African Origins Of The Major World Religions edited by Amon Saba Saakana

This book represents an important exercise in analysing and interpreting the intricacies of the religious question, and though there are differences on specific issues, they do not overshadow the general conclusions: that African religions preceded those of the major religions of the world, and that they shaped and influenced those religions in their attempt to resolve the social conflict of class and oppression. Evidently, the interpretation of this religious influence on the Indo-European world was centred on the social content, the predisposition of the society, to equalize between slave master and slave, serf and lord, and that its applications were specifically rendered in a materialistic, pragmatic formulation which limited, but did not resolve, the question of in-equity.

And finally, we can state that Europe, though an avid defender of various philosophical and religious inheritances, has not created a single religion which was grasped and understood by the world: not Christianity, not Judaism, not Buddhism, not Zoroasticism, etc. Not even in its philosophical understanding i.e., the inheritance from Greece, can the claim be made for originality.

Issues addressed here: ideas of Monotheism, Judaism, Christianity, African traditional Religion/Spirituality, Linguistics, Buddhism, all examined from an African-centered perspective.

Featuring:

YOSEF BEN-JOCHANNAN

WAYNE B. CHANDLER

CHARLES S. FINCH III

MODUPE ODUVOVE

TSEGAVE GABRE-MEDHIN