Topic #3: Theology and Spirituality
After Africa came in contact with the whites the traditional African religion was viewed as barbaric mainly because the white never understood the African way of life. There is a misconception that Africa is a country and African traditional religion is a single religion practised by all Africans. That is not the case but the religion is evident in all ancient African communities. The misconception that African do not believe in God is also rampant and has been spread by the west. In African traditional religion, there is no confusion between God and god since there is only one Supreme Being that is number one in the hierarchy. Though the names of African God are different they refer to the same Supreme Being. The word pagan has been used to infer that African do not believe in God.
African traditional religion is also misunderstood by some people who state the religion advocates for idolatry. It is worth noting that when African are praying before a statue he is not praying or worshipping the statue but the supernatural being symbolically represented by the statue. Just like Catholics prays before Virgin Mary’s statue African in the same case use the statue as a symbol but not for demonic worship as claimed by some individuals. African religion has also been described using the word animism which is a misconception. Instead African treated some places such as caves with great importance when such places serve as a reference point. African traditional religion has also been associated with the idea of fetishism. But fetishism is not peculiar to African since Christians also use rosaries and crucifix as charms for protection. Therefore the use of charms in African traditional religion is nor fetishism but the infiltration of cultural practices into the African religion.
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King had angry and prophetic voices that together changed the theological thinking of African Americans. Before these two, religious thinkers and black ministers mimicked and repeated theologies and doctrines that they heard and read in white seminaries and churches. Malcolm X contributed to the black liberation theology through his philosophy of Black Nationalism which moved the hearts of many oppressed African American. Malcolm X spoke against racism in America and he greatly criticized America Christianity. Malcolm spoke against Christianity terming it the “white man’s religion”. He encouraged blacks to develop their own understanding of God based on their history and experience. He even insulted Jesus’s image through his analysis which made many blacks and Christians to resonate with his message. Malcolm laid the foundation for Cones who is considered the foremost authority for Black liberation theology. The unwelcome critiquing voices of Malcolm X caused many to shy away from the truth but later Malcolm X got recognized as one of the best people who advocated for black supremacy.
Martin Luther King, on the other hand, was a Christian black preacher who contributed to black liberation theology in various ways. Martin relied on his biblical knowledge to push for justice for the blacks who were held captives and humiliated by the whites. King used biblical justice and his oratory skills to move people to join civil rights movements. He kept his life in danger to defend the oppressed African American though various nonviolence movements. His nonviolence ways were in accordance with the biblical teaching of obedience specifically reflecting on Jesus’s way of life. He also used the church to push for social change and public ethics while following religious teachings. He thus contributed to the black liberation theology through his moral teaching and civil rights movements calling for better and equal treatment of African Americans.