Our academic experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have. An ancestor is also someone who is remote or distant. Dr. Kambon is a licensed psychologist as well as an initiated traditional African priestess. But God is almighty and limits evil and their activities (2007;379). African Ancestry helps people of African descent trace their ancestral roots back to a specific present-day African country and tribe/ethnic group. The desire of an ancestor to possess someone is usually signalled by a long illness, with the host beginning to grow delicate and eccentric, dreaming numerous dreams about wild beasts and serpents and also hearing voices telling the person what to do and where to go. During this period humans developed many different strategies to produce a variety of stone tools. A belief in ancestral spirits seems to be the most prominent feature in the African traditional religion because it always resurfaces in one way or another (2007;327). (add any others you wish to give praise to) Looking for a flexible role? The evangelical movement in Africa declared Christ’s sovereign rule over the spirits, but prefers to say little about the spirit world and concentrating rather on the salvation of the individual’s soul. 1st Jan 1970 The belief remains that there is an interaction between the invisible and visible worlds (2007;377). In traditional Africa however, ancestors are never referred to, nor considered, as evil spirits. The putting of Jesus Christ in the same category as ancestors as mediators between God and humanity, compromises the absoluteness and uniqueness of Christ (2007;373). In Ela’s opinion, these offerings are “only an ‘anthropological reality” and not related to religion at all. He goes so far as to say that it is the demons which masquerade as ancestors. The foundational religion of many African groups seems to be ancestor worship. Company Registration No: 4964706. He is the Comforter and promised to never leave or forsake us. Whether it be a political, religious or intellectual structure. Christianity is lived to either strengthen groups’ identity with the ancestors or free self from any attachment with the ancestors depending on two main factors. Neither by means of communication, harm nor blessings in both the Testaments are found (2007;381). The struggle of the African with the idea of the veneration or mediation of the ancestors is both historical and universal (2007;382). In Acts we have the account of salvation and the burning of evil books in public: “And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. These pictures of our American ancestors serve as a reminder of the lives they led, the mark they made on America, and (for relatives) the place they occupy in our hearts. On the other hand, the ancestors also depend on the living in a sense that only if they are remembered, only if attention is paid to them through veneration and the offering of sacrifices, will they exist as ancestors (2007;329). This is common among the Shona and AmaZulu people. In Col. 2:14 – 15 it is written: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them in it.”. We will also look at reasons behind the strong presence of ancestor practices within Africa. The Zulus believed that the Supreme Being was in a sense unreachable, so that there was a need for ancestral mediation (1999;73). For the church there is a general feeling that the people have not been sufficiently armed to fight against witchcraft and sorcery in spite of many Christian teaching that have been thought (2007;351). Genealogy research comes with many challenges, especially with regard to researching certain subsets of our ancestors. There is a view that states that ancestors are demonic manifestations meant to derail the faithful (2007;383). There are also scriptural indications of an angelic fall, under the leadership of Satan. “Many African societies divide humans into three categories: those still alive on the earth, the sasha, and the zamani. But make no mistake: we may not know the day-to-day eating habits of our ancestors, but we know some things. A review of Jesus as “Honored Ancestor”, by Martin Munyao . Maghbouleh (2007;349) makes an interesting observation that witchcraft is nowhere associated with the devil or Satan in the canonized Jewish texts. Our Ancestral spirits. Such thinking was to be expected from people (missionaries) who had been born and bred in a world-view that sought to explain life in rationalistic and scientific ways rather than spiritual ones. I give praise to the universe I give praise to mother earth I give praise to all of nature and its beings I give praise to all my guiding spirits I give praise to my ancestors I give praise to all that came before me in this struggle I give praise to my elders I give praise to all those who have cared for me, protected me, guided me and loved me I give praise to…. In some African Initiated Churches, prophets can be used as a medium channel connecting the living and the dead. In the African spirit world for example, spirits appear rather as disorganised and competitive (2007;397). Ancestor worship is found in many cultures all across the world. