Syncretism is when elements of different religions are combined, mixed, or blended. In sub-Saharan Africa, the devil has used syncretism to weaken the faith of many professing Christians. Most Africans are born into African Traditional Religion (ATR), believing in the Supreme Being. ATR is so pervasive many Africans are unaware of its impact on them, even after embracing another religion. As Ndemanu writes, “Africans are first and foremost members of traditional religions before any other religion” (p71). When a foreign religion comes into African communities, most don’t abandon their ATR. Instead, they simply combine the respective beliefs.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the devil has used syncretism to weaken the faith of many.
The prevalence of ATR isn’t the only reason for syncretism. There do exist certain as well as apparent similarities between traditional religions and Christianity. So when Christians aren’t well taught they fail to recognise the profound differences. Therefore, certain branches of the Christian church actually enable syncretism, through leaving their people ignorant. In my opinion, this is especially true of Pentecostalism and extreme Charismatics. But I’m not suggesting that you’ll only find syncretism in such churches. It’s a massive challenge, across Africa.
Below I discuss a few elements of ATR that many Christians in sub-Saharan Africa have imported into their Christianity, often even without knowing it.
The Supreme Being in Traditional African Religions
A central belief and aspect of most traditional African religions is a Supreme Being who is far from his creation. He isn’t involved in the daily affairs of his creation. Ukpong says that according to ATR God withdrew to heaven after creating the world. Rather than availing himself to people, the Supreme Being delegates other forces or spirits to run the world on his behalf. Therefore in order to approach him, people must go through human mediums. This results in a hierarchical system of power. It leads to people being ranked according to their influence in both society and spiritual matters. Top of the ladder are witch doctors, soothsayers, and sangomas; the human links to ancestral spirits, divinities, and the Supreme Being.
Many professing Christians have imported this belief or structure into Christianity. Many believe that God is far away or distant, uninterested and uninvolved in their lives. Simultaneously, they believe that their religious leaders—usually a woman or man of God—are closer to God; that they’re more favoured in God’s sight and freely able to speak to him. Perhaps modern day ‘prophets’ are most commonly perceived in this way.
Many believe that God is far away or distant, uninterested and uninvolved in their lives.
Like mediums in ATR, these men of God mediate between God and man. In extreme, and quite bizarre, cases some literally speak to God on the phone, asking him about his will for people. This typically happens in the presence of a gathering or church service, to cheers from the audience. If you aren’t “anointed” then you aren’t as close to God as them. They’re at the top of the ladder; you’re at the bottom. They are the way to God. So you need them.
The Bible contradicts this belief in two ways.
God is Near to Us
Firstly, God isn’t far off. “Immanuel” means ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23). He’s with his people, in a real sense. God is very much involved in human affairs, particularly his children’s. The Holy Spirit indwells believers (1 Corinthians 3:16). We don’t even need to shout our prayers in order for God to hear us. We can mumble our prayers, like Hanna (1 Samuel 2:9-10). For God is attentive to his people. He hears them.
God is very much involved in human affairs, particularly his children’s.
Furthermore, he answers us according to his will. If something isn’t in God’s will he won’t give us what we ask for, even if we gather a thousand men and women of God. God is very involved in our daily affairs. He did not create the world and abandoned it for us to figure out for ourselves.
We Have One Gracious Mediator
Secondly, there is no other mediator between God and man except Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). God hears our prayers because of his Son, Jesus Christ. Moreover, Jesus doesn’t need deputy mediators. Christ is enough! While God commands believers to pray for one another, this doesn’t mean that a certain class of Christians is closer to God than others are. There are no first or second class Christians.
There’s no class of Christians who’re closer to God than others.
You don’t need the men or women of God to get favours from God. All of God’s children have the same access to God. In Christ, God calls all Christians priests. Thus the pastor has no special access to God than a 10-year-old member who was recently born again. Because of Christ, you don’t need to have pilgrimages to far away countries to get answers from God through some supposed man of God. Save your money!
Go to God
African Christians must beware of ATR, which seems so easily blended with the Christian faith. One way of dealing with the key false belief that God is far away and uninterested is to better understand his attributes. According to the Bible, even though he exists independently from his creation, he is nevertheless near and attentive to the daily affairs of his children and the creation. So every Christian, not just the men and women of God, have access to him. Through Christ, all Christians have equal access to God.
