Religions in Precolonial Africa

According to the article, Africans conceived the concept of God because they did not have an elaborate religion to answer many of their curiosities. Many of the African communities believed in ancestral spirits. The introduction of the Western religion seemed more real and superior to theirs, and so they had to adapt the new concept of God. Africans had questions about the universe, for instance, to who created and controlled the universe. They had to accept the concept of God since it provided answers to most of these dilemmas (Patrick 57).

Monotheism is a concept that insists on the existence of one God. According to this concept, there is only one supreme being, who is responsible for controlling all aspects of the universe. Polytheism, on the other hand, proposes the existence of several other gods and goddesses (Patrick 58). A study of the indigenous African religion reveals the existence of several gods. The African believed that there were different gods that were responsible for the various aspects of nature. For instance, god of the storm, the rain god and the goddess of good luck (Patrick 58).

It is important to study and understand other religions so as to avoid inaccurate judgments and misconceptions about other faiths. For instance, there were misconceptions that Africans were pagans before the introduction of the concept of God in Africa. After a detailed study, it was revealed that Africans had their own religion and believed in gods.

It is also important to understand other religions so as to help us in understanding God, nature, and the way belief systems are related. For instance, studying both the indigenous African religion and Westernized concepts about God reveals that truly there is a God who is responsible for controlling the universe. This is a belief system present in both religions.

Works Cited

Patrick, Nnoromele. Africa Indiginous. n.d.