Morality and religion in African thought

 

 

P.J. Nel

Prof. P.J. Nel, Centre for African Studies, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

The article deals critically with current discourses on morality in African thought. These discourses reflect the ambivalence between those scholars seeking to define African morality within the parameters of a conventionalised, Western, religious episteme, and those pursuing an "Africanist" (Afrocentric) explanation which embraces an authentic mode of African knowledge construction within indigenous communities. The assumption that faith or religion is the foundation of African morality can only be partially endorsed when one grants space for hybrid moral constructions between Christianity and indigenous religion. However, African morality is not necessarily based on religion or faith, but on the beneficiary values of collective family and community well-being, without dissolving the individual's character. In African thought, the "best" rational justification of the moral imperative is less of an issue than in current moral discourse.

Keywords: African religion, African thought, Morality, Ethics

---

Trefwoorde: Afrikagodsdiens, Afrikadenke, Moraliteit, Etiek

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Achebe, C. 1998. Chi. In: E.C. Eze (ed.), African Philosophy. An anthology (Oxford: Blackwells), pp. 67-72.         [ Links ]

Agrawal, M. M. 1998. Morals and the value of human life. In: E.C. Eze (ed.), African Philosophy. An anthology (Oxford: Blackwells), pp. 146-154.         [ Links ]

Bhabha, H. 1994. The location of culture. London: Routledge.         [ Links ]

Bujo, B. 2003. Foundations of an African Ethic. Beyond the universal claims of Western morality. (Transl. B McNiel.) Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa.         [ Links ]

Chidester, D. 1996. Savage systems: Colonialism and Comparative Religion in Southern Africa. Chalotesville: University Press of Virginia.         [ Links ]

De Quincey, C. 2005. Radical knowing. Understanding consciousness through relationship. Vermont: Park Street Press.         [ Links ]

Du Toit, C. W. (Ed.) 1998. Faith, science & African culture. African cosmology and Africa's contribution to science. Pretoria: UNISA.         [ Links ]

Eze, E. C. (Ed.) 1998. African Philosophy. An anthology. Oxford: Blackwells.         [ Links ]

Gbabegesin, S. 1998. Yoruba philosophy: Individuality, community, and the moral order. In: E.C. Eze (ed.), African Philosophy. An anthology (Oxford: Blackwells), pp. 130-141.         [ Links ]

Hammond-Tooke, D. 1998. Establishing dialogue: Thoughts on 'cosmology', 'religion' and 'science'. In: C.W. du Toit (ed.), Faith, science & African culture. African cosmology and Africa's contribution to science (Pretoria: UNISA), pp. 1-9.         [ Links ]

Hountondji, P. 1983. African Philosophy: Myth and reality. Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Press.         [ Links ]

Leeuw, Th. M. J. 2004. Indigenous Knowledge Systems: "Religion" idem "philosophy. In: M. Masoga & A. Musyoki (eds.), Building on the indigenous - an African perspective (Pretoria: National Research Foundation), pp. 20-36.         [ Links ]

Marchand, T. H. J. 2003. A possible explanation for the lack of explanation: Or, "Why the master builder can't explain what he knows": Introducing informational atomism against a "definitional" definition of concepts. In: J. Pottier, et al. (eds.), Negotiating local knowledge. Power, identity and development (London: Pluto Press), pp. 30-50.         [ Links ]

Masoga, M. & Musyoki, A. (Eds .) 2004. Building on the indigenous - an African perspective. Pretoria: National Research Foundation.         [ Links ]

Mbembe, A. 2001. On the Postcolony. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press.         [ Links ]

Mudimbe, V. Y. 1988. The invention of Africa. Gnosis, philosophy, and the order of knowledge. London: James Currey.         [ Links ]

Nkruma, K. 1998. Consciencism. In: E.C. Eze (ed.), African Philosophy. An anthology (Oxford: Blackwells), pp. 81-93.         [ Links ]

Odera Oruka, H. 1991. Sage philosophy: Indigenous thinkers and modern debate on African philosophy. Nairobi: ACTS Press.         [ Links ]

Pottier, J. et al. (Eds.) 2003. Negotiating local knowledge. Power, identity and development. London: Pluto Press.         [ Links ]

Presbey, G. M. et al. (Eds .) 2002. Thought and practice in African philosophy. Nairobi: Konrad Adenhauer Foundation.         [ Links ]

Senghor, L. S. 1996. L'Esthetique negro-africaine. Paris: Diogene.         [ Links ]

Setiloane, G. 1998a. How Africa (Bantu) mythology has anticipated Darvin and Prof Philip Tobias. In: C.W. du Toit (ed.), Faith, science & African culture. African cosmology and Africa's contribution to science (Pretoria: UNISA), pp. 65-72.         [ Links ]

Setiloane, G. 1998b. Towards a biocentric theology and ethic - via Africa. In: C.W. du Toit (ed.), Faith, science & African culture. African cosmology and Africa's contribution to science (Pretoria: UNISA), pp. 73-84.         [ Links ]

Tempels, P. 1959. Bantu Philosophy (Transl. C. King.) Paris: Presence Africaine.         [ Links ]

Wiredu, K. 1980. Philosophy and an African culture. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.         [ Links ]