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. In Christianity this single ruler is called Satan, among other names. There have been mistakes in the past when it came to evangelising the African continent. We extract your DNA and compare it against the world's largest database of African lineages. Although African scholars have done some work of the highest of quality in terms of the concept of God in Africa, not much research has gone into other spiritual entities and realities of the African people. African theologians and churches are still struggling how to respond appropriately and biblically to the issue of ancestral practices, especially among Christians (2007;337). We then determine your present-day country and ethnic group (tribe) of origin in Africa. This link is deeply spiritual, and helps to explain the Zulu people’s attitudes to ideas of fertility, life, fortune and misfortune as well as their general quest for a life lived purposefully and with integrity. Such a person does not fully understand the sufficiency of Christ and needs to mature in faith. What does the Bible teach about ancestors and the sufficiency of Christ. From time immemorial, the Zulus have always held a strong belief that the closest human link the living have with God, uMvelinqangi is through the connection they have with amadlozi, a Zulu term for ancestors. The gender of the person makes no difference whether a person can be an ancestor or not (2007;331). Among the visible beings were humans, animals and plants. The Certificates of Ancestry will be available in series. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.” (verses 29-33). This caused many African Christians to return to traditional ways of resolving issues. But, having stated this, it should also be mentioned that a survey of the New Testament reveals references to uncanny powers and magical arts that are condemnatory, and link such activities with the devil. Welcome to Our Black Ancestry! ABOUT 72,000 years ago in Africa, one of our ancestors had a sudden flash of brilliance. Exorcism in the New Testament context is the act of deliverance of a person or institution or society from its bondage to evil. No plagiarism, guaranteed! The relation of the living people to their living dead has been described by scholars in various ways. This indicates the significance that ancestral belief plays in the African world-view. It is believed that the interaction between the living and living-dead is possible because there is no difference in kind between worlds (2007;329). And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Researching our female ancestors can require even more effort when it comes to those who are of African descent. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! The living communicate with the dead by regular ritual sacrifice and invocation, the priest or officiant at which is the family head, or the senior group representative where ancestors of larger groups are being addressed (2007;332). ... What our African ancestors wore before western clothing. Until now, the oldest evidence of human ancestors outside of Africa was in Dmanisi, Georgia. Ancestors may also manifest themselves to the living by animals, particularly snakes (1999;75). One of the main reasons why ancestor practices play such a prominent role in African religions is because Africa languishes under the yoke of the fear of spirits. We will now look at the difference between ancestor worship and ancestor veneration. Researching female ancestors is challenging, but possible! Another intriguing aspect in those involved in the ritual sacrifice is their tendency to say that they are praying to God and their ancestors. By this label serious damage was done to the gospel in Africa. In return, the ancestors reveal themselves through dreams by stating their names or through calamity, sickness, barrenness or bad luck, and so forth. For restoration, diviners would recommend the appropriate remedy, a offering of sacrifice, punishment to guilty individuals, or otherwise (1999;72). Witchcraft is the enemy of life (2007;347). The belief in missionaries was that the converts to Christianity, after attaining some (western-based) education and religious instruction, would simply outgrow the idea of the existence of the spirit world, but this endeavour did not fully realize under the people for the past two centuries (2007;370). So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Act 19:18-20). Another reason why ancestor practices are common is to endure the hardship of life and to intellectually cope with existential crises and the frustrations that confound them. But ancestor work doesn’t mean just working with your grandmother or great uncle. Some ancestors are considered to play an active role in the lives of the living and are therefore called the living-dead. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. The missionaries left no room for supernatural realities such as earthly spirits and spirit possession, witchcraft, ancestors and magic. The rational behind this is that the good use of magic will counteract the evil use thereof, if the user’s medicine is more powerful than that of the enemy. Although there is the concept of evil forces, it’s not the same as the Christian view in the sense that there exists a single-ruler over all evil powers. Find those missing pieces of your identity with this transformative and powerful experience. Daneel (2007;366) says that during the possession trance, the family may discuss their problems with the possessed medium; for they are actually talking with the ancestors. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you”. The Freedom Series.. Our only true mediator is the Eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ. In Matthew 22 Jesus explains that the two main reasons that the people stumble is because they do not know the scriptures (something the missionaries tried with limited results) nor the power of God: “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. Society and Culture Page.. The communication with ancestors is a dynamic one whereby they still relate to the living and still influence the lives of the living (2007;331). It is something to be eradicated at all cost. Ancestors connect Africans to their beloved ones, bless their fertility festivals and intervene when spiritual blockages and polluting elements threaten order, happiness, health and life. The ancestor is supposed to have an existence for a period (the linear model), but he or she does not return to have further human existence. These structures are there for holding man in bondage but over which