Tambaram: the West African Experience

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frieder Ludwig
Keyword(s):  
West African ◽  
The West ◽  
South Africans ◽  
African Christianity ◽  
African Experience ◽  
African Independent Churches ◽  
Independent Churches ◽  
International Setting ◽  
First Time ◽  
International Missionary Council

AbstractTambaram 1938, held near Madras in South India, was the first conference of the International Missionary Council in which a significant number of Africans took part. It offered, therefore, a unique opportunity for the fifteen delegates from the continent. For the first time, West Africans exchanged views with South Africans about African Independent Churches, for the first time, they discussed issues such as the tolerance of polygamy in an international setting. The Africans were impressed by the efforts towards church union in India and by Gandhi's national movement. This article describes the experiences of three of the West African delegates, Alexander Babatunde Akinycle (Nigeria), Moses Odutola Dada (Nigeria) and Christian Goncalves Baeta (Gold Coast/Ghana). Baëta subsequently made a very significant contribution to West African Christianity as a church leader, theologian and academic.

Divine Revelation in West Africa and Central Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 419-435
Author(s):  
Josiah Ulysses Young
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
West African ◽  
Divine Revelation ◽  
Doctrine Of God ◽  
Traditional Religions ◽  
African Independent Churches ◽  
Independent Churches ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
African Traditional Religions

This chapter examines divine revelation in West Africa and Central Africa, with a historical focus on the relation of biblical beliefs to African traditional religions. It discusses the African independent churches, specifically the Église de Jésus-Christ sur la Terre par le Prophète Simon Kimbangu; Vincent Mulago’s essay in Des prêtres noirs s’interrogent (1956); specific essays from the book Biblical Revelation and African Beliefs (1969); and Engelbert Mveng’s book L’Art d’Afrique noire: liturgie cosmique et langage religieux (1964). The chapter also examines the recent scholarship of the Ghanaian theologian Mercy Oduyoye and the Congolese scholars Oscar Bimwenyi-Kweshi and Kä Mana. Regarding the relationship between divine revelation and African traditional religions, it discusses J. B. Danquah’s book The Akan Doctrine of God (1944), the arguments of the Congolese Egyptologist Mubabinge Bilolo, and the West African scholar Ntumba Museka.

West African Languages Congress

1963 ◽  
Vol 6 (03) ◽  
pp. 30-31
Author(s):  
Joseph Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
The United States ◽  
West African ◽  
Financial Assistance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Substantial Portion ◽  
The West ◽  
African Languages ◽  
The Third ◽  
First Time

The Third West African Languages Congress took place in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from March 26 to April 1, 1963. This was the third of the annual meetings of those interested in West African languages sponsored by the West African Languages Survey, previous meetings having been held in Accra (1961) and Dakar (1962). The West African Languages Survey is a Ford Foundation project. Additional financial assistance from UNESCO and other sources contributed materially to the scope and success of the meeting. This meeting was larger than previous ones both in attendance and in number of papers presented and, it may be said, in regard to the scientific level of the papers presented. The official participants, seventy-two in number, came from virtually every country in West Africa, from Western European countries and from the United States. The linguistic theme of the meeting was the syntax of West African languages, and a substantial portion of the papers presented were on this topic. In addition, there was for the first time at these meetings a symposium on the teaching of English, French and African languages in Africa. The papers of this symposium will be published in the forthcoming series of monographs planned as a supplement to the new Journal of West African Languages. The other papers are to appear in the Journal of African Languages edited by Jack Berry of the School of Oriental and African Studies.

scholarly journals Creationist and evolutionist views of South African teachers with different religious affiliations

2016 ◽  
Vol Volume 112 (Number 5/6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèle Stears ◽  
Pierre Clément ◽  
Angela James ◽  
Edith Dempster ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
South African ◽  
School Level ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Acceptance Of Evolution ◽  
African Independent Churches ◽  
Independent Churches ◽  
First Time ◽  
Protestant Denominations ◽  
Generalist Teachers

Abstract Concerns have been raised in the scientific community that many teachers do not accept evolution as a scientific, testable phenomenon, and this is evident in their teaching. The non-acceptance of evolution theory is often heavily influenced by religious groups that endeavour to eliminate evolution from the curriculum. In South Africa, the inclusion of evolution in the curriculum is a recent event. This study focused on teachers’ views of evolution in relation to their religious affiliations. A questionnaire was developed and was validated by the Biohead–Citizen Project, and was then administered to more than 300 South African teachers and student teachers. Equal numbers of pre-service and in-service teachers were sampled. The groups included equal numbers of biology, English, and generalist teachers at primary school level. The results showed differences between teachers from different religions with regard to their views of evolution. Among teachers who identified as agnostic or atheist, 17% held creationist views. Among teachers who identified as Protestant, other Christian, or Muslim, 70% held creationist views. This study also examined, for the first time, the views of teachers belonging to religions not included in previous research. Of these, only 25% of Hindus held creationist views. Fewer adherents of African Independent Churches held creationist views compared with teachers from traditional Protestant denominations; for example, only 30% of Zionist followers and 40% of Shembe followers held creationist views. This study adds important knowledge by including the views of teachers from religions not previously researched.

