The Religions of Africa

For many centuries the religions of Africa have been called a variety of names. The problem that has arisen with these names is that almost every one of them can and has been deemed as negative, illegitimately ambiguous, or inaccurate. Examples of such names are respectively, Paganism or Heathenism, Fetishism or Animism, and Tribal Religion or African Primal Religion. These examples along with the other negative, illegitimately ambiguous, and inaccurate names coined as attempts to provide a consolidated name for the religions of Africa, all fall under the classification of misnomers of African Religion. Let me first explain the need for a properly consolidated and objective name for African Religion and Philosophy. Next I will explain and comprehensively define Africism, one such title which has been proposed as the sought name. My definition of Africism will be threefold; first in etymological terms, next its nominal definition, and last its real definition.

Over the course of time the religions and philosophies of the African people have become victims of misunderstanding with subjectivism taking an upper hand over objectivism. Therefore even as the misnomers referred to above may have sprung from strong theoretical bases, their largest downfall is that they were all identified on the basis of standards subjective to Eurocentric design and thus cannot truly understand that which they are trying to name. The most important reasons for a comprehensively consolidated name which objectively embodies African religious beliefs, rituals, and philosophies are a need for a better identification and recognition of African religion and Philosophy, and an effort and initiative towards self-determination. Over the last th...

... middle of paper ...

...reat religions" of the world. However, contrary to many people's beliefs, this does not mean that these religions are purely polytheistic either. Furthermore, it is these People who believe these religions to be polytheistic and thus insignificant compared to the monotheistic "great religions", who pose the strongest advocates for the need of the term Africism. As the comprehensive expression of the aboriginal systems of beliefs, rituals, and philosophies of Africa, the name Africism is needed to organize and explain (just as I have used it above) that the religions of Africa are indeed monotheistic, just monotheistic with a polytheistic component. Furthermore, it must be understood that Africism is not based on the western understanding of monotheism, which involves the supernatural existential; it is based on the hierarchical existential described above.