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The essence of this school of thought is based mainly on oral trasmission; that which is written in people's hearts, minds, oral history, customs, temples and religious functions.<ref>] on African History, Art, and Culture: An Anthology, 2007] ISBN 1-55876-425-9</ref> The essence of this school of thought is based mainly on oral trasmission; that which is written in people's hearts, minds, oral history, customs, temples and religious functions.<ref>] on African History, Art, and Culture: An Anthology, 2007] ISBN 1-55876-425-9</ref>


It has no founders or stand-out reformer like Guatama the Buddha, Christos, Asoka, Christ or Muhammed. It is not a religion of one specific hero.<ref>] African Traditional Religion: A Definition, Maryknoll, N.Y., ] (1973) ISBN 0-88344-005-9</ref> It has no founders or stand-out reformer like Gautama the Buddha, Christos, Ashoka, Christ or Muhammed. It is not a religion of one specific hero.<ref>] African Traditional Religion: A Definition, Maryknoll, N.Y., ] (1973) ISBN 0-88344-005-9</ref>


It has no missionaries or even the intention to propagate or to proselytise.<ref>]''African Religions and Philosophy'', ], Heinemann (1990). ISBN 0-435-89591-5</ref> It has no missionaries or even the intention to propagate or to proselytise.<ref>]''African Religions and Philosophy'', ], Heinemann (1990). ISBN 0-435-89591-5</ref>

Some of the African traditional religions include ], ] and ].


==Abrahamic religions== ==Abrahamic religions==
Line 65: Line 67:
A Gallup poll shows that the irreligious amount to 20% in South Africa, 16% in Botswana, 13% in Mozambique, 13% in Togo, 12% in Libya and Cote D'ivoire, 11% in Guyana, 10% in Ethiopia and Angola, 9% in Sudan, Zimbabwe and Algeria, 8% in Namibia and 7% in Madagascar.<ref> - data accessed on 14 September 2011</ref> A Gallup poll shows that the irreligious amount to 20% in South Africa, 16% in Botswana, 13% in Mozambique, 13% in Togo, 12% in Libya and Cote D'ivoire, 11% in Guyana, 10% in Ethiopia and Angola, 9% in Sudan, Zimbabwe and Algeria, 8% in Namibia and 7% in Madagascar.<ref> - data accessed on 14 September 2011</ref>


==Dharmic Religions==
==Hinduism==
] (Devanāgarī: अशोक, IAST: Aśoka, IPA: , ca. 304–232 BC), also known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the ] who ruled almost all of the ] from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. He embraced Buddhism after witnessing the mass deaths of the ], which he himself had waged out of a desire for conquest. ] Maurya's embrace of ] increased social and religious renewal and reform across his society, while Ashoka's embrace of Buddhism has been said to have been the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and non-violence across all of the empire. Ashoka sponsored the spreading of ancient ] across the ], which includes parts of Africa.<ref>http://indianhistory.info/Maurya.htm</ref>
<ref>http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesFarEast/India_IronAge_Mauryas01.htm</ref>

===Hinduism===
{{Main|Hinduism in Africa}} {{Main|Hinduism in Africa}}
Medieval Gujaratis and other Indians traded extensively with Arab and Somali ports, including ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Arab merchants were the dominant carriers of Indian Ocean trade until the Portuguese forcibly supplanted them at the end of the 15th century. Indo-Arabian links were renewed under the British Empire, when many Indians serving in the army or civil service were stationed in Arab lands such as Sudan.
The history of Hinduism in Africa is, by most accounts, very short in comparison to that of Islam, Christianity, or Judaism. However, the presence of Hindu practitioners on the continent dates back to pre-colonial times and even the Middle Ages. There are also sizable Hindu populations in ] and the ] region.
Hinduism took root in Africa from the late 19th century onwards through the spread of the ], which colonized huge swaths of land throughout Asia and Africa, including almost the entirety of the Indian subcontinent. Many Indians were recruited as indentured servants throughout the British Empire, settling mainly in the British colonies of ] and ]. The descendants of these settlers often chose to remain in Africa after the end of colonial rule, developing Indo-African communities that remain to this day.

