Afua Kuma’s Prayers and Praises as Evidence of a Vibrant Primal Substructure in African Christianity

Following from the assertion that there exists a symbiosis between Christianity and the Primal Substructure in Africa, this paper sets out to examine Afua Kuma’s Jesus of the Deep Forest using Harold Turner’s six feature analysis of primal religions. It focuses on how Afua Kuma’s poetry builds upon the six features of the primal worldview with her new insights from the Christian faith. The author argues that this is evidence of the vibrant primal substructure in African Christianity. This article thus contributes to the growing body of scholarship on African Christianity and its primal underpinnings and Christianity as a non-Western religion Keywords: Primal Worldview, African Christianity, Apae, Afua Kuma

Book Review: Misi Dalam Pandangan Ekumenikal dan Evangelikal Asia 1910-1961-1991

The background of the research conducted by Richard Siwu stems from the events of the Western colonial period to countries in Asia and Africa. Previously, Siwu wanted to divide this era into two periods: the colonial era and the post-colonial era. The colonial era meant the expansion of western civilization into Africa and Asia. While the post-colonial era where the end of Western domination and the birth of new nations in Africa and Asia. In colonial times, most of the countries in Asia and Africa were colonies of European nations and were politically under the control of the West. Awareness of nationalism only grew when the influence of modernization brought by Western colonialism to Africa and Asia created a form of resistance to the West which eventually gave birth to new countries. At that time there was an assumption that Christianity was a Western religion because it came along with the expansion of the West into Asia and Africa. However, the awareness of nationalism at that time encouraged the churches in Asia in particular to break away from the domination of the Western churches and also indigenize the churches in Asia with a local style. Does the end of colonialism end the mission of the church? The answer is no because from the beginning Christianity was a missionary religion read Matthew 28:19. So, this research will analyze Protestant views in Asia regarding mission from 1910 to 1991. This research shows that after the colonial era they were polarized in two main streams: ecumenical and evangelical.

Ilaje names: an appraisal of Yoruba culture

Naming is an intrinsic aspect of the Yorùbá culture. Beyond identification tags, it also serves as an anchorage to project culture, didactics and the destiny of a name-bearer, particularly in Ìlàjẹ communities of Oǹdó State, Nigeria. Notwithstanding, critics of Yorùbá names have overlooked the deep historicity and culture preservation entrenched into Ìlàjẹ names. This study, therefore, examines Ìlàjẹ names based on their linguistic and religious significance to consolidate the need for culture retention among the Yorùbá. The study employs traditional criticism as a theoretical construct to analyze the primary data, which were indigenous names collected through oral interviews from indigenes of Ìlàjẹ communities. The secondary data comprised of books, journals, internet articles on names. Findings reveal that despite modern civilization and western religion, Ìlàjẹ communities maintain indigenous names which bother on profound Yorùbá culture manifested in the names of their children and their ornate consequence within the broader spectrum of the Yorùbá culture. Ìlàjẹ names were categorized based on association with prominent Yorùbá concepts like destiny, death, religion, metaphysics, morality, children, kinship, social relations and wealth. The study though a contribution to existing knowledge on Yorùbá names is a unique interdisciplinary blend of culture and linguistics of Ìlàjẹ communities.

UTJECAJ RELIGIOZNOSTI I DUHOVNOSTI NA SVAKODNEVNU PRAKSU SOCIJALNIH RADNIKA

THE IMPACT OF RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY ON SOCIAL WORKERS’ DAILY PRACTICE Although social work can trace the roots of its establishment as a profession to religion/spirituality, the relationship between social work and religion/spirituality has deteriorated due to the former’s professionalisation and secularisation. Nevertheless, religious/spiritual values are important for many social work services and for the practice of the profession. It is, hence, worth demarcating the role of religion/spirituality for frontline social workers. In the current qualitative study, repeated interviews were conducted with 11 Chinese social workers from diverse social work settings. It was noted that Eastern and Western religion/spirituality can instilmeaning and value in the profession’s nature.

Orthodox Christians in Uganda: Social and Cultural Processes in African Christian Communities

The paper outlines a brief history of the advancement of Orthodox Christianity and Old Belief in Uganda. It also characterizes Orthodox Christianity (and Old Belief) for the followers as a true, “non-Western” religion. It is explained by two factors: the cultural differences specific to precolonial Africa and the new features rooted after the introduction of Western culture. Relying on the study findings, the authors demonstrate the importance of studying the Orthodox cultural legacy in Africa for a better understanding of its future course of development.