Religious practitioners should therefore be self-critical and maintain a critical stance towards socio-political and economic institutions. Christianity arrived in Africa in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, making these Christian communities some of the earliest in the world. Among the Olulumo people, for example, a rich person is called efang-ane, which literarily means "being wealthy of people or having many people". A few examples will illustrate the role of religion in terms of social capital drawn from religious communities, civil society and democratic life in Africa. The religious dimension in socio-economic and political contestation in Africa could be said to be both pervasive and complex (Kalu 2010d:36). One good illustration of the impact of colonial rule on both religion and social change in African society was the case of the colonially sponsored secular school. Religion and social transformation in Africa: A critical and appreciative perspective1, Research Institute for Theology and Religion University of South Africa. It creates linkages between social groups that would not normally exist. Religious communities should therefore initiate a culture of self-criticism and maintain a critical stance towards African socio-political and economic institutions. Such attitudes on the part of religious leaders are unbecoming. The Social History of Christianity in South Africa 1487 to 1994, University of Cape Town, Research Institute on Christianity and Society in Africa, Christianity and the Colonization of South Africa: 1487–1870, Christianity and the Modernization of South Africa: 1867–1936, From Dark Days to Liberation: Perspectives on the Social History of Christianity in South Africa, 1936–1994. With the deliberate development of advanced technology and of democratic, economic and civil society, institutions can begin with the development of a relevant curriculum in educational institutions from the primary to the tertiary levels of education. For his part, Stan Burkey (1993:3-4) defines poverty in terms of basic needs and he distinguishes between absolute and relative poverty. "Research on Religion, Spirituality, and Mental Health: A Review." Hope and optimism are mediated through emphasis on the power of the Word of God in spiritual formation and in resisting evil forces (Kalu 2010f:77). ), The Gods in Retreat: Continuity and Change in African Religion, 111-153, Enugu: Fourth Dimension Publishers. For example, faith-based organisations (FBOs) led mainly by certain Christian churches have actively sought dialogue on development-related issues with donor agencies, whilst donors have also reciprocated (Clarke & Jennings 2008:2). Social change is defined as a social process whereby the values, attitudes, or By taking stock of “Christianity's past record,” it is hoped that Christians, the churches, and the general public, would be helped “to participate with greater and more self-critical insight” in shaping the future of that troubled country. To purchase short term access, please sign in to your Oxford Academic account above. This idea is derived from Yoruba traditional beliefs but finds biblical backing in 1 Thessalonians 5 and 1 Corinthians 4:20. Kunhiyop (2008:222) has, therefore, decried the fact that the Christian message that was passed on during the missionary era was wrapped in a culture that was alien to Africans; this meant that both the message and the culture were treated by the messenger as one and the same thing. Definitions of poverty are varied and there is no consensus on the definition of the concept (Laderchi et al. A stranger, on passing by a yam barn when hungry, can stop over to roast yam and eat to his or her satisfaction. The cases of religious and political patronage by politicians and religious leaders in Nigeria (cf. [ Links ], Kalu, OU 2010h. If African societies are very religious but at the same time very poor and corrupt, to what extent does religion contribute to poverty and corruption on the continent? The Search for Alternative Systems of Governance at the Grassroots, 73-85, Ibadan: Heinemann. Such integration ensures the outflow and sustenance of life; this occurs within the context of community which embraces relationships with the source of life, which is the Divine and all of the created order. In this light, spirituality and morality are inseparable (Magesa 2010:71). In recent times, however, Pentecostal churches such as the Later Rain Assembly, under the auspices of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), are also engaging with civil society (Agbiji 2012:135-136,333). Fourthly, religious practitioners have often encouraged 'God-talk' that weakens the resolve of masses to rise up against unjust political and economic systems in Africa. The first question is whether the Christian faith had anything to do with the evolution of the historial dynamic which led to the domination of the world by a few European countries. In fact, it was the speed with which change occurred that set the colonial era apart from earlier periods in South Africa. Among African societies, religion is useful in mobilising resources that would not otherwise have been mobilised to address community problems. For its part a delegation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), headed by Morgan Tsvangarai, visited the Njelele shrine in the Matopos during the build-up to the 2002 elections. All of these levels of immersion into community occur simultaneously and reflect the moral formation of the individual who is also accountable to the community. Davies & Guest 2007). [ Links ], Ndiyo, NA 2008. In many African countries people who do not subscribe to any form of religion make up less than 0.1% of the population (Koenig 2009:283; cf. According to him, religion permeates all departments of life to such an extent that it is not easy or possible to isolate it (Mbiti 1999:1). For example, in African traditional societies restraints on leaders were religious. At the same time, however, if religion is so entrenched in the socio-political and economic lives of Africans, it is unimaginable that it does not also have a vital role to play in the transformation of the continent. Such a sense of accountability under the watchful eyes of a Supreme Being should not be used to scare but should rather be a reminder of the fact that we will have to account for both our actions and inactions in all spheres of life. In fact, contemporary South Africa is the product of how Christianity has been understood in that part of the continent. His thesis is, therefore, as follows: in order to recover African moral sanity, there is the urgent need to retrieve and restore some positive moral foundations and beliefs which were the moral basis of African societies. "Holy Praiseco: Negotiating Sacred and Popular Music and Dance in African Pentecostalism," in Kalu, W, Wariboko, N & Falola, T (eds. ), Religions in Africa: