非洲传统宗教
非洲传统宗教(英语:Africa traditional religion,法语:Religions traditionnelles africaines,阿拉伯语:الديانات الأفريقية التقليدية),泛称非洲大陆上除伊斯兰教、基督教等外来宗教,原生于非洲的当地宗教信仰[1]。
社会结构
非洲传统宗教影响当地社会甚深,透过宗教产生许多和宗教相关的社会阶级,如司祭、占卜者等,这些产生于神权的社会阶级,承担沟通人间和神灵的责任,因此地位崇高。也由于非洲传统宗教大多重视祭祀,尤其是活体献祭,因此产生许多献祭活体动物的仪式,由于他们认为鲜血是乘载生命的载体,因此传统仪式上许多都和血有关,例如放血行为[2]。这些仪式构成信仰传统宗教者生活中一大重要部分[3]。
神学元素
同时包含多神论和一神论的元素:传统非洲人相信宇宙有一位至高无上的真神,代表一切的真理,也掌握人类终极的命运,但是这位神和人类距离遥远,真正需要借由祭拜来改善生活的,反而是生活周遭的精灵、神明和祖灵等,而精灵、神明和祖灵在非洲人眼中,其特性就和人类一般,得以借由沟通来改变祂们的想法[2]。正如前面所述,活体献祭正是取悦众神、使他们降福的手段。而因为非洲人相信宇宙有至高无上的真神,这也是伊斯兰或基督宗教等一神信仰进入非洲后,非洲人得以快速接受并大量信仰的原因之一。
注释
参考文献
- Information presented here was gleaned from World Eras Encyclopaedia, Volume 10, edited by Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure (New York: Thomson-Gale, 2003), in particular pp. 275–314.
- Baldick, J (1997) Black God: The Afroasiatic Roots of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Religions. New York: Syracuse University Press.
- Doumbia, A. & Doumbia, N (2004) The Way of the Elders: West African Spirituality & Tradition. Saint Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
- Ehret, Christopher, (2002) The Civilizations of Africa: a History to 1800 (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆). Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia.
- Ehret, Christopher, An African Classical Age: Eastern and Southern Africa in World History, 1000 B.C. to A.D. 400, page 159, University of Virginia Press, ISBN 0-8139-2057-4
- Karade, B (1994) The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts. York Beach, MA: Samuel Weiser Inc.
- P'Bitek, Okot. African Religions and Western Scholarship. Kampala: East African Literature Bureau, 1970.
- Princeton Online, History of Africa
- Wiredu, Kwasi Toward Decolonizing African Philosophy And Religion in African Studies Quarterly, The Online Journal for African Studies, Volume 1, Issue 4, 1998
外部链接
- African Comparative Belief
- Afrika world.netA website with extensive links and information about traditional African religions
- Baba Alawoye.com (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) Baba'Awo Awoyinfa Ifaloju, showcasing Ifa using web media 2.0 (blogs, podcasting, video & photocasting)[失效链接]
- culture-exchange.blog/animism-modern-africa (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) An article explaining the parallels between traditional and modern religious practices in Africa