Hinduism is a non-proselytizing religion and was usually not propagated to the same lengths or through the same means as Christianity and Islam. As such, it has mostly been confined to practise by the Indo-African communities of these countries. However, in post-colonial Africa, a small-scale movement for Hinduism and its propagation ''outside'' the Indo-African community has occurred, spearheaded by such individuals as ], the first Hindu ] of ].<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10401741</ref> Today, ], ], which did not receive an original influx of Indian migrants as did countries such as South Africa and Uganda, is home to over 25,000 Hindus, mostly local converts and more recent, post-independence Indian immigrants. This was primarily the work of ] (ISKCON) missionaries.

===Jainism===
{{Main|Jainism}}
The Jain religion has traditionally been confined to the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and East Africa. However, with immigration policies being liberalised and increasing immigration from India, ] has been rising.<ref>Estimates for the population of Jains differ from just over four million to twelve million due to difficulties of Jain identity, with Jains in some areas counted as a Hindu sect. Many Jains do not return Jainism as their religion on census forms for various reasons such as certain Jain castes considering themselves both Hindu and Jain. There are an estimated 20,000 jains in Africa,(from {{cite book |title=The Jains |last=Dundas |first=Paul |publisher=Routledge |year=2002 |isbn=0-415-26606-8, 9780415266062 |page=354 |page=271 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=5ialKAbIyV4C&pg=PA299&dq=jains+britain#v=onepage&q=jains%20britain&f=false }}) and 5,000 in the rest of Asia.</ref><ref>http://strategyleader.org/profiles/jain.html</ref><ref>http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Jainism#Jainism_Today</ref>

===Buddhism===
{{Main|Buddhism in Africa}}
Buddhism as a major world religion, is practiced in ]. Most of the Buddhists in Africa, live in ]. There have been some conversion amongst Africans, mainly in ], ] and . Most of the Buddhists in Africa, are of ] descent.

One of the very few monastics of African descent is Ven. ] from Uganda, founder of the ].

A 2003 study estimated that in the late 1990s there were a total of 6,000 Buddhists in South Africa (3,000 of whom had Asian ancestry) out of a total population of 42 million (or 0.00014% of the total population). There have also been cases of some high profile celebrities converting to Buddhism such as ], a famous actor of ]n descent.<ref>http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/interviews/19172-60-seconds-adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje</ref>

===Sikhi===
] is the fifth largest organized religion in the world, with over 30 million sikhs<ref name="ADR">{{cite web|author=Adherents.com|url=http://adherents.com/misc/rel_by_adh_CSM.html|title=Religions by adherents|accessdate=2003337-02-09|format=PHP}}</ref> and one of the most steadily growing.<ref name="ADR">{{cite web|author=Adherents.com|url=http://adherents.com/misc/rel_by_adh_CSM.html|title=Religions by adherents|accessdate=2003337-02-09|format=PHP}}</ref> It has an increasing presence in Africa.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:dE9WYJ_OAD8J:www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2007/05/13/the_list_the_worlds_fastest_growing_religions+The+List:+The+World's+Fastest-Growing+Religions&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=opera|title=The List: The World's -Growing Religions|work=Foreign Policy|'''publisher=]|accessdate=5 November 2010}}</ref>

==East Asian religions==
] are mainly practiced by the Chinese, but also some Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese people. With increasing immigration of workers from ] and ], some of them have brought their religions to the continent.

