DREW UNIVERSITY CLA: SUMMER 2012 PAST-305/REL /HIST Christianity and Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Historical Survey

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1 DREW UNIVERSITY CLA: SUMMER 2012 PAST-305/REL /HIST Christianity and Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Historical Survey INSTRUCTOR: TIME: LOCATION: OFFICE: PHONE: OFFICE HOURS: Dr. E. Obiri Addo June 18-July 27 Tues/Thurs: 6-9 PM TBA Gilbert House-22 Ext: 3173; (cell) eaddo55193@aol.com Wednesdays: 4-5:30 p.m. and by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course uses the History of Religions method to trace the development of Christianity and Islam in sub-saharan Africa. Through guided readings, documentary films, journal writing, critical reviews, and class discussions, students explore the penetration of these two world religions as vast and continuing cultural, economic, political, and religious processes, with a profound impact on the course of history. The course pays attention to the earliest arrival of Christianity in Nubia and Ethiopia, and assesses its continuing role in national developments. A comparative case is made with other areas of Africa where the Christian presence is closely related to colonial history. Islamic presence is examined in light of Amadou Ba s observation that, Islam has no more color than water, and this explains its successes. It takes on the colors of the soils and stones. The Islamic factor in the rise, decline, and fall of earliest African empires such as Ghana, Mali, Songhai, and Kanem- Bornu receives attention, and so does its role in West Africa today, particularly in Nigeria and Senegal. Gender in both religions receive attention. Also critically examined is the nature of the interaction between indigenous African religions and the two guest religions. LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES: If you have read this far, you know that this course will take some considerable time and effort to navigate. Provided that you come to class: participate in class discussion, complete homework, quizzes and in-class assignments; present team learning projects; argue during class debates, research and write mid-term and final papers, you will learn a lot. In fact you will be able to: Acquire a foundational understanding of the origins, nature, and impact of Christianity and Islam in Africa, particularly sub-saharan Africa through the history of religions discipline. Articulate approaches to the study of religion, history, culture and contemporary development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Select and analyze primary and reputable sources that inform us about the intersections of history and religion. Read and interpret historical texts from a religious point of view Discern the nature of religion as a profound reflection on the human condition, able to transform and be transformed cross-culturally and historically, Page 1

2 Understand the social, cultural, political, and historical factors which have engendered religious changes in Africa, Identify underlying values (as opposed to facts) of contradictory viewpoints, Develop and articulate your own independent and informed viewpoints from an academic perspective Communicate orally, write and present an interdisciplinary essay with a focus on the intersections of religion, history, politics and culture. Collaborate and cooperate with your peers in debating issues and making presentations designed to solve problems and resolve issues related to the ongoing religious and political conflicts in some parts of sub-saharan Africa. APPROACH AND REQUIREMENTS: In this course we approach Christianity and Islam as: World religions that emerged within particular historical times and contexts Historical movements that swept through North Africa and found their way into sub-saharan Africa Nubian Christianity by the 4 th century, and Islam by the 8 th century. They both eventually found homes as guest religions and located within the broader social and historical contexts of sub-saharan African societies with specific political and economic dynamics, As religions, they are therefore socio-cultural constructions phenomena created and given meaning and importance through human agency and interaction Structures for organizing life on both macro (societal) and micro (individual) levels in contemporary sub-saharan Africa, religious-cultural forces shaping the life of many people and affecting politics, economics, and even ethnicity in post-colonial Africa. So: Your mission of successfully completing this course, if you choose to, requires you to: Attend class punctually and participate in class discussions (10%) Keep up with the readings materials, lectures, documentary films, and discussions by writing Reflective Journals and Think Pieces. Each journal a recording of gut responses in the form of ideas, questions and comments should be at least three double-spaced, printed pages. Students may include relevant readings (observations) from newspapers and/or magazines. Three (3) are required for full credit. Students will be invited to read their journals in class for peer critique (20%). A Think Piece offers an opportunity to critically review an academic journal article that deals with an aspect of the course. Students will be expected to identify the problem (central questions), the hypothesis (position argued out), and the trend of the arguments in the article. This is an exercise in critical thinking, and three (3) will be required for full credit (20%). Write a Mid-Term Take-Home Examination that covers all the material raised in class to date. It will test students reading progress through the writing of short notes and identifications of people, places, events and concepts (20%). Write a final Take-Home Examination similar to the mid-term but covering a broader material, and also give an oral, group presentation on topics assigned in advance. Each group make choose their own medium of presentation including power-point and role-play (30%). Page 2

3 POLICIES: Turning in any assignment late will reduce your grade by one letter for each day late. If you wrote an A paper and turned it in to me late, your grade for that paper would be reduced to a B. If you turned the paper in two days late, your grade would be a C; three days late a D, etc. In this instance, Saturday and Sunday are counted as one day. Thus, a paper that is due on Thursday but turned in on Monday would be counted as two days late and the grade will be reduced by two letter grades. If you are ill, please notify me and attach a doctor s note with your exam so that your grade will not be affected. All assignments completed in this course are expected to be original scholarship completed by the student. When you include other people s words or ideas in your paper, please make sure to use appropriate citations. You can refer to your student handbook or speak with me directly about standards and practices regarding plagiarism. Practicing plagiarism in any form is considered a violation of the academic code of ethics and will result in a failing grade for the course. REQUIRED TEXTS: Peter Clarke, West Africa and Islam West Africa and Christianity J. S. Trimingham, The Influence of Islam Upon Africa Elisabeth Isichei, Mongo Beti, A History of Christianity in Africa The Poor Christ of Bomba Page 3