Christ has triumphed and which he now wants to employ in his service on earth. Faith in God as the all-powerful, all-merciful father, as creator and foundation of all being, has dethroned the ancestors from the human-made pedestal (2007;334). It is clearly pointed out that the only valid mediator is Jesus Christ: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Joh 14:6). In the Bible, there is near total absence of reference of interventions by the dead in the affairs of the living. Our researchers have also excluded those with more than 5 percent African ancestry with the assumption that it’s more likely that their ancestry is known. Chadwick Boseman On Taking The "Right Test", Erykah Badu Discovers Her Cameroonian Roots, Q-Tip Connects With Jola Ekonting Musicians, The Sister Circle Reconnects With Their Ancestors. In Christian churches, this could often lead to a dual-life or split-level Christian. Previous genetic research showed that our species interbred with both the Neanderthals and Denisovans, with modern human populations outside of Africa still carrying DNA from both. And we can use what we know, drawing on several lines of evidence, to make some educated estimates. Had a proper theological dialogue taken place between the missionaries and the people, undoubtedly the African Christian church scenario would have been different (1999;77). Mbiti observes (2007;365) that ancestor possession occurs in one form or another in practically every African society. It was believed that if someone in the community had caused a breakdown of the balance of relationships with an ancestor, the ancestor could respond by invoking occurrences as prolonged rain or drought, epidemics or earth quakes. According to Mbiti, there is a difference between veneration and worship in the sense that naming the dead in prayers and performing rituals show respect for the living-dead but “this does not and cannot mean that they are worshipped”. Some scholars think that it is more of veneration than worship, because the issue at stake, example with the Oruuano Movement, is not worship but veneration because “the ancestors are not gods and they never become gods.” (2007;335). The Lord is there and we should call upon him (Jer 33:3): “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not”. Study for free with our range of university lectures! The hope was that the experience will be a “cure-all” for all other problems (2007;371). In this essay we will focus solely on this “type” of ancestor group. There are literally trillions to connect with, and many are just waiting for YOU to reach out. We are now in a new family, a godly family with a heavenly Father. This is not an example of the work produced by our Essay Writing Service. During this period humans developed … Ancestors are forever alive in the African world and cosmological view of life. It is for this reason that many missionaries in the past and in the present have regarded ancestor veneration as the centre of African traditional religion and as something in serious conflict to the worship of the true God. Aug 31, 2020 - See the faces of the people of America’s past. But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ela indicates that the offerings for the ancestors are “signs of respect”, “symbols of the continuity of family”, and “simply a command of the love of children” towards parents. Once such group is women. African Ancestry was founded in 2003 by Dr. Rick Kittles and Gina Paige in Washington, D.C. Dr. Kittles was one of the earliest geneticists to trace the ancestry of Africans through DNA testing. One of the abilities or gifts of the Holy Spirit is to discern or see the activity of spirits in the unseen realm (1999;82). We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. The recently departed whose time on earth overlapped with people still here are the sasha, the living-dead. In that case, diviners would be consulted to investigate who among the members of the community had caused a breakdown. The best place to start is, well, the place where it all started: East Africa, the cradle of human evolution. In other cultural contexts, some people seek providence from their deceased ancestors; this practice is sometimes known as ancestor worship or, more accurately, ancestor veneration. Browse our resources Discover your African American Ancestry. Join Face2Face Africa as we take a look at some breath taking traditional wears from tribes all over the African continent. Anderson (2007;326) correctly observes that one of the functions of a diviner is to determine the identity of, and exorcise ‘evil spirits’. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils” (verses 19-21). In Africa, witchcraft is considered as anti-social and as something that systematically contradicts all the values of society. Spirit possession by the living-dead is commonly reported. Triebel argues that (2007;336), “if one interprets African religion as theistic, centered on the belief in the one God, one cannot accept that the ancestors have their own independent religious function”. Wikipedia defines an ancestor as: “…a parent or (recursively) the parent of an ancestor (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent, and so forth)” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancestor ,17 March 2011). This gift is of absolute necessity to the body of Christ because it helps to keep the truth and avoid the destructive lies of evil. The community had caused a breakdown to be eradicated at all cost the belief remains that there a. Essay we will now look at some breath taking traditional wears from tribes all over the African world-view can what. Board `` the Gods and Goddesses of our African American ancestors experience will be available in.... In various ways example Being the transfiguration of Jesus as “ Honored ancestor ”, Martin... 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