RELIGION

DEFINITION OF RELIGION

-It is a belief in a Supreme Being and man’s response through symbols and actions to the
presence of the Supreme being.

- Can also be defined as something to do with that strong feeling that we human beings have
towards the supreme Being.

Types of religion

1.Indigenous Religion

2. Judaism

3. Christianity

4. Islam

Characteristics of religion

1. Religion is a practical meaning as it shapes the interests and aspirations of the lived
family life which is experienced in a particular religion.
2. Religion is experiencial and emotional because its something one feels from inside.
3. Religion has sacred texts and writings as it is explained through stories which can either
be written or oral.
4. Religion has a set of beliefs that are to be followed which guides believers. These sets of
beliefs are called doctrines.
5. Religion has laws about good and bad behaviour.
6. Religion is about society because it is concerned with how people in a society are
organized and how they relate with each other
7. Religion is expressed through material things.

Attributes of God/Supreme Being in Religions

1. Indigenous Religion

1
 i. Everlasting
ii. All powerful- having all authority
iii. All-knowing-full of wisdom
iv. Ever-present- found everywhere
v. Creator- originator of everything
vi. Rainmaker
vii. Healer
2. Judaism
i. Transcendent- he operates from above.
ii. Omnipotent- he is all powerful
iii. Omniscient- he knows everything
iv. Omnipresent- he is everywhere
v. Eternal- he existed before the creation of the universe.
3. Christianity
i. Transcendent- he operates from above.
ii. Omnipotent- he is all powerful
iii. Omniscient- he knows everything
iv. Omnipresent- he is everywhere
v. God is love
vi. God is holy
vii. God is perfect
4. Islam
i. Omniscient
ii. Omnipotent
iii. Omnipresent
iv. Oneness
v. Allah exists without doubt
vi. Allah bears no resemblance to any of his creations.
vii. He has eternity

Names of Supreme Being in Religions

2
 1. Indigenous Religion.

Name Meaning
Musiki Creator
Musikavanhu Creator of people
Mutangakugara One who pre-exist
Samasimba All-poweful
Mwari One who speaks through nature
Chirazamauya One who gives blessings
Dzivaguru Great pool
Zame One who is to be respected

2. Judaism

Name Meaning
El-Shaddai God is all sufficient
El’Elyon God is the most high
El’Olam Everlasting
Yahweh Yire’eh God who provides
El-Bethel God who appeared at Bethel
Elohe Abraham

3. Christianity
- Christianity uses the same names to refer to the Supreme Being as those used in
Judaism.
- However, in addition, Christianity has special names to refer to Jesus and the Holy
Spirit.
4. Islam

Name Meaning
Merciful he has mercy
Creator He created the universe

3
 The forgiving He forgives sins
The All-knowing He knows everything
The Holy one He is holy with no sins

Key Beliefs in Religion.

1. Indigenous Religion
i. They belief in the existence of God who is not foreign to Africans.
ii. The belief in God is not contained in any written texts but it is transmitted as part
of tradition orally.
iii. Everything rests with the Supreme Being.
2. Judaism
i. God exists
ii. God is one and unique
iii. God is incorporeal
iv. God is eternal
v. The Messiah will come
vi. The dead will be resurrected
vii. God will reward the righteous and punish the wicked
3. Christianity
i. There is only one God.
ii. Belief in Jesus Christ
iii. Belief in the Holy Spirit
iv. Belief in the baptism for the remission of sins
v. Belief in the second coming of Jesus
vi. Belief in life after death
vii. Belief in resurrection of the body
viii. Belief in eternal life
ix. Belief in angels.
4. Islam
i. Allah exists

4
 ii. Allah is one and unique
iii. Mohammad is the last prophet.
iv. Allah is forgiving
v. Believe that the Quran was written in heaven.

Indigenous Religion

What is Indigenous Religion?

It refers to the religious beliefs, customs and practices of Africans that originated from Africa.

History and development of Indigenous Religion.

-The history of Indigenous Religion continues to be debatable.

-Indigenous religion has no specific founder.

-It is part of the social structure of the community.

It developed over a long period dating back thousands years of years ago.

-It has developed to become part of a worldwide culture.

- In the present day, indigenous religion is believed to cut across all African families as
represented by totems across Africa.

-The movement of people in large groups has been responsible for spreading rituals and other
religious ideas associated with Indigenous religion.

-Information is passed orally.

-Indigenous religion may therefore be called a cultural religion

- In Indigenous Religion, it is difficult to separate religion from the culture of people and vice-
versa

-Totem praise, poetry, proverbs, folktales, songs, idioms and jokes are all part of the texts that
transmit culture in Indigenous Religion.