===Daoism===
Geographically, ] flourishes best in regions populated by Chinese people. There has been a rapid increase of ] communities in Africa. Chinese Taoist clergy is organizing missionary systems to spread the spirituality around the world.<ref>http://www.arcworld.org/downloads/SCMP%20Daoism%2030%20April%202007.pdf</ref><ref>http://business.highbeam.com/1915/article-1G1-161127967/history-two-taoist-temples-baiyunguan-shanghai-china</ref><ref>http://www.china.org.cn/english/daodeforum/207879.htm</ref>

===Confucianism===
With an increasing ] population in Africa, the number of Confucianists has risen.<ref>http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KH07Ad03.html</ref> The Chinese have established Confucius institues all over Africa to bridge the cultural gap between China and Africa.<ref>http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20100905072629973</ref>

===Shinto===
] has a small presence in Africa, mainly among the ].<ref>http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2009/127235.htm</ref>


==Syncretism== ==Syncretism==

Revision as of 16:12, 25 July 2012

Map showing the modern continental distribution of the major faiths and religious beliefs. Denominations or sects are excluded.

Religion in Africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on art, culture and philosophy. The continent's various populations and individuals are mostly adherents of Christianity or Islam. Others practice traditional and folk religions. In the countryside, religious beliefs are also often characterized by syncretism with local traditions.

African traditional religion

Main article: African traditional religion
Early 20th century Yorubadivination board
Voodoo altar in Abomey, Benin

Africa encompasses a wide variety of traditional beliefs. Although religious customs are sometimes shared by many local societies, they are usually unique to specific populations or geographic regions.

According to Dr J Omosade Awolalu, The "traditional" in this context means indigenous, that which is foundational, handed down from generation to generation, meant as to be upheld and practised today and forevermore. A heritage from the past, yet not treated as a thing of the past but that which connects the past with the present and the present with eternity.

Often spoken of in the terms of a singularity, deliberate; yet conscious of the fact that Africa is a large continent with multitudes of nations who have complexed cultures, innumerable languages and myriads of dialects.

The essence of this school of thought is based mainly on oral trasmission; that which is written in people's hearts, minds, oral history, customs, temples and religious functions.

It has no founders or stand-out reformer like Gautama the Buddha, Christos, Ashoka, Christ or Muhammed. It is not a religion of one specific hero.

It has no missionaries or even the intention to propagate or to proselytise.

Some of the African traditional religions include Yoruba, Serer and Igbo religion.

Abrahamic religions

The majority of Africans are adherents of Christianity or Islam. African people often combine the practice of their traditional belief with the practice of imported Abrahamic religions. Abrahamic religions are widespread throughout Africa. They have both spread at the expense of indigenous African religions, but are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems. It was estimated in 2002 that Christians form 40% of Africa's population, with Muslims forming 45%.

Bahá'í Faith

Main article: Bahá'í Faith in Africa
Bahá'í House of Worship, Kampala, Uganda.

The Bahá'í Faith in Africa has a diverse history. It is the 3rd most widespread organized Abrahamic religion in Africa after Islam and Christianity after its wide-scale growth in the 1950s and extend in the 1960s. The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying on World Christian Encyclopedia) lists many large and smaller populations in Africa with Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa and Zambia among the top ten numerical populations of Bahá'ís in the world in 2005 (each with over 200,000 adherents), and Mauritius in terms of percentage of the national population.

All three individual heads of the religion, Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi, were in Africa at various times. More recently the roughly 2000 Bahá'ís of Egypt have been embroiled in the Egyptian identification card controversy from 2006 through 2009. Since then there have been homes burned down and families driven out of towns. On the other hand Sub-Saharan Bahá'ís were able to mobilize for nine regional conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice 20 October 2008 to celebrate recent achievements in grassroots community-building and to plan their next steps in organizing in their home areas.

Christianity

Main article: Christianity in Africa
The Hanging Church of Cairo, Egypt.

Christianity is now one of the two most widely practised religions in Africa and is the largest religion in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most adherents outside Egypt, Ethiopia and Eritrea are Roman Catholic or Protestant. Several syncretistic and messianic sects have formed throughout much of the continent, including the Nazareth Baptist Church in South Africa and the Aladura churches in Nigeria.There is also fairly widespread populations of Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses. However, the oldest Christian denominations in Africa are the Coptic church in Egypt and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, all Oriental Orthodox, which rose to prominence in the fourth century AD after King Ezana the Great made Ethiopia one of the first Christian nations.

