African Religion Essay

Religion'

With regards to the term "religion", it was not until the end of colonialism at the turn of the 20th century that scholars began to use religion to characterize African religion positively. Before then, some terms some terms with clearly negative and demeaning connotations were used by the scholars to refer to African religion constitutes. For example, Tylor, coined the term "animism" in relation to African religions. In the lenses of Tylor African religions was the same in appearance and primitive nature to regard each object as its own soul, creating faith in innumerable spirits in the universe (Johnson, 21)

Related used terms were fetishism, paganism, savage, and paganism among others. The use of these terms by Western anthropologists

Mbiti has taken a step forward in trying to Christianity and Islam must be considered indigenous and traditional religions in Africa, because of their deep historical roots of the continent (223). So powerful is the argument may seem, it is worth noting that the view has not gained acceptance by many researchers. Some researchers, for example, E. Bolaji Intogou, Christopher J. Opuku Ejizu Kofi Asare and others want to keep and use the "traditional" word for the initial experience of the sacred is grown from the African people and the expression of this practical experience through various different ecological and

There is no scientific consensus on his name. On the one hand we have EB Intogou and some other like-minded researchers who argue that it is legitimate to speak of the African traditional religion in the singular (Intogou, 103). For JS Mbiti, however, and some of their counterparts thinkers like B and E. Ray-Ikenga Metuh, there is no basis for such a position. Mbiti argues that the title of the subject should be in the plural African Traditional Religions and not