Pula Press , 2002 - Botswana - 459 pages. A submission on the components of African philosophy and sense of time. For sacred Scripture is the word of God inasmuch as it is consigned to writing under the inspiration of the divine Spirit. 19-30), lists rituals, sacred places, art and symbol, proverbs, names, myths and customs and then mentions Africa south of the Saharah where, even among converts to Islam or Christianity, may be found elements of traditional African spirituality. Roman Catholics put a great deal of emphasis on their, so-called, sacred tradition which the Roman Catholic church asserts is equal to Scripture. I don't want to get bogged down in all that business though. These oldest religions of the world,have had their history and traditions handed down orally and preserved in the culture and religious artifacts of the African people. African traditional religions are difficult to research, as there is an absence of scriptures or the written word. For example, in 14 of the 19 countries surveyed, more than three-in-ten people say they sometimes consult traditional healers when someone in their household is sick. Many of the World Religions are more known than ATR in many parts of Africa (Adedeji, 2012). Religious texts are texts related to a religious tradition. From inside the book . In traditional African societies, nature was regarded as a gift by a supreme Creator God for the benefit of humanity who believed that mankind was created at the centre of the universe. 59 – 73. To efficiently study the African Traditional Religion (ATR), one must also study the people who practice this religion. New York, 1991. Of course, a lot of people from other parts of the world like and often buy the traditional outfits from Africa. ... African traditional religions also place great importance on the community. Baha'i Library Online. ATR is the original religious belief and practice of the Africans. The semisacred books that were excluded were labeled by Christians the Apocrypha (Greek: “Hidden Away”). For Shiite Muslims the Nahjul Balagha is a sacred scripture second only to the Qur'an. Traditional African concepts of reality and destiny are deeply rooted in the spirit world. No longer was reference made to African culture, it became barbarism. For example, an African amulet might have inside of it a written verse from either the Koran or Christian Bible. Mernissi, Fatima. AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION: ITS RELEVANCE IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD A few years ago Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia wrote these revealing words: The coming of Christianity had a complex effect on the African world view, partly disrupting and pardy enlarging it. African Traditional Religion is not essentially idolatrous, but it has a tendency to become so if the cult and the symbols of the divinities are so emphasized as to exclude the Supreme Being. 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