Animism is not limited to small oral societies, but is also found as a component of the major world religions

1. World Religions and Missions
Robert D. Patton
Missionary to Suriname,
South America

2. Animism – the prevailing
worldview of folk religion
 God is creator, but far away and usually not
helpful
 Spirits have control of virtually everything

3. Animism – South American
Indian shaman

4. Animism – the prevailing
worldview of folk religion
 There is mana - undifferentiated impersonal
spiritual power in things.
 It can be “god” or impersonal power, like
electricity
 it can be controlled
 the shaman, witchdoctor, can control this power
 Spirits themselves
 they also can be good or evil
 They can be controlled - but only partially

5. Folk vs. Formal Religion
 Folk religion - a group of persons who
have more direct contact with the
local people, who may not have such a
clear understanding of the theories
involved...
 Animism is closely related to folk
religion
 Virtually every religion has a list of
gods (spirits) in their folk religion

6. Folk religion - small kin-based
 Egalitarianism and holism
 The leader works like everyone else
 The main questions are practical and local in
nature, and focus on the middle level
 In more complex societies, there is often a
mixture of things - formal and folk religion
with a lot of animism.
 The vast majority of people believe in folk
religion
 The issues are power and success

7. Voodoo practice

8. Magic
 Basically amoral, belief that certain
rituals, etc result in what you want
 it is not supplicating a being
 Often homeopathy - like begets like
 .Often contiguity - using someone’s hair, etc.
 .Evil eye - a look may cause damage - thought
out of envy
 .Astrology - sun, moon & stars radiate force that
has influence here
 Medicines - usually no distinction between
physical and spiritual effects

9. Oral societies – magic
 You don’t need to know why it
works, but just that it works
 It is amoral, and can be used for
good or evil
6/4/2013 9Transforming Worldviews

10. Four main issues of folk religion
 Death
 Why and why now?
 How will this affect my family?
 The good life
 .The west will call things an accident, or bad
luck - but most folk want more definitive
answers
 Guidance in the unknown
 The presence of evil

11. Folk vs. Formal Religion
 Folk religion - a group of persons who
have more direct contact with the
local people, who may not have such a
clear understanding of the theories
involved...
 Animism is closely related to folk
religion
 Virtually every religion has a list of
gods (spirits) in their folk religion

12. Characteristics of Folk Religion
 Humans are seen as the center of existence -
and often only that clan is truly human.
 You can abuse others outside the group,
because they are “sub-human”
 All things and activities are interconnected
 No sharp boundaries between the mental and
physical world
 Mind can influence impersonal objects or power

13. Characteristics of Folk Religion
 People deal with what they can
control with science, and what
they cannot with folk religion
 Big offerings for big deities who
may require blood sacrifices.
 The group works often as a unit
 Holistic view of life

14. Characteristics of Folk Religion
 Time is different for different things -
planting, mythical, historical, ritual, etc.
 Land and space are local too
 Conversion is not attempted - can’t
change blood lines and locations
 They are pragmatic - cover the bases,
hoping one will work
 They are not worried about ultimate truth
 You can have conflicting beliefs together

15. Folk vs. Formal Religion
 There is usually a group of highly
trained specialists in “universal
religion” and the sacred books at the
centers of teaching.
 .Formal religion - ultimate truth,
ultimate reality & logical questions at
the top level cosmic reality, destiny of
persons, etc
 .This also has to do with groups of
people and with the individual

16. Characteristics of Folk Religion
 They are focused on power
 They are oral - relational, personal,
immediate.
 Sounds are often important to
make things happen
 No absolute distinction between
human and animal; animate and
inanimate.

17. Worldview – Small oral
societies
 The world is alive with visible and
invisible forces; they have a holistic view
of life, and do not break into categories
 Mother earth – brings forth life in all
forms
 The earth is the lifeblood of the society,
although there is a high god who created
everything
6/4/2013 17Transforming Worldviews

18. Ceremonial dance

19. Oral societies
 All things in the area – village, river,
trees, etc share the same life force
 All live together and interact; all are
inter-related and not apart
 No distinction between natural and
supernatural
 Animals, plants can be related to
humans – totem
6/4/2013 19Transforming Worldviews

20. Oral societies
 Animals, spirits and humans are both
good and evil
 You can placate spirits and they will bless
you, or anger them and they are
vindictive
 There is impersonal power – mana,
magic, medicines, evil eye, etc. energized
by the energy of the universe
6/4/2013 20Transforming Worldviews