In the first few centuries of Christianity, Africa produced many figures who had a major influence outside the continent, including St Augustine of Hippo, St Maurice, Origen, Tertullian, and three Roman Catholic popes (Victor I, Miltiades and Gelasius I), as well as the Biblical characters Simon of Cyrene and the Ethiopian eunuch baptised by Philip the Evangelist.

Christianity existed in Ethiopia before the rule of King Ezana the Great of the Kingdom of Axum, but the religion took a strong foot hold when it was declared a state religion in 330 AD, becoming one of the first Christian nations. The earliest and best known reference to the introduction of Christianity to Africa is mentioned in the Christian Bible's Acts of the Apostles, and pertains to the evangelist Phillip's conversion of an Ethiopian traveler in the 1st Century AD. Although the Bible refers to them as Ethiopians, scholars have argued that Ethiopia was a common term encompassing the area South-Southeast of Egypt.

Other traditions have the convert as a Jew who was a steward in the Queen’s court. All accounts do agree on the fact that the traveler was a member of the royal court who successfully succeeded in converting the Queen, which in turn caused a church to be built. Tyrannius Rufinus, a noted church historian, also recorded a personal account as do other church historians such as Socrates and Sozemius.

Some experts predict the shift of Christianity's center of gravity from the European industrialized nations to Africa and Asia in modern times. Yale University historian Lamin Sanneh stated, that "African Christianity was not just an exotic, curious phenomenon in an obscure part of the world, but that African Christianity might be the shape of things to come." The statistics from the World Christian Encyclopedia (David Barrett) illustrate the emerging trend of dramatic Christian growth on the continent and supposes, that in 2025 there will be 633 million Christians in Africa.

Islam

Main article: Islam in Africa
The Great Mosque of Kairouan, erected in 670 by the Arab general Uqba Ibn Nafi, is the oldest mosque in North Africa, Kairouan, Tunisia.
Abuja National Mosque in Nigeria.

According to the World Book Encyclopedia, Islam is the largest religion in Africa, with 47% of the population being Muslim, accounting for 1/4 of the world's Muslim population. The faith's historic roots on the continent stem from the time of the Prophet Muhammad, whose early disciples migrated to Abyssinia (hijira) in fear of persecution from the pagan Arabs.

The spread of Islam in North Africa came with the invasion of Egypt under Caliph Umar, through the Sinai Peninsula - followed by the rapid conquest of North Africa by the Arab armies. Islam in West Africa was through Islamic traders and sailors.

Islam is the dominant religion in North Africa and the Horn of Africa. It has also become the predominant religion on the Swahili Coast as well as the West African seaboard and parts of the interior. There have been several Muslim empires in Western Africa which exerted considerable influence, notably the Mali Empire, which flourished for several centuries and the Songhai Empire, under the leadership of Mansa Musa, Sonni Ali and Askia Mohammed.

Judaism

Main article: African Jews

Adherents of Judaism too can be found scattered across Africa. Perhaps not as well known as the history of Christianity and Islam in Africa to the outside observer, Judaism has an ancient and rich history on the African continent. Today, there are Jewish communities in many countries; including the Beta Israel of Ethiopia, the Abayudaya of Uganda, the House of Israel in Ghana, the Igbo Jews of Nigeria and the Lemba of Southern Africa.

Irreligion / agnostic / atheism

A Gallup poll shows that the irreligious amount to 20% in South Africa, 16% in Botswana, 13% in Mozambique, 13% in Togo, 12% in Libya and Cote D'ivoire, 11% in Guyana, 10% in Ethiopia and Angola, 9% in Sudan, Zimbabwe and Algeria, 8% in Namibia and 7% in Madagascar.

Dharmic Religions

Ashoka (Devanāgarī: अशोक, IAST: Aśoka, IPA: , ca. 304–232 BC), also known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. He embraced Buddhism after witnessing the mass deaths of the Kalinga War, which he himself had waged out of a desire for conquest. Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of Jainism increased social and religious renewal and reform across his society, while Ashoka's embrace of Buddhism has been said to have been the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and non-violence across all of the empire. Ashoka sponsored the spreading of ancient Indian religions across the Middle east, which includes parts of Africa.