5
Historical Background of Judaism

Definition of Judaism

-It refers to the religion and culture of the Jews.

Origins

-They are Jews who belong to the religion because they practice the Jewish way of life like
observing certain food laws and many other Jewish customs.

- Followers are Judaism are not converted to the religion but are born into the religion.

- With Judaism, it is very difficult to separate religion from the culture of the people and vice
versa,

-Abraham is called the great ancestor of the Jews.

- Abraham is called a patriarch because he is the male leader of a tribe or clan.

- He is the first patriarch, Isaac his son the second, Jacob , Isaac’s son the third.

- Judaism began with the religion of these patriachs.

- Some people may want to believe that the History of Judaism began with Moses, a later
ancestor of the Jews.

Historical Background of Christianity

Definition of Christianity

-It is the religion of all the people (Jews and Gentiles) who consider Jesus of Nazareth as their
savior.

Origins

-Christianity began with the birth of Jesus.

-The story of the birth of Jesus is recorded in two gospels in the Bible which are Matthew and
Luke.

6
- Around 533CE, Pope John I, considered it necessary to make a Christian calendar.

- The calendar would read dates in terms of the birth of Jesus.

Historical Background of Islam

Definition of Islam

-It means total submission to God.

Origins.

-Islam is considered as one of the three monotheistic religions in the world.

- Judaism is the parent religion of both Christianity and Islam.

-These three religions are called Abrahamic religions.

-Islam insists that God is one and not trinity a Christians believe.

- In Islam, God is called Allah in Arabic.

- The Quran, the sacred book for the Muslims contains the teachings revealed to prophet
Muhammad from Allah.

- The Quran/ Koran teach that Allah is not divided.

-Muslims portray Jesus as one of the prophets and not the Son of God

-Islam began in Mecca around 610 CE

Geographical Distributions of Religions in Zimbabwe.

-Different religious groups are located in different areas in Zimbabwe.

-Christians are scattered around towns and they tend to mix with different denominations.

-The Provincial Distribution of Apostolic Church heads was established as follows

Mashonaland Central 38%

Matebeleland South 38%

7
 Mashonaland East 37%
Manicaland 36%
Harare 23%
Bulawayo 23%

-Mainline churches like Roman Catholic, protestants and Pentecostals are as follows

Mashonaland Central 19%

Bulawayo 59%
Midlands 52%
Mashonaland West 39%
Manicaland 39%
Matebeleland 40%
Mashonaland East 38%

The survey also showed that by 2014, the distribution of Indigenous Religious heads of
household was largely concentrated in Mashonaland central.

Mashonaland Central 73%

Matebeleland South 64%
Harare Metropolitan 37%
Bulawayo Metropolitan 37%
Midlands 41%
Masvingo 49%
Matebeleland North 58%
Mashonaland West 56%
Mashonaland East 58%
Manicaland 54%

-A further analysis showed that Muslims were mainly concentrated in major cities and the largest
number being in Harare, Belvedere area where there is the Islam Cultural Institute.

8
Rituals in religions

Indigenous religion

-Religious rituals can be defined as an agred on and formalized pattern of ceremonial movements
and verbal expressions carried out in a sacred context.

- Rituals express and communicate several levels of meanings in the society

Importance of rituals

1. They commemorate significant events in life of individuals and communities

2. They provide means of renewing the meaning of those events
3. They help individuals and communities to make sense of life’s transition from one stage
of life to another.
4. They also make easy the movement from the familiar to the unknown eg childhood to
adulthood.

Types of rituals

1. Birth Rituals.

-These are among the most important rituals in a person’s life

-They signal the beginning of the rhythm of life

- Once a person is born, there are many rituals associated with the birth of a person and they vary
from one region to another.

Initiation into adulthood/Rites of passage

-It is a celebration of the passage which occurs when individual leaves one group to enter
another.

- It involves a significant change of status in society.

9
- The rites of passage provide the African with the foundation of his/her being identity that is
sexual identity and the roles of gender identity.

-Males are prepared for their responsibility in the nation and females prepared for their
responsibility in the nation as women with no confusion.

- Among rites of passage, initiation was of particular importance.

- The process and details of initiation differ among societies.

- These rites provide individuals with instructions about what will be expected of them during
next phase of their lives.

- Girls are trained on being responsible and good mothers.

- They are taught the important aspects of how to be a good wife who is able to satisfy their
husband and raise children properly.

- Boys are required to prove their power and hunting skills.

- In some cases there is circumcision for boys and female genital mutilation for girls though this
practice is discouraged and has reduced.

- These rituals are also accompanied by ceremonial drumming and dance

Marriage Rites.

