Ecumenism in a Multi-Religious Context - Africa

Ecumenical Review, The, July, 2001 by Method Kilaini

3. The politicization of Islam has been a problem in many countries. Over time Christianity has separated religion from the state, and accepts a secular state while Islam does not. Where there is a strong Muslim population they sometimes seek to impose Islamic law or sharia as the law of the state. Where the sharia is in place Christians are second-class citizens at best, and this has often blocked meaningful dialogue. Finally, in many instances, economic, ethnic and tribal differences have exacerbated religious conflicts.

The positive side of relations

1. Faced by the common problem of Islamic fundamentalism, different Christian denominations have come together to seek a solution. In Tanzania in 1992, the capital city was invaded by young Muslim revolutionaries trained outside the country and well equipped with funds, with violence perpetrated, blasphemy pronounced and the peace threatened. Christians of all denominations and sects (from Catholics to Pentecostals) came together to make a common strategy. The commission formed then has continued to do other activities, including planning common prayers and sermons for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as well as other activities of mutual interest.

2. Extremism has brought Christian and Muslim moderates near one another. They have started for example joint programmes and projects.

3. Christian scholars have realized the necessity to study Islam in general, and the Koran in particular, more positively.

4. Christian ecumenical groups, often coordinating with Muslim groups, are making efforts at conflict resolution. This is seen in Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Liberia.

2. DIALOGUE WITH TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS

Traditional religions are numerically decreasing but are still strong as a cultural baseline. In most places in Africa south of the Sahara they are not organized, rather the rites are carried out by traditional priests who often do not have contact among themselves -- unless they are defending their profession as traditional healers. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate traditional priests from medicine-men. And there are tribes where traditional chiefs (who are themselves priests) protect the traditional religion and its priests. Traditional religion has no sacred books, rather oral traditions which are changed to fit the situations at the time. It has neither expert theologians to explain their dogmas, nor a hierarchy to speak for them. The few things written about them are written by Christian and Muslim scholars.

Yet one thing is clear: traditional religion forms the religious culture of most Africans and cannot be ignored. As John Mbiti writes:

   Wherever the African is, there is his religion: he carries it to the fields
   where he is sowing seeds or harvesting a new crop; he takes it with him to
   the beer party or to attend a funeral ceremony; and if he is educated, he
   takes religion with him to the examination room at school or in the
   university; if he is a politician he takes it to the house of parliament.
   Although many African languages do not have a word for religion as such, it
   nevertheless accompanies the individual from long before his birth to long
   after his physical death.(8)