Christianity came into Africa just after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. From the beginning, the religion has spread vastly throughout Africa. African Christians take Christianity seriously, applying their beliefs to present day situations. Although African Christians are maintaining their traditional heritage, Christians are able to give a witness to their faith in Jesus

Christ. Christianity and African traditional religion, are two of the most common religions throughout Africa. These two religions, African Traditional Religion and Christianity, have similarities and contrasts.

Two of the main objects Christians use for religious purposes are the Bible and water. What is known of Jesus, is told in the Gospels of the New Testament of the Bible. Other portions of the New Testament summarize the beliefs of the early Christian Church. As Louis Henry Jordan noted, "Christians teach that God is almighty in dominion over all that is heaven and on earth, righteous in judgement over good and evil, beyond time and space and change; but above all they teach that 'God is love'"(129). Other than the Bible, water has been used as a religious object of purification. Baptism in Christian churches is the universal rite of initiation and is performed with water, usually in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Most churches regard baptism as a sign of initiation, and some regard it as an ordinance, or rite commanded by Christ. Jesus was baptized at the beginning of his public ministry and later commanded his disciples to preach and baptize the n!

The two religions focused upon, African Traditional Religion and Christianity are very similar in their teachings. The idea of the Church is parallel between the two religions. The Church is the Christian family, in which the worshipers have faith in the baptism of Jesus Christ, and include those who have died and those who still live. This is similar to the African view of the family of both the living and the departed. Other than the Church, there are some similarities in the Bible and in the African Religion. "Christians see Jesus Christ as addressing himself to them and not only to the people, but to the sick, poor, and the hungry, which touches to the African heart as well" claims Mbiti (190). Christians turn to Jesus for help and when asking for prayer, as many traditional Africans who practice African Traditional Religion spend much time asking Jesus and God to assist them in their daily needs. Because Christianity has spread rapidly throughout Africa, Chris!

For religious practices, rituals are often performed through music, dance, and art. A lot of African music deals with religious practices allowing individuals to express their religious life and beliefs. Singing and a variety of instruments, such as the drum, flute, and the whistle accompany religious rituals. The most common instrument is the drum, which can be found in many shapes and sizes. When there is a religious event there is often an occasion for singing and dancing. In her article "Dance in Sub-Saharan Africa", Marian Aguiar suggests "African dances are used for a variety of social purposes, where dance plays a significant role in religious rituals". Dancing penetrates into the soul of

Lippy, Charles H. and Williams, Peter, eds. Encyclopedia of the American Religious

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Approximate Word count = 2133
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)