animism

animism is as varied

as the tribe or people group that holds to it

animism

the belief that natural objects, natural phenomena, and the universe itself possess souls

Animism from the Latin anima

breath or spirit

Sub-Saharan Africa

greatest surviving stronghold of animism

traditional religions

rarely have written scriptures or sacred writings

the foundation stone of animistic ritual

magic

animism addresses

the immediate issues of life

formal religions address

the ultimate issues of life

negative magic

referred to as witchcraft

imitative magic

seeks to bring harm to an enemy by attacking a representation of him (voodoo doll)

contagious magic

connection between a person and his hair clipping, nail parings….

fortunetelling

divination

taboos

certain things you can touch or not touch. (old wive’s tales)

most animistic rituals

are in response to a problem

animistic religions are

generally pragmatic in the sense of focusing on the here and now

the spiritual powers may be

personal spirit beings, such as ancestral spirits or natural-dwelling spirits

Characteristics of animisms (4)

1. the whole of life is pervaded with and governed by fear

2. the absence of love and hope

3. there are no moral absolutes

4. fatalism and a sens bof helplessness in the face of external forces

all major religions

have some followers who practice animistic rituals alongside formal activities

the most common group ceremonies involve

dancing and drumming

the largest animistic family

African traditio religions

syncretism

the blending of beliefs and practices form two different religions

parallelism describes

the practicing of two systems side by side without blending them

most tradition africans believe

ancestors continue to live after death in much the same way they lived when they had physical bodies

the African world view sees

disease and death as a result of the spirit world, not from natural causes. illnesses are often attributed to an ancestral spirit in danger of being forgotten

fetishes or charms to be worn around the neck, wrist, waist, or ankle

to ward off unwarned spirits

witchcraft answers the question

why

common sense and modern science answers the question

how

time centers on

the past and present not the future