Conflicts, Politics and Social Ethics, The Collected Essays of Ogbu Uke Kalu, Vol. "Culture, Empowerment and Local Government with Reference to North Western Nigeria," in Adedeji, A & Ayo, B (eds. South Africa has the highest alcohol consumption in Africa per capita, nearly double the continent’s average. "Faith and Politics in Africa: Emergent Political Theology of Engagement in Nigeria," in Kalu, W, Wariboko, N & Falola, T (eds. [ Links ], Swart, I 2006b. He asserts that between the 18th and 20th century, religious movements provided the basis for nearly all of the major uprisings by peasant or urban workers in Europe. [ Links ], Adogame, A 2013. In doing so, the religious, socio-economic and political spheres have continued to influence each other both positively and negatively. The existence of endemic poverty and corruption in Africa is sustained in part by religious complacency on the part of religious practitioners and by the instrumentalisation of religion by African leaders. Key words: Religion; African Traditional Religion; Christianity; Islam; Social Transformation; Poverty; Corruption; Development; Social Capital; Values; Africa. At a prayer day in Harare in February 2002, Mugabe addressed an audience that included a large contingent from the sect known as African Apostolic Faith;4 they held placards inscribed with ZANU-PF political messages, whilst singing and dancing. They were lodged in hotels in Abuja and were given briefcases stuffed with money - after endorsing his projects. A Comparison of Four Approaches." That Africans resort to religion unconsciously shows how deeply a religious consciousness is ingrained in an African person, whether he or she is at home or in the diaspora (Chitando et al. While Christianity was made the … Religious communities such as churches assist in empowering social groups that usually have little influence. Absolute poverty refers to the inability of an individual, a community or a nation to meet basic needs such as the need for food, shelter, potable water, healthcare and education. [ Links ], Kalu, OU 2010d. 2nd ed. So our point of entry into the theme will have to be colonial history. 1:283-306, Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. He argues that it is even more difficult to define religion in the context of African traditional life. [ Links ], Koenig, HG 2009. Kalu 2010a: 11-15). For the African, "to live is to be caught up in a religious drama" (Mbiti 1999:1). As community-based institutions with vibrant networks, religious communities will continue to serve as unifying factors and vehicles for socio-political and economic development within the African continent. Religion is therefore about sustaining life in its fullness through community. The importance of religion includes the fact that religion is the root from which the different branches of life sprout and grow and by which they are continually nurtured. Despite the erosion of many religiously informed traditional practices by the forces of modernity and globalisation, religion, whether African Traditional, Christian or Islam, still has a vital contribution to make to the progress of African societies. Church and social problems—Nigeria. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies at Baylor University. This sustains and enhances the structural entrenchment of poverty and corruption in African societies. 2003:243). We have argued that religion - whether African Traditional, Christian or Islamic -remains a major constituent of the worldview of African people. African communities also have definitions, anecdotes and proverbs that depict both the meaning and implications of poverty. "Who is Afraid of the Holy Ghost? Adigwe & Grau 2007:98-101; Afolayan 1994:12) are similar to those found in a number of other African countries - a noticeable case being Zimbabwe. 2 The first author is from Olulumo (Okuni). If religion is crucial to Africans, how could its resources and actors be mobilised to liberate African societies from poverty and corruption? From the coming of European settlers and missionaries in the seventeenth century, to the establishment of apartheid and its overthrow in 1994, Christianity played a central role in the formation of the country. The importance of the role of religious institutions in overturning unjust social institutions elsewhere lies in the example this presents to African religious institutions and practitioners. Such positive influence could ameliorate poverty and corruption, thereby assisting with the socio-political and economic transformation of the continent. "Eight Questions about Corruption." It is believed that Mark the Evangelist brought Christianity from Jerusalem to Alexandria in the year 43 before becoming the first bishop to serve the Alexandria Orthodox Church. Social change—Nigeria. For his part the leader of this sect, Madzibaba Nzira,5 announced a prophecy that Mugabe was the divinely anointed king of Zimbabwe and that no person could dare to challenge him. Whilst the African traditional religious heritage remains a potent force that - on a subconscious level - still influences the values, identity and outlook of Africans, Christianity and Islam have become major sources of influence in African society. Given the crucial role that religion plays in moral formation and as a source of social capital, we recommend the deliberate engagement of these resources for socio-political, economic and technological transformation initiated through education policies that are relevant to the problems of society; this could make a more meaningful contribution to social development. "Introduction," in Clarke, G, Jennings, M & Shaw, T (eds. The Origins and Development of African Theology. The symbols of justice were respected and belief in restoring justice was very strong (Agi 2008:131). For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org. London: Bloomsbury. In addition to the development of moral values, accountability and social capital, religious institutions such as churches should contribute more deliberately to the development of technology, and to enhancing democratic and economic institutions. Such values are crucial for the development of good economic and democratic political systems. [ Links ], Adigwe, HA & Grau, I 2007. [ Links ], Maluleke, TS 2010. In ancient cultures, a wife was the property of her husband. The tenets of Christianity are recorded in the book of books called the “Holy Bible.” It … And within the South African context, Ignatius Swart (2006b:2) has shown through socio-empirical research how churches are strategically very important in terms of the formation of social capital to promote social development. Asmara: Africa World Press. Evidence of such influence can be seen in, for example, the number of Christian churches, names and institutional establishments in many African societies (Metuh 2002:vii-xvi). 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