This document discusses traditional religions and their interaction with Christianity. It notes that colonial missionaries often ignored the religious heritage of local groups and introduced Christianity in a way that reflected Western culture. This has led to reactions against non-indigenous forms of Christianity. It describes characteristics of African traditional religions, comparing them to Christianity. Specifically, it notes that traditional religions are local and myth-based while Christianity is universal and history-based. When Christianity fails to address needs from within traditional systems, it can provoke separatist religious movements.

1. Introduction to Missiology
Ch.21 Traditional Religions

2. An Historic Problem
Colonial Missionaries ignored the religious
heritage of receptor people groups
Christianity was introduced in a form that
reflected western worldview and culture
The long-term result has been reaction
against non-indigenous Christianity
reflected in syncretistic native church
movements

3. Animistic Worldviews
 Animism – beliefs in personal spiritual beings
 Animatism – beliefs in impersonal spiritual
forces
 Primal religion – historic beliefs held by a
people group from their beginning
 Traditional religion – religious beliefs
reflecting traditions passed down through
many generations of a people group. The
most common term.

4. Characteristics of African
Traditional Religion
 There exists a remote High God that does not interact with
man.
 The physical world is charged with spiritual energy that
influences the flow of life.
– This energy is distributed in a “lumpy” way.
 The struggle is constant to balance and appease spiritual
forces to avert disaster and elicit blessing.
– Life often seems out of control.
 Time centers on the past and present.
 The living dead are involved still in the daily affairs of
their village.

5. Diagram
Remote High God
Living Dead Spirits
(impersonalized dead)
Created Spirits
Intermediaries
Realm of humanity and things

6. Compared to Christianity
Traditional religion is local and based on
myth.
Christianity is universal and based on
historic narrative.
Result is contrasting epistemologies
– Esoteric truth claims anchored in myth
– Propositional truth claims anchored in history

7. Culture Clash
When Christianity fails to address felt
needs arising from within the traditional
religious system, circumstances eventually
provoke a separatist movement.
Reactions tend toward independent church
movements with exotic theologies that
reflect traditional religious sensibilities

8. Missiological Implications
Does African traditional religion form the
base upon which to build Christian truth?
When does contextualization become
syncretism?
What is the legitimate role of power
encounters in contextualized Christianity?