Hinduism

Main article: Hinduism in Africa

Medieval Gujaratis and other Indians traded extensively with Arab and Somali ports, including Ormuz, Socotra, Mogadishu, Merca, Barawa, Hobyo and Aden. Arab merchants were the dominant carriers of Indian Ocean trade until the Portuguese forcibly supplanted them at the end of the 15th century. Indo-Arabian links were renewed under the British Empire, when many Indians serving in the army or civil service were stationed in Arab lands such as Sudan. Hinduism took root in Africa from the late 19th century onwards through the spread of the British Empire, which colonized huge swaths of land throughout Asia and Africa, including almost the entirety of the Indian subcontinent. Many Indians were recruited as indentured servants throughout the British Empire, settling mainly in the British colonies of Southern and Eastern Africa. The descendants of these settlers often chose to remain in Africa after the end of colonial rule, developing Indo-African communities that remain to this day.

Hinduism is a non-proselytizing religion and was usually not propagated to the same lengths or through the same means as Christianity and Islam. As such, it has mostly been confined to practise by the Indo-African communities of these countries. However, in post-colonial Africa, a small-scale movement for Hinduism and its propagation outside the Indo-African community has occurred, spearheaded by such individuals as Swami Ghanananda, the first Hindu swami of Ghana. Today, Lagos, Nigeria, which did not receive an original influx of Indian migrants as did countries such as South Africa and Uganda, is home to over 25,000 Hindus, mostly local converts and more recent, post-independence Indian immigrants. This was primarily the work of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) missionaries.

Jainism

Main article: Jainism

The Jain religion has traditionally been confined to the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and East Africa. However, with immigration policies being liberalised and increasing immigration from India, Jainism has been rising.

Buddhism

Main article: Buddhism in Africa

Buddhism as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa. Most of the Buddhists in Africa, live in South Africa. There have been some conversion amongst Africans, mainly in South Africa, Uganda and . Most of the Buddhists in Africa, are of Asian descent.

One of the very few monastics of African descent is Ven. Bhante Buddharakkhita from Uganda, founder of the Uganda Buddhist Centre.

A 2003 study estimated that in the late 1990s there were a total of 6,000 Buddhists in South Africa (3,000 of whom had Asian ancestry) out of a total population of 42 million (or 0.00014% of the total population). There have also been cases of some high profile celebrities converting to Buddhism such as Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, a famous actor of Nigerian descent.

Sikhi

Sikhism is the fifth largest organized religion in the world, with over 30 million sikhs and one of the most steadily growing. It has an increasing presence in Africa.

East Asian religions

Taoic religions are mainly practiced by the Chinese, but also some Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese people. With increasing immigration of workers from East Asia and Vietnam, some of them have brought their religions to the continent.

Daoism

Geographically, Taoism flourishes best in regions populated by Chinese people. There has been a rapid increase of Chinese diaspora communities in Africa. Chinese Taoist clergy is organizing missionary systems to spread the spirituality around the world.

Confucianism

With an increasing East Asian population in Africa, the number of Confucianists has risen. The Chinese have established Confucius institues all over Africa to bridge the cultural gap between China and Africa.

Shinto

Kami-no-michi has a small presence in Africa, mainly among the Japanese diaspora.

Syncretism

Syncretism is the combining of different (often contradictory) beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. In the commonwealth of Africa syncretism with indigenous beliefs is practiced throughout the region. It is believed by some to explain religious tolerance between different groups. Kwesi Yankah and John Mbiti argue that many African peoples today have a 'mixed' religious heritage to try to reconcile traditional religions with Abrahamic faiths. Jesse Mugambi claims that the Christianity taught to Africans by missionaries had a fear of syncretism, which was carried on by current African Christian leadership in an attempt to keep Christianity "pure." Syncretism in Africa is said by others to be overstated, and due to a misunderstanding of the abilities to of local populations to form their own orthodoxieto s and also confusion over what is culture and what is religion. Others state that the term syncretism is an elusive, since it can be applied to refer to substitution or modification of the central elements of Christianity or Islam with beliefs or practices from somewhere else. The consequences under this definition, according to missiologist Keith Ferdinando, are a fatal compromise of the religion's integrity. However, communities in Africa (e.g. Afro-Asiatic) have many common practices which are also found in Abrahamic faiths, and thus these traditions do not fall under the category of some definitions of syncretism.