21. Oral societies – how to cope
 Some places you can go meditate to
gain spiritual power, but some places
are dangerous (burial sites, etc) and
to be avoided.
 You can learn to use impersonal
power to your advantage through
magic, bonoe, rituals, etc – or go to
shamans, witchdoctors,
6/4/2013 21Transforming Worldviews

22. Oral societies
 Humans are most important –
ancestors, those living, and those not
yet born
 To keep the clan or family going, you
may have to bribe the evil spirits
 Persons are seen not as individuals
but part of an endless stream of the
family. Their well-being is tied into
the family’s well being6/4/2013 22

23. Oral societies
 Ties between generations is more
than just blood-ties – but also spirit
and characteristics – social & spiritual
ties
 Younger generations provide for the
elders by working; the older guide
and bless the younger
6/4/2013 23Transforming Worldviews

24. Ancestors
 The spirit of the deceased needs food,
articles, etc to go to the land of the
dead and show his status, etc.
Otherwise he may be condemned to
stay and haunt the land
 Ancestors are remembered but less and
less. Often they are prayed to for
blessing. Sometimes if you dream of an
ancestor, you need to make special
offerings6/4/2013 24

25. Oral societies
 Unborn – important to hold tribal
lands so that they have something
 Sometimes tribes are extended to
have relationships with animals or
plants – totemism
 Usually group orientation – against
pride, and for humility
6/4/2013 25Transforming Worldviews

26. Oral societies
 Relations are most important in living
 Names may give characteristics to the
child
 Sometimes it is taboo to use a name,
because you call their presence
 Renegotiation of relationships means
that life is always a bit unplanned
6/4/2013 26Transforming Worldviews

27. Oral societies
 Shame – they have let down the group
rather than guilt against a universal
moral law. Reconciliation is very
important.
 The greatest punishment is shunning
and putting out of the group
6/4/2013 27Transforming Worldviews

28. Oral societies
 Fertility is very important
 Rituals are performed to continue
fertility of land, animals, game,
etc.
 Rituals are important for human
fertility, especially at the time of
birth, when they are vulnerable
6/4/2013 28Transforming Worldviews

29. Oral societies
 Earth – where humans, ancestors and
god meet – not a place to be exploited
 Land is important where ancestors and
we live. Although time separates, the
land can draw together – this is where
my ancestor…
 Land belongs to the gods; the families
decide who can use it…
6/4/2013 29Transforming Worldviews

30. Oral societies - Time
 Time – event time, not chronological
time
 They tend to eat to the full when food is
available, and go hungry when it is not
 Time cannot be bought or run out
 The past is not sharply demarcated from
the present – and future also not sharply
demarcated
6/4/2013 30Transforming Worldviews

31. Oral societies
 Proverbs, sayings, “odo”, etc. are
wisdom itself – not supplemental to logic
 Little sense of conversion to our gods,
because they are not in our family
 Emphasis on particularity. People of our
family, tribe = human. Others are sub-
human
 Depend on relational logic, not abstract
6/4/2013 31Transforming Worldviews

32. Tribal shaman in Russia 1908

33. Characteristics of Folk Religion
 Evil spirits can transform into animals or
humans. Mana is transferred to those
who eat him. This may be well part of
cannibalism
 Spirits may be transported great
distances
 Constant fear and need for security

34. South American shaman

35. Folk Religion vs. Christianity
 Catholic - mostly split level,
 Catholicism for church and life rites
 Folk religion for everyday life
 Examples may be in central and
South America

36. Folk Religion vs. Christianity
 Protestant - there was a shift in belief
of angels during the enlightenment so
that they were lumped with God in the
supernatural and separated from the
natural world
 There was a secularization of science
and mystification of religion
 By rejecting the middle, Christianity
became a secularizing force

37. Life cycles in folk religion
 Life cycles give persons worth as they pass
from one stage to another
 Birth, initiation, marriage,death
 Birth is considered important – the person is
given a spirit
 One becomes human when given a name
 May come from ancestral spirit,
 Gift from the spirits, etc.

38. Life cycles…
 All have some sort of initiation rites
when the person becomes fully a
member of the society - often puberty,
not always so
 Give information to become responsible
 Become active members
 Change in status may be a change in name
 Marriage rites are important - often
involving two families
 Readjustment of roles
 Often involves ancestors

39. Funeral rites
 How to respond to the challenge of
death
 Ritualize the separation of the
living from the dead
 Realign social order
 Assign the departed as ancestors
 Some are considered evil spirits
which can wreck havoc on the living

40. Meaning in belonging
 Most people see themselves as linked
in larger kinship groups as their true
identity
 Life can be seen as a linkage from
one generation to another - tie is not
only biological but social and
spiritual as well.

