Afro-Christianity

Continuing on my thesis that Afro-Christianity differs substantially, in the nature of the relationship and utilization of foundational elements of traditional Christianity, this essays hopes to further illuminate these differences.

To understand these differences fully, one must appreciate the ways in which Christ became infused with Americanism and Blackness, and the way in which Black African values were emphasized in the understanding of the bible, while at the same time, qualities hereunto not associated within the traditional African Spiritual Practices became infused into the African understanding with powers previously unassociated with their personalities. Many of these new understandings were contingencies demanded by newfound social, cultural as well as technological differences between the Afro and Euro traditions. Also, many qualities between the Afro and Euro traditions (religion notwithstanding) that may have caused Christianity to not be fully subsumed within an Afro-Psychological perspective, had already been mitigated by Euro transformations of the political, social and cultural nature. In the face of the renaissance, the enlightenment, the scientific revolution and the age of reason and philosophy, Christianity had already been transformed and re-cast to seamlessly transcend the possible boundaries of faith resulting in a practice of faith that was not to be confined to Reason, Philosophical Truth or Logic.

Mysticism, a long held practice and method of the indigenous to communicate with the divine could have been a possible blockage to the acceptance of Chrisitianity by indigenous and specifically Afro cultures. However, mysticism had previously been accepted in Christianity, as it had in Islamic faiths in the 8th and 9th century.

The native African and Native American traditions had long prescribed rituals and practices, the point of which was to put one into direct reception of the “truth”. Truth, did not have to be explained. Truth could be illuminated as part of the holy trinity, namely the “holy ghost”. Through the acceptance of mysticism, Christianity had found the “key” necessary to unlock access to the worlds indigenous cultures, religions and practices.

Reconciling religion and real life. The harshness of the conditions of slavery, of colonization, of being placed on reservations, etc. placed native folks in the position of the “meek” , the “poor” and destitute, who were foretold in the bible to be the inheritors of the world.

Origins of social contract theory (christian medieval theory), also placed those who were in the underclass and/or slavery as in God’s favor. In terms of political and class leadership, European societies had come up with the idea that God does not legitimate leaders, rather the authority of the leaders rises from and up through the people to their leadership, to the extent that those people believe their leaders are doing God’s will. All of this harkens back to the song of Mary. And the allegory illustrated by the birth in the manger stable, and the topsy-turvy nature of the three kings, the moor, the asian and the Caucasoid, paying tribute to this child born in the company of beasts.

The personality of Christ is compelling. No one really argues with that. The stage having been set by the traditional practice of the small Jewish sect, virtually all of the worlds spiritual traditions became infected with first, the sect of Judaism and then the cult of Christ.

In the beginning, there was the pervasiveness of the authority of the teachings built up from a long tradition that not only had a strong creation myth that was malleable and recognizable to virtually all creation myths, but also, an explanation for natural events, and a tale of devotional suffering and redemption as well as future promised salvation with adherence to a time tested covenant, that had examples of extreme moral test as well as innumerable perils.

Christ proclaimed himself the son of God. His path, as the way. his body, the bread, his blood, the wine and His life, a final reconciliation and fulfillment of God's covenant and promise to man, who was made in His image and given dominion over all things.

But also, the message of love, given by the life of Christ and demonstrated in his wisdom can not be underestimated. Christ put the common man directly in the path of God's love. No longer was God something to be divined by only priests, or Kings. Now, the common man, his sufferings, his trials, his tribulations, his wretchedness, now fully within God's purview and ever watchful eye. God became big brother. Seeing all, hearing all. Man could commune directly with God. Christ showed the way. But this big brother/God wanted nothing other than devotion. Prayer, Following his Commandments, and for us to love one another for us to be rewarded with eternal bliss in God's kingdom.

This association with the disenfranchised, the abused, the lowest levels of society, gave Christianity universal appeal to not only the conqueror, but even moreso the vanquished. For African peoples, who knew well their own teachings of Vodun as well as the various sons of God and sub-deities, there had never been one as great, powerful, rewarding and loving as Christ. Christ's power was met only by his devout devotional, undying and sacrificial love. In Vodun, the Shaman, the Witch Doctor, the mediator of heaven and the intemperate desires of nature/god was left to the divination of the village priest or priestess who could Divine the love and intentions of God almighty and destiny and the future. What They had never known was a personal relationship with the divine through the worship of an earthly being. Nor had they known an all powerful God, who asked for a covenant with man, and who, in exchange would provide scriptures and rules for living, if followed, would lead to eternal salvation in the kingdom of heaven, alongside God.

