The Ecological Value of Igbo Spirituality
The Igbo understanding of their land and water bodies helps the human person tread with caution. By Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu
Category: African Religions
An Earth-Centered Indigenous Spiritual Revival in Guinea
The relationship with nature is always deeply spiritual and woven into every aspect of life in Nalu religion, culture, and society. By Bintou Camara
Rethinking the Study of African Indigenous Religions
To avoid the continuous misassessment of their resilience, African indigenous religions should be studied on their own terms. By Jacob K. Olupona
The Decapitated Priest and the Cook Turned Peacebuilder
In an excerpt from “Gods, Guns, and Girls: Gender, Agency and Spirituality in a Congolese Rebel Movement,” the author questions assumptions about Mai-Mai indigenous practices. By Georgette Mulunda Ledgister
The Grace of the Lord Jesus be With All
A pilgrimage to the Gambia and a visitation by his ancestors led this African American minister to a greater appreciation of other religious traditions. By Brad R. Braxton
An Equilibrist Vodou Goddess
The Vodou spirit Ezili Freda represents an image of femininity defined by Haiti’s complex history. By Eziaku Atuama Nwokocha
An African Ecological Ethics of Invitation
An African’s take on Journey of the Universe. By Mohammed Girma
The Silent Voices of African Divination
The special rapport between diviner and spirit is frequently expressed as twinning; likewise, voiceless creatures are employed in divination because they illustrate the wisdom of quiet elders. By Philip M. Peek
Ethiopian Lives and Liturgies
Ethiopian lives and liturgies at home in North America. By Kay Kaufman Shelemay
Bonds, Boundaries, and Bondage of Faith
Nigerian faith traditions are stronger than ever, but divisiveness and violence have increased. The author reflects on Nigeria’s history and proposes steps to help religions assume a productive role in society. By Jacob K. Olupona
Writing Africa into Islamic Studies
An Interview with Ousmane Oumar Kane. By Lisanne Norman
The Myth of Purity
The idea of purity in Yoruba-derived traditions needs to be challenged and complicated. By Ayodeji Ogunnaike
Habitations of the Sacred
Global Africana communities negotiate theories of health and healing, utilizing diverse strategies to achieve physical, spiritual, and ontological stability. By Tracey E. Hucks
Pilgrims: Progress and Regress in Three African Memoirs
Reflecting on the trope of pilgrimage in recent memoirs by Chinua Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and Lamin Sanneh. By Devaka Premawardhana
Lost and Found in Translation
Whether planned or accidental, desired or dreaded, the passage from one place to another, one life stage to another, or one state or status to another, often figures centrally in the stories we tell about our lives. By Michael Jackson
Exotic Ordinary
Action and passion coexist in this portrait of one spirit medium in Madagascar, evoking complex philosophical questions. By Michael Lambek
Listening to the Small Voice
With rising numbers of orphans worldwide, it is time to develop a theology that places their concerns at the center. By Elizabeth J. A. Siwo-Okundi
From Periphery to Center
The growing influence of Pentecostalism in Africa is enhancing a debate about authenticity and legitimation, and is transforming secular states. By Simeon O. Ilesanmi
On Africa, a Need for Nuance
Culture and religion are not radically distinct categories in African traditional societies: a response to Simeon Ilesanmi. By Jacob Olupona
