WORLD HISTORY

HISTORY

THE MUSLIM WORLD AND AFRICA

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which syncretic religion, often found in Caribbean nations, incorporates beliefs from Christianity and West Africa?
A
Voodoo
B
Scientology
C
Catholicism
D
Christian Science Church
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Another highly syncretic religion of the area, vodou, combines elements of Western African, native Caribbean, and Christian (especially Roman Catholic) beliefs.

Detailed explanation-2: -An important syncretic revivalist movement that occurred in the Caribbean was the Jamaican Rastafari movement. Revivalist movements are attempts to revive a past golden age, with the belief that ancient customs represent the noble features and legitimacy of the repressed culture.

Detailed explanation-3: -Central to syncretism is the belief that all religions offer truth, or that different religions present different paths to God. Syncretism operates on the assumption that combining certain teachings produces a better way of knowing and/or reaching God.

Detailed explanation-4: -An example of cultural-religious syncretism is Rastafarianism, in which Christian religion is blended with Pan-African ethnic identity and Caribbean slave religious practices.

Detailed explanation-5: -Religion is one of the most important elements of Afro-Caribbean culture linking its people to their African past, from Haitian Vodou and Cuban Santeria-popular religions that have often been demonized in popular culture-to Rastafari in Jamaica and Orisha-Shango of Trinidad and Tobago.

Detailed explanation-6: -Syncretism was a different scenario for the Nubian people. The Nubians, over the years in which Islam exerted its beliefs, had merged their ancient belief system with the newer religion in many ways. This was possible because of Muslim theology condoning beliefs in angels, devils and mystical forces.

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