Religion Essay 2 - African Religion PDF

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Eastern Religion / Religion of the World ...

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Parrinder, Religion in Africa Dinka’s, a tribe of African people inhabited have proposed an assertion that “Divinity is one, and yet there are thousands of Gods”. This idea is defined as diffused monotheism. As explained by Parrinder in his text “Religion in Africa”, he explains this idea as, “…not only that gods are dependent on the Supreme Being, but that all power, divine and human, is interrelated” (p. 47). In simpler terms, diffused monotheism is referring to a seeming plurality of powers. This involves a more complex idea about the existence and non-existence of a human. According to the Dinka’s the death of a person does not determine their non-existence. Your existence continues to live within the spiritual world. Your existence does not come to end, rather you enter a spiritual realm. You belonging enters the pyramid of diffused monotheism, along with ancestors and other sprit beings. Dinkas’s and other ancient African religions believe and in a sense, rely on the idea of a hierarchy within the spirit world. The spirit world can be divided into two categories. First, there are the spirits of the dead as I mentioned within humans. This could include past ancestors and can begin with deceased relatives. Second, there are non-human spirits. Non-human spirits are regarded in this hierarchical that determines their placement in accordance with their kind and importance and upon the power they have the roles they play. Things in nature fall into this category; such as, trees and wildlife. Parrinder confirms the Dinka’s assertion mentioning that, “Whether the complex of the power is thought of as a hierarchy or a pyramid, it is still linked in all its parts and there is only a difference of degree between man and the spirits by whom he is surrounded” (p.47). The pyramid, or hierarchy can be broken down into the following. The

Creator, or all powerful being is at the top, followed by other gods or deities. Ancestors are next on the spectrum, followed by non-human spirits. Upon dissecting the idea of diffused monotheism, Parrinder brings up the point that, “This explains the apparently blasphemous way in which people blame their gods or ancestors, though never the Supreme being when their prayers are not being answered” (p.47). Parrinder’s point suggest that according to diffused monotheism and humans who live according to this belief, there is not a need to blame the all powerful being, God, for unanswered prayers since prayers can be more directly answered through ancestors or smaller Gods. The hypothetical pyramid existing in diffused monotheism also serves as proof that divinity is one. Everyone, and everything is connected within the plurality of power....