41. Meaning in belonging
 Sins or righteousness of parents can
effect the children.
 This is the primary link, and family
can be called upon at any time to
help each other
 All aunts and uncles are mothers and
fathers; all cousins are brothers and
sisters are linked together

42. Further characteristics
 Totemism - the family is linked to some
animals - or also some plants.
 Usually they will not eat the totem but
work to see that other families have food
 Some land is linked with the gods and
sacred places and the cosmos
 Individuals in the clan don’t own the
land, but have the right to use it

43. Characteristics of Folk Religion
 The center of their location is often viewed
as the center of the universe
 The periphery is also defined and protected
against the onslaught of evil men or spirits
by various rites
 Homes may be important as well and are
more than simply places to dwell
 People are honored as they contribute to
the community by what they do - for
example, shaman, doctor, etc.
 Often people find meaning also in what
they buy

44. Religion gives meaning to
death -
 Formal religion - where is the person
gone
 Forgiveness is important
 Meaning in life is important
 Formal religion - what happens to
people after death?
 .Folk religion - how can we keep
contact with the dead?
 Chinese believe that they must
continue to provide for dead
ancestors, or bad things will happen

45. Religion gives meaning to
death -
 Folk religion - what impacts the
living
 Why did this happen? There
must be a reason – not just
chance
 Why did this happen to us?
 How can we be protected against
these things?

46. Witchdoctors in Africa

47. Shona Africa traditional healer

48. Ancestors in folk religion
 Many believe that ancestors are part
of the living and have influence
depending on whether or not you care
for them properly
 They founded the family
 They live in an area where they can see
spirits, witches, etc and help protect the
family

49. Ancester Worship Paper to
burn with paper money, etc

50. Syncretic religion except…
 Buddhism accommodates all other
religions except, of course, true
Christianity.
 Buddhists can add any god or spirit
to their belief system, as long as
Buddhism is not denounced.
 It becomes very important, then, to
press upon them the exclusivity of
Christ.

51. The Bush-Negro culture has
much witchcraft
 Often the woman when pregnant will
make contact directly with the
witchdoctor. If she has trouble getting
pregnant, she will go sooner
 She may make further contact and do
certain things during the pregnancy

52. Bush-Negro culture
 After delivery: “poeroe da pikin na
doro” – the child is introduced to the
spirits, including dead ancestors, etc
 Marks to protect against the evil eye
 Amulets to protect early in childhood
 Witchcraft for any sickness

53. Bush-Negro culture
 Using
 Amulets around the body
 Wearing jewelry which has been “blessed”
 Burying witchcraft items in the ground near
the house
 Putting things over the door, or on the
path to the garden

54. Bush-Negro culture
 “Washing” to come clean with
witchcraft items, especially New Year
 Using white clay “Pimba doti” over the
body
 Burial ceremonies which have much
witchcraft in them

55. Generational sins - Nehemiah
confesses sins of his fathers
 Nehemiah 9:[16] But they and our
fathers dealt proudly, and hardened
their necks, and hearkened not to thy
commandments,…[34] Neither have our
kings, our princes, our priests, nor our
fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened
unto thy commandments and thy
testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify
against them.

56. Generational sins – Daniel’s
confession
 Daniel 9:[6] Neither have we hearkened unto thy
servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to
our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all
the people of the land.[7] O Lord, righteousness
belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces,
as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are
near, and that are far off, through all the countries
whither thou hast driven them, because of their
trespass that they have trespassed against thee.

57. Generational sins
 This is apparently the basis foe the hold
of the evil spirits on many of our people
in Suriname….
 But this can be broken
 Any oaths
 Any witchcraft
 To the 4th generation – ourselves, parents,
grandparents, and parents of grandparents

58. What we see in our Bush
Negroes in Suriname
 Again – these things effect the children too as they
participate by proxy, or even just because they are
in the family
 They go to a “medicine person” while pregnant
 They “introduce” the child to the spirits of the
ancestors a week after birth
 They put a blue mark on the child to protect against
an “evil eye”
 They tie amulets around the child from birth

59. What we see in Suriname
 They go to a witch doctor with sicknesses
 They wear amulets for protection
 They have family rituals “washing with certain
plants” to help cleanse them from sins
 They rub white clay over their skins
 They have all sorts of ceremonies for the
dead spirits at death, and expect all the
family to participate.

60. Dance ritual Suriname

61. Fire dance – Suriname

62. Prayer – Winti ritual

63. Winti offerings