1 Introduction

There was controversy in the Western academic community during the 18th and 19th centuries regarding the definition of traditional African religions. Early European scholars misunderstood and distorted African religious culture based on colonial records, leading to the erroneous portrayal of traditional African religions as superstitious, primitive, and cruel. After the 20th century, some European and African scholars began to question early research and promote a renewed understanding of traditional African religions. Nigerian theologian Eduu and Kenyan theologian Mbiti emphasized the need to break free from the value judgments of European scholars, deconstruct the essence of traditional African religions, and construct their image based on their social, religious, and cultural affiliation with Africa.

The valuelessness of traditional African religions

Refuting the view that traditional African religions are worthless, emphasizing that traditional African religions are an important support point for African social life, with inherent and transcendent qualities, and are an internal force for the improvement of African national life. There is no essential difference between traditional African religions and European Christianity in terms of the revelation of the value of life and the reflection of shared spiritual structures. Early European scholars agreed that traditional African religion is a recreation of life and the art of living, the source of all art, and the cultural source that nourishes African society. However, most European missionaries, travelers, merchants, explorers, and Christian scholars hold the opposite view, equating the beliefs of African black people with primitive idol worship, stigmatizing their divine beliefs, and strongly rejecting their religious belief systems. They believe that the lives of African black people are meaningless, asserting that traditional African religions are like stagnant water, devoid of vitality, and have no connection to social ethics or morality.

The New Turn of Traditional African Religions

Explored the changes and new definitions of traditional African religions by European scholars since the 20th century. British ethnologist Mary Kingsley questioned the stigmatization of traditional African religions by early scholars, arguing that it was due to errors and exaggerated statements by European travelers, missionaries, and officials. Edward Taylor, a British anthropologist, described African traditional religions with animism and fetishism, emphasizing their belief structure and organizational mimicry. German anthropologist William Schmidt defined African traditional religion as "primitive monotheistic belief" from subjective and objective perspectives. British professor Edward Palind transformed traditional African religions from polytheistic beliefs to pantheistic thought systems. Evans Pritchard emphasized the commonality of African religious belief systems, believing that neither monotheism nor polytheism is needed. African indigenous scholar Eduu defined traditional African religion as a "widely spread monotheistic belief" that includes other divine powers. These new definitions overturn the view that traditional African religions are useless, arguing that traditional African religions are an important source of life and livelihood for Africans, and that their social life, art, and religious practices are closely related to religion.

Understanding the Definition and Essence of Traditional African Religions

Deeply explored the definition and essence of traditional African religions, emphasizing their importance in the lives of various ethnic groups in Africa. Traditional African religions not only involve daily life, but also profound reflections on the universe and the human world. Africans seek support and sustain their life processes through religious rituals and beliefs in the afterlife. Death is seen as the continuation of life in the spiritual world, and Africans believe that the universe is tangible, providing a localized methodology for understanding traditional African religions. British religious scholar Harold Turner and African American scholar Charles Long both emphasized the role of the African cosmology in revealing transcendence and responding to human needs. The sacredness of traditional African religions is reflected in the process of myths, legends, symbolic meanings, and religious responses. African American scholar Charles Long proposed that understanding the essence of the definition of traditional African religions requires a deeper exploration of the issue of sacredness. The sacredness of traditional African religions includes the process and outcome of reminding black Africans of their sacred origins and religious responses. American scholar Joyce Penfield emphasized the importance of ancient African proverbs in traditional religions, believing that they are living souls of divine beings. African ethnic groups actively recognize the connection between life and the spiritual world through religion, hoping to receive help and protection from the gods. American scholar Douglas Thomas pointed out that the vision of African religions is positive, reflecting the results of self inspiration among the black people and confirming their ability to engage in dialogue with the departed in the spiritual world. Traditional African religions emphasize the pursuit of a better life in reality, maintaining physical health and family prosperity, as well as exploring the causes of individual diseases and breaking down barriers to achieving self satisfaction.

5 African Traditional Religions that Innovate within Tradition

Traditional African religions are not static, but have the ability to self innovate. It originated from the African ethnic, religious, and cultural community, closely related to individual life, and has a moral healing function. Through ritualistic behavior patterns, it releases suffering, soothes gods, resolves social conflicts, restores traditional values, and spiritualizes social life. The development trend of traditional religions in Africa indicates that they have not always appeared in traditional forms, but are the result of a series of complex themes that require the pursuit of cultural foundations in historical changes. It is an open cultural resource and strategy used to expound on the issues of the human world and mysterious forces. The connotation and form of traditional African religions are quite distinctive, and require in-depth analysis from their names, meanings, objects of worship, rituals, and other aspects to convey global concepts and their historical status in world religions. African ethnic groups have never isolated traditional religions, and their dynamic development is interconnected with history, myths and legends, diseases, and life philosophy, possessing continuous innovative power, providing cultural and value guidance for individuals or groups, and coexisting with vitality.

6 Conclusion

Traditional African religions have gone through three major stages of development: affirmation of ignorance and error, clarification of doubt and resistance to truth, and dilemma of knowledge. These stages overlap with each other and together shape the complexity of traditional African religions. Both European and African scholars believe that traditional African religions are a subject of ongoing research that requires in-depth exploration. African traditional religions are a forest of religious ritualistic symbols constructed by African nations through transcendent modes, achieving a connection between spirit and reality. Scholars should construct the incompleteness of traditional African religions from the perspective of religious and cultural exchange, mutual learning, integration, and regeneration.