Biovail Case Study

Analyzing and Interpreting Judaism and the African Traditional Religion

Judaism is the oldest and one of the greatest and monotheistic religions. Its contribution to the history of religion and to the spiritual evolution of humanity is essential. The other two great monotheistic religions, Christianity and Islam, which bring together hundreds of millions of believers in the entire world, were born from the Jewish culture, form where they get most of the sacred values and from which they draw inspiration for the fundamental aspects of their religious institutions. On the other hand, much has been said and written about the African Traditional Religion. In reality this is not simply an object of study, but a way of living for Africans, which form the background of their lives. This way living is based on several habits, such as: eating, working, dancing, praying, offering sacrifices, etc. It is difficult to find any activities that are separate from religious implications. However, African Traditional Religion, are not among the religions taught in theological faculties, because it is a faith oriented just to the involvement of different actions and activities: talk to the Divine, offering prayers and sacrifices, falling into a trance, etc. Also, these activities always have a goal: solve a problem, ask for curing someone, placate the agitated spirits, invoke the blessing of the ancestors, etc. In the next paragraphs we will break down these two religions and see what are the differences and the similarities they share.

* God and Divine Concepts:

According to African Religion the word “God” refers to an eternal and immortal being who is the source of all living things and whose life existed from the dateless past. He is self-existed and his power sustains the Universe. He is an all knowing being who knows and sees all things at the same time without any modern instrument. He is transcendent; He is beyond what is natural and normal, and different from it....