Different but One? A Regional Application of an Ecumenical/Global Debate

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-85
Author(s):  
Godwin I. Akper
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
West African ◽  
Ethnic Identities ◽  
The West ◽  
The Third ◽  
African Experience ◽  
African Context

AbstractThe essay in the first instance, presents a sample of discussions and views dominant in the ecumenical circles on affirming and living with differences in churches. In the second part, it offers two case studies from West African experience with ethnic identities in churches. The third part applies the dominant views in the ecumenical circles that call for affirmation of differences to the West African church circles. The essay argues and concludes that affirmation of differences in churches is not helpful in the African context.

The Snail-killing Flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) of West Africa

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4483 (1) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
LLOYD V. KNUTSON ◽  
JOHN C. DEEMING ◽  
MARTIN J. EBEJER
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
West Africa ◽  
West African ◽  
The West ◽  
Diagnostic Characters ◽  
Dispersal Routes ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
First Time

A review of the West African “snail-killing flies” or “marsh flies” (Sciomyzidae) shows that the fauna is not as dominated by the generally aquatic, predaceous genus Sepedon as was previously considered. Twenty species in seven genera, including three new species, Colobaea occidentalis, Pteromicra zariae and Sepedonella castanea are recorded. The Holarctic-Oriental genera Colobaea and Pteromicra are documented from Africa south of the Sahara for the first time. Biogeographical analyses based on the discovery of “Palaearctic” genera of Diptera south of the Sahara, faunal connections, and dispersal routes are presented. A key for identification and illustrations of diagnostic characters for some species are included. 

'Broken Calabashes and Covenants of Fruitfulness': Cursing Barrenness in Contemporary African Christianity

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Religions ◽  
The Troubles ◽  
African Christianity ◽  
African Independent Churches ◽  
Independent Churches ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Many

AbstractChildlessness is an issue of deep religious concern in Africa. Men, women and couples with problems of sexuality and childlessness make use not only of the resources of traditional African religions but also of the many Pentecostal/charismatic churches and movements that have burgeoned throughout sub-Saharan Africa in the last three decades. Initially this was the domain of the older African independent churches, as far as the Christian response to childlessness is concerned; the new Pentecostals have taken on the challenge too. Based on the same biblical and traditional worldviews that events have causes, these churches have mounted ritual contexts that wrestle with the issues of sexuality and childlessness. In pursuing this salvific endeavor, however, the needs of those who may never have children seem to have been neglected by the churches considered here and represented by the Pure Fire Miracle Ministries, a Ghana/Nigeria charismatic church located in Ghana. is partial approach to 'healing' childlessness has led to one-sided interpretations of what it means to be fruitful and prosperous and deepened the troubles of the childless.

The Flow of African Spirituality into World Christianity

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-352
Author(s):  
Amuluche-Greg Nnamani
Keyword(s):  
The West ◽  
History Of Christianity ◽  
Traditional Religions ◽  
African Independent Churches ◽  
African Spirituality ◽  
Independent Churches ◽  
History Of ◽  
Christian Worship ◽  
Europe Today ◽  
African Traditional Religions

Much of the spirituality peculiar to African Christians bears traces of the influence of African Traditional Religions (atr). Prayer traditions like incantations, melodious choruses and appeal to spirits, typical of atr, have infiltrated the religious life of African Christians both at home and in Diaspora, amongst Christians in the mainline churches as well as in the African Independent Churches. Though the flow of African spiritual heritage into Christianity happened in the early history of Christianity, it accelerated in the lives of slaves in diaspora in the West Indies, the Americas and Europe. Today, the process continues amongst African migrants fleeing the unbearable political and economic strangulations in Africa; they migrate with their culture and spirituality and impact on Christianity worldwide. It is the intent of this paper therefore to explore how the African mystic sentiment, frenzied excitement and spirit-laden spirituality, which combine the sacred and the secular in practical life, influenced Christian worship and thought down the ages and, in recent times, contributed to the emergence of the Pentecostal and charismatic spirituality.

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