Week 14 (April 26) Assignment 4

due: “African religions and their contribution to Humanity”

Readings (see Canvas)

Critical texts for this assignment:

  • Africa, Cradle of Humanity
  • ATR in Key Theses
  • God in ATR
  • Bumuntu Memory

Questions


Part 1.

Summarize the theory of Mitochondrial DNA and the African origin of humanity, and articulate your reflection on the implication of this theory for our understanding of Religion

Part 2. African Traditional Religion

  • How do these readings dispel negative myths about African spirituality or African traditional religions?
  • What is the African conception of God (the nature of God and his characteristics, see text on the Concept of God in African religions)
  • Summarize the fundamental moral values of African traditional religions and in so doing explain how Africans define a “good human being,” or a genuine religious person or someone regarded as holy or “a good guy.” ( “Bumuntu” is critical here).

Part 3. African contribution to world civilization and world spirituality

  • Explain the origin of Monotheism using these texts, especially the text by Jan Assmann.
  • What is the African contribution to the Bible, to Judaism and to Christianity and to world religions in general?
  • Explain “the Egyptian problem.”

Other questions

  • How did you feel while doing this assignment? What did surprise you? whad did you like or dislike and why?
  • How did this assignment help you achieve the educational goals of our university
  • Identify 5 citations that you found significant for our learning process