Foreign influences on the idea of God in African religion: some remarks on a great problem

Authors

• Olof Pettersson

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67031

Keywords:

Syncretism, Africa, God (African religion), Christianity, Islam, Missions -- Africa, Christianity and African religions, Islam and African religions, Religions -- Relations, Colonization, Gods and goddesses, African

Abstract

The study of primitive peoples has often neglected influences from the environments. The sociologists and the anthropologists regard the influence as a concrete fact that is taken in account with regard to the behaviour. They have—as a rule—no interest in studying the historical development. They take facts as they meet them in life. Studying African religions we must bear in mind that the influences of missions, for example Christian and Muslim, are clear among many of the African peoples. Therefore a study of foreign influences upon African religions is necessary in order to provide an analysis and an understanding of the contemporary religious situation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of foreign religions on the God-idea in order to see if the Christian or Muslim ideas of God are reflected in the indigenous religions of Africa.