In most African traditions, cultures and religions, there is an intricate and delicate relationship between sex and spiritualism. At every strata of sexuality, there is ascription of different factors to spirituality or spiritism. It is important to evaluate how spiritualism shapes African beliefs relative to sex and sexuality.
Spiritualism is a belief that spirits of the dead residing in spirit world have both the ability and inclination to communicate with the living. Spiritism is the branch of spiritualism developed by Allan Kardec. Spiritualism developed and reached its peak growth in membership from 1840 to the 1920s, especially in English-speaking countries with members drawn mostly from the middle and upper class. The religion thrived for a long time without canonical texts or formal organization, attaining cohesion through periodicals, tour by trance lecturers, camp meetings, and missionary activities of accomplished mediums. Many prominent Spiritualists were women, and like most Spiritualists, supported causes such as the abolition of slavery and women’s suffrage. Today, spiritism is found most in continental Europe and Latin America, especially Brazil. The major features of spiritism beliefs include:
• A belief in spirit communication
• A belief that the soul continues to exist after the death of the physical body
• Personal responsibility for life circumstances
• A belief that the soul can learn and improve after death
• A belief in God, often referred to as “infinite intelligence”
• The natural world considered as an expression of the said intelligence
Undoubtedly, there was an obvious influence of Christian, Catholic and Islamic teachings on the beliefs of spiritualism. However, it is of note that spiritualism and spiritism thrived at the height of slavery, at places where African slaves worked on plantations, with major Spiritualists supporting abolition of slavery and the deities and mediums of communication with the spirit world retaining names that originated from the Yoruba language of the race of people from West Africa. The manner of growth of the religion also suggests religious repression and covert activities. In Brazil, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, Costa Rica and Jamaica, deities like Orixa, Xango, Exu are still consulted and the Spiritualists are still referred to Iyalawo, Babalawo and Iya Orixa. It is widely acknowledge that Santeria or Lucumi practiced in Brazil originated from West Africa and influenced by Roman Catholicism. In effect, it is safe to assume that spiritualism and spiritism, in the crude form, are integral part of African religions, traditions and cultures.
Spiritualism is not to be mistaken for spirituality. According to Waaijman, “Spirituality is the attempt to achieve the state of sacredness through the process of reformation aimed at recovering the original shape of man, the image of God”. Spirituality is distinctively different from spiritualism, in aim, focus and beliefs.
Spiritualism is a belief that spirits of the dead residing in spirit world have both the ability and inclination to communicate with the living. Spiritism is the branch of spiritualism developed by Allan Kardec. Spiritualism developed and reached its peak growth in membership from 1840 to the 1920s, especially in English-speaking countries with members drawn mostly from the middle and upper class. The religion thrived for a long time without canonical texts or formal organization, attaining cohesion through periodicals, tour by trance lecturers, camp meetings, and missionary activities of accomplished mediums. Many prominent Spiritualists were women, and like most Spiritualists, supported causes such as the abolition of slavery and women’s suffrage. Today, spiritism is found most in continental Europe and Latin America, especially Brazil. The major features of spiritism beliefs include:
• A belief in spirit communication
• A belief that the soul continues to exist after the death of the physical body
• Personal responsibility for life circumstances
• A belief that the soul can learn and improve after death
• A belief in God, often referred to as “infinite intelligence”
• The natural world considered as an expression of the said intelligence
Undoubtedly, there was an obvious influence of Christian, Catholic and Islamic teachings on the beliefs of spiritualism. However, it is of note that spiritualism and spiritism thrived at the height of slavery, at places where African slaves worked on plantations, with major Spiritualists supporting abolition of slavery and the deities and mediums of communication with the spirit world retaining names that originated from the Yoruba language of the race of people from West Africa. The manner of growth of the religion also suggests religious repression and covert activities. In Brazil, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, Costa Rica and Jamaica, deities like Orixa, Xango, Exu are still consulted and the Spiritualists are still referred to Iyalawo, Babalawo and Iya Orixa. It is widely acknowledge that Santeria or Lucumi practiced in Brazil originated from West Africa and influenced by Roman Catholicism. In effect, it is safe to assume that spiritualism and spiritism, in the crude form, are integral part of African religions, traditions and cultures.
Spiritualism is not to be mistaken for spirituality. According to Waaijman, “Spirituality is the attempt to achieve the state of sacredness through the process of reformation aimed at recovering the original shape of man, the image of God”. Spirituality is distinctively different from spiritualism, in aim, focus and beliefs.
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