection between Akan traditional religion and contemporary Christian response to disability. This article seeks to contribute to the debate on disability inclusivity in the contemporary Ghanaian church, focusing on its importance in promoting comprehensive healing and inclusion for PWDs. Keywords: PWDs (Persons With Disability), Pentecostalism/neo-Pentecostalism, Exclusivity, Inclusivity, Theology of Disabilty.

Examining the Concept of Reincarnation in African Indigenous Religion Through the Lens of Pentecostal Eschatology

Reincarnation is the belief in ongoing birth and rebirth. The philosophy of African Traditional Religion centres on birth and rebirth, where previous life quality affects both. Infants are seen as resemble deceased grandparents, implying they may be reincarnated. This interpretation assumes that the departed ancestor lived a morally virtuous life and died at an advanced age to qualify for reincarnation in the family lineage. Conversely, a family member is hesitant to associate with someone who has lived a morally repugnant life. The aforementioned intellectual construct is related to Christian eschatology. Thus, eschatology and reincarnation must be thoroughly examined. This paper explains the similarities between African Traditional Religion and Pentecostal eschatology and sheds light on African philosophy. This study examines reincarnation in African indigenous religion through Pentecostal eschatology. The relationship between these two belief systems is examined to determine their similarities, differences, and potential effects on religious understanding and practices. The study employed a qualitative methodology, strictly descriptive analytical perspective and concludes that African indigenous religion and Pentecostal eschatology affect people's beliefs about the afterlife and spirituality. The study further shed light on religious syncretism, amalgamation, and how multiple belief systems interact within African spirituality.

I believe in water: A religious perspective on rain and rainmakers

Water has always played a significant role in religions. This contribution seeks to investigate comparatively the figure of the rainmaker as presented in Traditional African religions and biblical texts. The phenomenon of the rainmaker is at the centre of this investigation. In Traditional African religions, the rainmaker is not only a figure controlling rain but also has a substantial social standing. In biblical texts, the rainmaker (of which Samuel and Elijah can be considered as examples), functions more like a prophet without an elite social and political status. Despite the differences in the status of the rainmaker among Traditional African religions and biblical texts, both traditions make it abundantly clear that rain originates with God. God sends or withholds the rain. The figure of the rainmaker as a social leader can today contribute to instilling a sense of using water responsibly and guiding communities in considering climate action to ensure sustainable living on land and water. A sense of concern over the responsible use of water will bind communities together. In this way, water can be a binding factor and stimulating topic-enhancing interreligious dialogue.Contribution: This contribution is a comparative study of the phenomenon of the rainmaker as presented in Traditional African religions and biblical texts. It aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, number 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation); number 13 (Climate Action) and number 15 (Life on Land).

African Traditional Religion in Isuokoma, Nigeria: Focus on Tenets and the Role of Spirits

African Traditional Religion in Isuokoma, Nigeria: Focus on Tenets and the Role of Spirits

The Debate between Cleanthes and Philo Regarding the First Illustrative Analogy in Part 3 of Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion

ABSTRACT In this article, I examine one of the most famous and controversial illustrative analogies in all philosophical literature—the Articulate Voice speaking from the clouds—which is presented by Cleanthes in Part 3 of David Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Cleanthes holds that this illustration will unprejudice Philo’s mind to the point where the latter will accept the analogical Argument from Design, which Cleanthes presents in Part 2 of the Dialogues. Since Philo offers no direct reply to this illustrative analogy in Part 3, I attempt to locate where, in the Dialogues, he assesses the Articulate Voice illustration. My critical assessment reveals that it is Hume’s/Philo’s considered position in Part 12 that the Articulate Voice fails to strengthen Cleanthes’ position regarding the analogical Design Argument. In Part 3, Cleanthes also makes reference to a natural or irregular argument for inferring an intelligent cause for the Voice heard from the clouds, and for the design of the world. I argue that in Part 12, Philo accepts the natural or irregular argument for the inference to an intelligent cause for the design of the world, but rejects this type of argument in the case of the Articulate Voice heard from the clouds.