Religious distribution

Country Christianity
% of total population
Islam
% of total population
Traditional religions
and other
% of total population
Source
- Central Africa -
 Angola 95 0.5 4.5
 Cameroon 69.2 20.9 9.9
 Central African Republic 80.3 10.1 9.6
 Chad 34 53 13
 Democratic Republic of the Congo 95.6 1.5 2.9
 Republic of the Congo 90.7 1.3 8
 Equatorial Guinea 93 1 6
 Gabon 73 10 17
 São Tomé and Príncipe 97 2 1
- East Africa -
 Burundi 75 5 20
 Comoros 2 98 0
 Kenya 78 10 12
 Madagascar 41 7 52
 Malawi 79.9 12.8 7.3
 Mauritius 32.2 16.6 51.2
 Mayotte 3 97 0
 Mozambique 56.1 17.9 26
 Réunion 84.9 2.1 13
 Rwanda 93.6 4.6 1.8
 Seychelles 93.1 1.1 5.8
 Tanzania 30 35 35
 Uganda 84 12 4
 Zambia 87 1 12
- Horn of Africa -
 Djibouti 6 94 0
 Eritrea 62.5 36.5 1
 Ethiopia 62.8 33.9 3.3
 Somalia 0 100 0
- North Africa -
 Algeria 1 99 0
 Egypt 10 90 0
 Libya 1 97 2
 Morocco 1.1 98.7 0.2
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 0 100 0
 South Sudan 50 0 50 ?
 Sudan 3 97 0
 Tunisia 1 98 1
- Southern Africa -
 Botswana 71.6 0.3 28.1
 Lesotho 90 0 10
 Namibia 90 0 10
 South Africa 79.7 1.5 18.8
 Swaziland 90 1 9
 Zimbabwe 84 1 15
- West Africa -
 Benin 42.8 24.4 32.8
 Burkina Faso 23 61 16
 Cape Verde 99 0 1
 Côte d'Ivoire 37.5 37.5 25.0
 Gambia 9 90 1
 Ghana 69 15.6 15.4
 Guinea 10 85 5
 Guinea-Bissau 10 50 40
 Liberia 85.6 12.2 2.2
 Mali 5 90 5
 Mauritania 0 100 0
 Niger 5 90 5
 Nigeria 48.2 50.4 1.4
 Senegal 5 94 1
 Sierra Leone 21 77 2
 Togo 48 14 38
  1. The most recent census data are used.