This God of the Christians, forced upon the native peoples, even in the African and later, the American tradition of slavery, the slave was exalted as loved, adored and welcome to the gates and kingdom of heaven, regardless of what lowly position they held in the present day.

All blessings were blessings of Christ. All interdiction of love and happenstance, were the blessings of Christ. all spiritual experiences, emanated from the firm embrace and spiritual love and guidance of Christ. All weakness our own, and that of man. All strength and righteousness was His and emanated from His strength.

Christ to the African, became the all-knowing, ever-present medicine man and shaman, who was the son of the one true God, and also, the ever-present watcher and interlocutor upon our daily miserable, wretched lives.

Christ's miracles were more miraculous. His promises, democratic and beyond imagination. His love, all encompassing, accepting and forgiving. No act, regardless of how evil, could ever separate imperfect man from perfect God. His love was always waiting. Always there, always available. All spiritual interdiction was the personified visitation of Christ, son of God, God himself, or the Holy Spirit, which were miraculously, one and the same. These were mind-blowing concepts for the indigenous peoples of the world. Life no longer was of ultimate importance. The afterlife became paramount.

People who do not understand the constant spiritual visitations of Africans and Native Americans, see these unique visitations and events as scary, or as something that they would be very disturbed to see. Or as proof of our being under the sway of The Devil. As heresy, insanity, of evidence of false idolatry, or of our swaying from the path of the one and true Christ.

To Africans, these spiritual visitations and experiences represent the very reason why Christ was able to supplant native and indigenous understandings for His own. For Christ had always been with us. As the messiah, it was only for us to hear of his living word, and his word to be brought to us, and suddenly, our understanding of how we had been in his graces all along, was now made complete and whole.

For Whites, these spiritual visitations may seem strange, but they aren't. Sometimes, after the fact, it can seem a bit creepy. But when you see the vision, or are visited by some other-worldly force, at the time, it seems like the most normal thing. Things are calm. There is no malice. The entities are from another realm, and so, could not hurt you even if it were their intention. Never do they want to, or try to, or do they act threatening. They have unfinished business. They have left pieces of themselves they must reclaim. They have spiritual connections formed through years of living that do not simply go away just because they are now dead. When you have a vision, or see these entities, you do not feel crazy, or weird, or confused. It's very lucid.

For the African and the Native-American armed with the knowledge that it is God, or Christ that understands, allows and sends these visions to give spiritual guidance and personal messages, the events are completely tamed and removed from the realm of doubt, (unless ones conscience lead one to believe that the visions were of the dark side and realm of the devil, who is also ever present and willing and able to work mischief and trickery upon those that lack faith and fall below the grace of God.)

Christianity, to the Native American and African American has survived into modern times, and revived native traditions, as well as given shelter to native practices and arts that were long ago stamped out by zealous Christianity wherever there was Christian conquest. There are many types of Vodun, and entities within it. Below it can be seen how basic elemental elements have been conceptually similar and have been subsumed into the Christian faith.

Firstly, the Vodun(s), like Christ are considered as the sons of Mawu, God the Creator; however in the Christian tradition, may of them have lost all of their relevance: Sakpata (earth); Xevioso (sky); Agbe (sea); Gu (iron & war); Mawu (agriculture, forests); & Jo (air/invisibility).

Lêgba who is Mawu's youngest son. He is different for he was given no power, for all of the major powers were distributed before he was born. He can be seen as a Judas/Caine/Ham, Lucifer type character whose jealousy and desire for power have corrupted him and lead him to acts of spite to upset the harmonious balance. At one he is to be feared, but also, he brings balance as he upsets the balance as he tests the wills and true natures of indivduals to abide by the word. It is he who loosens the rigid structure of the pantheon. He is the Vodun of the unpredictable, of what cannot be assigned to any other and he is characterised by daily tragedies; all that is beyond good and evil.

Another of the elements of the Vodun(s) that have found a dwelling place within the Christian understanding are the These are the eponymous deified ancestors. They maintain a link between the invisible world and human beings in their daily lives and are the basis for all that is intrinsically African and Native in the form of visitations and divination, and all of the ancillary, unexplained spiritual phenomena attributed to God's realm, but not thoroughly explained by Christianity.