4 COURSE OUTLINE: Christianity and Islam: The Message and the Practice: In which we discuss the comparative Origins, message and timelines of Christianity and Islam, including The Five Pillars and Creeds. Christian and Islamic Cultural Zones: History and Characteristics In which we discuss the nature and specific characteristics of how Christianity and Islam entered various cultures and regions of sub-saharan Africa, as well as its impact today. We follow the history of religions, Religionsgeschichte method and discuss the comparative development of Christian and Islamic religious experiences in Africa. How and why West Africans eventually adopted the religion and not the Arabic language is examined. Islamic Brotherhoods (West African Sufism) receive attention to demonstrate Islamic adaptations to West African secret societies. African Christianity is explored through historical contours such as Aksum Christianity (the story of Fremnatos), Meroe and Ethiopia, with their Egyptian Coptic connections. Christianity and Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa: Portrait of Religion, Politics, and Society: This section is very central to the course: We discuss Islam in terms of economics, (trade/commerce gold, salt, ivory, slaves, kola nuts) politics, and social life in ancient empires: Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Kanem Bornu, and Asante. For Christianity we trace the next wave of its arrival via explorers and missionaries (Black and White such as David Livingstone, Reverend Helm CSM, and Samuel Ajayi Crowther Niger Mission). Both Christian and Islamic encounters as part of the Resistance Tradition with European colonialism also receive attention. Among the Christian leaders and movements studied will be Nehemiah Tile s Ethiopian Church in South Africa, Dona Beatriz Vita and Simon Kimbangu s Eglise de Jesus sur la Terre parle Prophete Simon Kimangu EJCSK, and Dimi Ya Roho (Holy Ghost Church) of Kenya, and the Watu wa Mngu (People of God) religious group whose mode of prating inspired the title of Jomo Kenyatta s anthropological book, Facing Mount Kenya. The role of Islamic Jihads in West Africa Usman dan Fodio s Fulbe movements and the eventual formation of the Sokoto Caliphate; the Futa Jallon (modern Guinea) and Futa Toro (southern Senegal), as well as Umar Tal and Samori Toure s resistance to French rule are examined. Christianity, Islam and Social Change in Post-Colonial Sub-Saharan Africa: This section uses West and East Africa as examples to discuss Christianity and Islam under the rubric of Religion and Social Change. Modern education (literacy), modern medicine, architecture, and capitalist economy receive attention. Gender segregation, family life, spacing, and boundaries, receive attention. We also retrieve and examine developments of inter-religious conflicts, dialogue, and accommodation in post-colonial sub-saharan Africa, using Nigeria and Senegal as examples. Summary and Conclusions: We will raise a question: Christianity and Islam in West Africa: Friend or Foe, and unpack it by recapping the above outline. Page 4

5 CLASS SCHEDULE DATE WEEK I: WEEK II: WEEK III: WEEK IV: WEEK V: WEEK VI: ACTIVITY JUNE 19 AND 21 Theme: Christian and Islamic Origins Geography, the mother of History. Topics: Religions of the Book ; Contacts and Conflicts East and West Africa, the Council of Chalcedon and Impact on Africa. JUNE 26 AND 28 Theme: Cultural Zones: History of religions in Africa Topics: How the Guests arrived and Impact. Local Flavors and accommodations Nubia, Aksum, Merowe Africans and the Crusades. Coptic and Ethiopian Christianities. JULY 3 AND 5 Theme: Religion, Politics and Society From Ancient through Colonial To Post-Colonial Religion and Empire. Topics: Islam and Empires of Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Kanem-Bornu. Christian-Arab views of Black Africans and Slavery Holy Books To Medieval Times. Pope Nicholas V, Portugal and Africa, Legend of Prester John : New Gods, New Goods, New Games. JULY 10 AND 12 Theme: We continue with the discussion of Week III. Topics: Christian-Muslim (Arab) nexus in the Trans-Saharan Slave Trade, 19 th century abolitionism and implications for Christian evangelization in Islam East and West Africa, and Dutch South Africa, The Niger Mission and Samuel Ajayi Crowther Church Missionary Society, Basel Missionaries, Fourah Bay Christian College; Roles and places of Christianity and Islam in formal colonization of Africa, as well as decolonization. The unintended consequences of mission Christianity is discussed under Resistance Movements. JULY 17 AND 19 Theme: Religion and Social Change: Theories of Social Change Topics: Ideology and Gender in Christianity and Islam; Ideology and Theology of the Dutch Reformed Church and Apartheid; Politics of Sharia in Northern Nigeria Origins and current issues. Religion, Ethnicity and Politics; Continuities and Des-Continuities between the Guest and Host Religion Towards a new theory. JULY 24 AND 26 Theme: Summary and Conclusions Current Debates Topics: Christian Society and Muslim Community A Sierra Leonean Case Study; Religion and Political Leadership; Christianity and Islam in sub-saharan Africa: Friend or Foe? Page 5