See also


References

  1. Restless Spirits: Syncretic Religion Yolanda Pierce, Ph.D. Associate Professor of African American Religion & Literature
  2. Restless Spirits: Syncretic Religion Yolanda Pierce, Ph.D. Associate Professor of African American Religion & Literature
  3. Religion In Africa And The Diaspora: African Belief System
  4. ^ Dr J.O. Awolalu, Studies in Comparative Religion Vol. 10, No. 2. (Spring, 1976).
  5. Cheikh Anta Diop The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality, Chicago, L.Hill, 1974. ISBN 1-55652-072-7
  6. Leo Frobenius on African History, Art, and Culture: An Anthology, 2007] ISBN 1-55876-425-9
  7. Bolaji Idowu African Traditional Religion: A Definition, Maryknoll, N.Y., Orbis Books (1973) ISBN 0-88344-005-9
  8. J S MbitiAfrican Religions and Philosophy, African Writers Series, Heinemann (1990). ISBN 0-435-89591-5
  9. Introduction to African religion. ISBN 9780435940027.When Africans are converted to other religions, they often mix their traditional religion with the one to which they are converted.
  10. Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices: Religions and denominations. p. 1. ISBN 9780787666125.Although a large proportion of Africans have converted to Islam an Christianity, these two world religions have been assimilated into African culture, and many African Christians and Muslims maintain traditional spriritual beliefs
  11. Introduction to African religion. ISBN 9780435940027.When Africans are converted to other religions, they often mix their traditional religion with the one to which they are converted.
  12. The Oxford handbook of religion and ecology. ISBN 9780195178722.Even in the adopted religions of Islam and Christianity, which on the surface appear to have converted millions of Africans from their traditional religions, many aspect of traditional religions are still manifest
  13. "US study sheds light on Africa's unique religious mix". AFP.t doesn't seem to be an either-or for many people. They can describe themselves primarily as Muslim or Christian and continue to practice many of the traditions that are characteristic of African traditional religion," Luis Lugo, executive director of the Pew Forum, told AFP.
  14. In Transitions and consolidation of democracy in Africa. ISBN 9781586840402.Even though the two religions are monotheistic, most African Christians and Muslims convert to them and still retain some aspects of their traditional religions
  15. Encyclopædia Britannica. Britannica Book of the Year 2003. Encyclopædia Britannica, (2003) ISBN 9780852299562 p.306
    According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, as of mid-2002, there were 376,453,000 Christians, 329,869,000 Muslims and 98,734,000 people who practiced traditional religions in Africa. Ian S. Markham,(A World Religions Reader. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1996.) is cited by Morehouse University as giving the mid 1990s figure of 278,250,800 Muslims in Africa, but still as 40.8% of the total spaggetti These numbers are estimates, and remain a matter of conjecture. See Amadu Jacky Kaba. The spread of Christianity and Islam in Africa: a survey and analysis of the numbers and percentages of Christians, Muslims and those who practice indigenous religions. The Western Journal of Black Studies, Vol 29, Number 2, June 2005. Discusses the estimations of various almanacs and encyclopedium, placing Britannica's estimate as the most agreed figure. Notes the figure presented at the World Christian Encyclopedia, summarized here, as being an outlier. On rates of growth, Islam and Pentecostal Christianity are highest, see: The List: The World’s Fastest-Growing Religions, Foreign Policy, May 2007.
  16. Lee, Anthony A. (1997). "The Baha'i Church of Calabar, West Africa: The Problem of Levels in Religious History". Occasional Papers in Shaykhi, Babi and Baha'i Studies. 01 (06). {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  17. "Overview Of World Religions". General Essay on the Religions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Division of Religion and Philosophy, University of Cumbria. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  18. "Most Baha'i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2005. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
  19. El-Hennawy, Noha (September 2006). "The Fourth Faith?". Egypt Today.
  20. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (2006-12-16). "Government Must Find Solution for Baha'i Egyptians". eipr.org. Archived from the original on 2007-02-09. Retrieved 2006-12-16.
  21. Gonn, Adam (2009-02-24). "Victory In Court For Egyptian Baha'i". Cairo, Egypt: AHN. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  22. Reuters (2009-04-03). "Baha`i Homes Attacked in Egypt Village". Egypt: Javno.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  23. "Regional Conferences of the Five Year Plan; November 2008–March 2009". Bahá’í International Community. 2009. Retrieved 3–21–2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  24. http://www.kebranegast.com Kebra Negast
  25. Gayraud S. Wilmore, Pragmatic spirituality: the Christian faith through an Africentric lens. NYU Press. 2004. page 105
