Reconciling the Supernatural Worldviews of the Bible, African Traditional Religion, and African Christianity

Christian interactions with the spirit world of African traditional religion (ATR) remain problematic because Christian missionaries have not adequately come to terms with the spiritual realm of ATR and the supernatural worldview of the Bible. In this article I propose a way beyond this impasse. I o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Moscicke, Hans 1985- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: University of South Africa [2017]
In: Missionalia
Year: 2017, Volume: 45, Issue: 2, Pages: 127-143
IxTheo Classification:BS Traditional African religions
CC Christianity and Non-Christian religion; Inter-religious relations
HA Bible
KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity
KBN Sub-Saharan Africa
NBH Angelology; demonology
Further subjects:B Demonology
B African Traditional Religion
B Biblical cosmology
B Early Christianity
B the spiritual realm
B BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
B African Theology
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Description
Summary:Christian interactions with the spirit world of African traditional religion (ATR) remain problematic because Christian missionaries have not adequately come to terms with the spiritual realm of ATR and the supernatural worldview of the Bible. In this article I propose a way beyond this impasse. I overview the cosmology and spirit world of ATR and African Christianity's variegated responses to these traditional beliefs. Having critiqued these responses, I survey the supernatural worldview of Scripture and its mythological narratives concerning the spiritual realm. I suggest that a responsible retrieval of these scriptural phenomena can help theologians reconcile the spirit world of ATR within a biblically-informed African theology, thereby yielding new pathways for the inculturation of Christianity in the African context.
ISSN:2312-878X
Contains:Enthalten in: Missionalia
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.7832/45-2-162