Living Together with the Ancestors: Ancestor Veneration in Africa as a Challenge for Missiology

The phrase “living together with the ancestors” summarizes the religious identity of Africans and opens the discussion about how far ancestor veneration may be regarded as the center of African traditional religions. Some stress only the social relevance of these rites, others the religious implicat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Missiology
Main Author: Triebel, Johannes 1945-2020 (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2002
In: Missiology
Year: 2002, Volume: 30, Issue: 2, Pages: 187-197
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
Description
Summary:The phrase “living together with the ancestors” summarizes the religious identity of Africans and opens the discussion about how far ancestor veneration may be regarded as the center of African traditional religions. Some stress only the social relevance of these rites, others the religious implications. This article describes the rites of ancestor veneration that were understood by the missionaries as a contradiction to the first commandment. The author looks for ways to integrate ancestor veneration into the Christian faith, finally focusing on Holy Communion where the ancestors may be integrated in the worshiping community and where the gifts that have been expected from the ancestors now are granted by Christ: the fullness of life.
ISSN:2051-3623
Contains:Enthalten in: Missiology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/009182960203000205