  26. Hansberry, William Leo. Pillars in Ethiopian History; the William Leo Hansberry African History Notebook. Washington: Howard University Press, 1934.
  27. Historian Ahead of His Time, Christianity Today Magazine, February 2007
  28. World Council of Churches Report, August 2004
  29. Hans Kung, Tracing the Way : Spiritual Dimensions of the World Religions. Continuum International Publishing Group. 2006. page 248
  30. Encyclopædia Britannica. Britannica Book of the Year 2003. Encyclopædia Britannica, (2003) ISBN 978-0-85229-956-2 p.306
    According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, as of mid-2002, there were 480,453,000 Christians, 329,869,000 Muslims and 98,734,000 people who practiced traditional religions in Africa. Ian S. Markham, (A World Religions Reader. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1996.) is cited by Morehouse University as giving the mid 1990s figure of 278,250,800 Muslims in Africa, but still as 40.8% of the total. These numbers are estimates, and remain a matter of conjecture (see Amadu Jacky Kaba). The spread of Christianity and Islam in Africa: a survey and analysis of the numbers and percentages of Christians, Muslims and those who practice indigenous religions. The Western Journal of Black Studies, Vol 29, Number 2, June 2005. Discusses the estimations of various almanacs and encyclopedium, placing Britannica's estimate as the most agreed figure. Notes the figure presented at the World Christian Encyclopedia, summarized here, as being an outlier. On rates of growth, Islam and Pentecostal Christianity are highest, see: The List: The World’s Fastest-Growing Religions, Foreign Policy, May 2007.
  31. http://www.islamandafrica.com Islam And Africa
  32. GALLUP WorldView - data accessed on 14 September 2011
  33. http://indianhistory.info/Maurya.htm
  34. http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesFarEast/India_IronAge_Mauryas01.htm
  35. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10401741
  36. Estimates for the population of Jains differ from just over four million to twelve million due to difficulties of Jain identity, with Jains in some areas counted as a Hindu sect. Many Jains do not return Jainism as their religion on census forms for various reasons such as certain Jain castes considering themselves both Hindu and Jain. There are an estimated 20,000 jains in Africa,(from Dundas, Paul (2002). The Jains. Routledge. p. 271. ISBN 0-415-26606-8, 9780415266062. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)) and 5,000 in the rest of Asia.
  37. http://strategyleader.org/profiles/jain.html
  38. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Jainism#Jainism_Today
  39. http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/interviews/19172-60-seconds-adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje
  40. ^ Adherents.com. "Religions by adherents" (PHP). Retrieved 2003337-02-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  41. "The List: The World's -Growing Religions". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 5 November 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |publisher= ignored (help)
  42. http://www.arcworld.org/downloads/SCMP%20Daoism%2030%20April%202007.pdf
  43. http://business.highbeam.com/1915/article-1G1-161127967/history-two-taoist-temples-baiyunguan-shanghai-china
  44. http://www.china.org.cn/english/daodeforum/207879.htm
  45. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KH07Ad03.html
  46. http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20100905072629973
  47. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2009/127235.htm
  48. Howard-Hassmann, Rhoda E. (1986). Human rights in Commonwealth Africa. G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series; Human Rights in Commonwealth Africa. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-8476-7433-6.
  49. {Peek, Philip M; Yankah, Kwesi, eds. (2004). African folklore: an encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. p. various. ISBN 978-0-415-93933-1 http://books.google.ca/books?id=pOcWLGktIYoC&pg=PA254#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 3–21–2012. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  50. Mbiti, John S. (1992). Introduction to African religion (2nd ed.). East African Publishers. p. 15. ISBN 978-9966-46-928-1.
  51. http://books.google.co.za/books?id=qyy-UXydibwC&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq=mbiti+syncretism&source=bl&ots=0QyGmgWvCF&sig=gmgMWVMmSD5A7BpzEAGyCM9piTg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=a1IUT4ezIofPhAf_45HAAg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=mbiti%20syncretism&f=false Critiques of Christianity in African literature - Jesse Ndwiga Kanyua Mugambi : 9966465804
  52. Mugambi, Jesse Ndwiga Kanyua (1992). Critiques of Christianity in African literature: with particular reference to the East African context. East African Publishers. p. 60. ISBN 978-9966-46-580-1.
  53. Islam And Africa
  54. Black God : the Afroasiatic roots of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions - Julian Baldick

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