Spirit and Spirits in African Religious Traditions
Interdisciplinary and Religio-Cultural Discourses on a Spirit-Filled World January 1, 2013 J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu 10 citations
African religious traditions share a belief in a real spirit world and an active evil that must be restrained for human survival, health, and prosperity. While each tradition has distinct features, common patterns include engaging with spirits and countering supernatural evil. These beliefs in mystical causality align with pneumatic forms of Christian piety, unlike Western mission Christianity which dismissed witchcraft beliefs. African-initiated Christianity instead affirmed such beliefs and offered Christian rituals to address them.