Why Study African Traditional Religions (ATR)?
Why should missionaries whose aim is to bring the Good News be concerned with ATR? Is it not there duty to convince the people to give up religious practices which are full of superstition, fear and witchcraft? Indeed, in the beginning of missionary activity, due to many misconceptions and ignorance, ATR was considered as the direct opposite of Christianity, which needed to be eradicated. This was at a time when human societies from a Western perspective – which was the yardstick of normality – were divided in two types: Western – Non-Western Civilized – Primitive Logical – Prelogical Healthy – Sick, Evil, Savage. Africans, therefore, were widely considered as people with inferior forms of religion and logic. The alleged cultural superiority of Europe led many missionaries not only to bring the Christian faith, but also Western culture, at the expense of local cultures and religious traditions. ATR, on the other hand, is inseparably linked to African cultures and worldviews. That is wh
