非洲傳統宗教
社會結構
非洲傳統宗教影響當地社會甚深,透過宗教產生許多和宗教相關的社會階級,如司祭、占卜者等,這些產生於神權的社會階級,承擔溝通人間和神靈的責任,因此地位崇高。也由於非洲傳統宗教大多重視祭祀,尤其是活體獻祭,因此產生許多獻祭活體動物的儀式,由於他們認為鮮血是乘載生命的載體,因此傳統儀式上許多都和血有關,例如放血行為[2]。這些儀式構成信仰傳統宗教者生活中一大重要部分[3]。
神學元素
同時包含多神論和一神論的元素:傳統非洲人相信宇宙有一位至高無上的真神,代表一切的真理,也掌握人類終極的命運,但是這位神和人類距離遙遠,真正需要藉由祭拜來改善生活的,反而是生活周遭的精靈、神明和祖靈等,而精靈、神明和祖靈在非洲人眼中,其特性就和人類一般,得以藉由溝通來改變祂們的想法[4]。正如前面所述,活體獻祭正是取悅眾神、使他們降福的手段。而因為非洲人相信宇宙有至高無上的真神,這也是伊斯蘭或基督宗教等一神信仰進入非洲後,非洲人得以快速接受並大量信仰的原因之一。
參考文獻
- Information presented here was gleaned from World Eras Encyclopaedia, Volume 10, edited by Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure (New York: Thomson-Gale, 2003), in particular pp. 275–314.
- Baldick, J (1997) Black God: The Afroasiatic Roots of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Religions. New York: Syracuse University Press.
- Doumbia, A. & Doumbia, N (2004) The Way of the Elders: West African Spirituality & Tradition. Saint Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
- Ehret, Christopher, (2002) The Civilizations of Africa: a History to 1800. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia.
- Ehret, Christopher, An African Classical Age: Eastern and Southern Africa in World History, 1000 B.C. to A.D. 400, page 159, University of Virginia Press, ISBN 0-8139-2057-4
- Karade, B (1994) The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts. York Beach, MA: Samuel Weiser Inc.
- P'Bitek, Okot. African Religions and Western Scholarship. Kampala: East African Literature Bureau, 1970.
- Princeton Online, History of Africa
- Wiredu, Kwasi Toward Decolonizing African Philosophy And Religion in African Studies Quarterly, The Online Journal for African Studies, Volume 1, Issue 4, 1998
外部連結
维基语录上的相关摘錄: 非洲傳統宗教 |
- African Comparative Belief
- Afrika world.netA website with extensive links and information about traditional African religions
- Baba Alawoye.com 页面存档备份,存于 Baba'Awo Awoyinfa Ifaloju, showcasing Ifa using web media 2.0 (blogs, podcasting, video & photocasting)
- culture-exchange.blog/animism-modern-africa An article explaining the parallels between traditional and modern religious practices in Africa
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