-These involve numerous practices that vary from one community to the other.

- For marriage, there are taboos and sometimes virginity tests.

- Some rites are to ensure fertility.

- There is singing to welcome the bride.

- Some rites include kupereka and many other rites.

Types/Forms of Marriage

10
- In Zimbabwean societies, marriage is essentially a contract between families and not a contract
between two people.

1. Kutiza Mukumbo

-In this type of marriage, the girl decides to elope or secretly disappear from her home and go to
the home of her love.

2. Musengabere

-This is whereby the girl is either picked or convinced to go to the boy’s house when she is a
distance from home.

- The boy organizes men who will carry her.

- Usually they ambush her when she is on her way to fetch water or when she is travelling alone
and some distance from her home.

3. Kukumbira

-In this type of marriage, the boy follows all the procedures about marriage.

-A Nhume or representative from the boy’s home is send to the girl’s home usually in the
twilight hours and ask for a hand in marriage.

- If the girl confirms knowledge of the boy, the Nhume is given water to drink as a sign that his
request has been granted and the marriage procedures begins.

4. Kutema ugariri/ service marriage

-This is whereby a poor boy work for a period of a time at the girl’s home and be given his wife.

- The work will be the form of payment.

5. Kuzvarira

-This type of marriage is no longer common these days

- In this type of marriage, parents would give their children in marriage before they are born.

11
6. Chimutsamapfihwa

-In this type of marriage, if the wife dies, there is the belief that fire has stopped burning in the
home and the parents of the wife organize a wife either the sister of the deceased or someone
closer to go and rekindle the fire at the widowed man’s home.

Death Rituals

-In indigenous religion, death is the separation of the spirit or soul from the body.

- Death is associated with the birth to spiritual life.

- When a person dies, he continues to exist in the spiritual world (Nyikadzimu).

- Indigenous believers, believe that death does not just happen but it has an external cause.

- This means that, death has both natural and unnatural causes.

- Death can be caused by magic, sorcery and witchcraft.

- Curses can also cause death.

- Death, mourning and bereavement are taken seriously in indigenous religion.

-There are several myths/stories about the origin of death .

-In these stories, God did not intend for humankind to die, he gave to different animals
preventives of death to take humans, in each story the appointed animal did not get to humankind
on time as result death came into the world.
-Traditionalists consider death as inevitable.
-It is the ultimate end of every created being.
-Therefore, life must be spent wisely and respectfully.
-Death is feared because it physically snatches a person from his/her community.
-The deceased is deprived from a physical communal life and activity.
-A death, it is generally believed that the spirit leaves the body and assumes a spirit existence,
and the buried body decays in the grave.
The “good dead” spirit continues to be good. Under this category fall the ancestors and

12
those who did not perform heroic acts to attain ancestorship but did lead a decent and
praiseworthy life.
- The “bad dead” spirit is believed to become evil and may become a ghost and taunt the living.
-For most Traditionalists, the grave appears to be, the seal of everything, even if a person
survives and continues to exist in the next world.
- In religions of Africa, life does not end with death, but continues in another realm.
-Traditionalists believe that those who are dead are never gone but are the thickening shadow,
wood that groans, and are in the fire that is drying, forest and in the house.
1. Kupeta Ritual.
-This is found among the Shona beliefs.
-This is whereby someone has persived to be near his/her death is moved outside his/her
homestead.
-The place could be of his/her son, son in-law or some close relative away from children and
others in the village.
- Very close people will be aware of his/her whereabouts and will be the only people to visit.
2. Kuridza Mhere (Chema).
-When a person dies every family member of the deceased is notified.
- It is believed that if the family member is not notified, he/she experiences mystical misfortune
eg getting hit by a car, getting tired etc,
3. Kubata Maoko.
- People around the neighbourhood/community goes to the funeral to show their sympathy.
- They bring with them chema/token of sympathy.

4. Kugeza mufi/washing ritual.

- It is believed that the deceased has to be clean before embarking the journey.
-The person is washed to become clean.
- The nephew, niece (Muzukuru) of the deceased or the sahwira baths them.
5. Kurova guva ceremony/magadziro

The ceremony is known by different names among the Shona sub-cultural groups e.g karanga-
magadziro,kugadzira mudzimu, Zezuru-kurova guva (to beat the grave),korekore kutamba
mudzimu, kutora mudzimu or bona.

13
-however, the ceremony generally is performed during the same season of the year to serve a
common function.

-Some rites may differ here and there but the function of ritual is the same i.e. to invite the spirit
of the deceased into the family.

-The ceremony is directly linked to the burial ceremony due to the fact that when the burial
ceremony is being conducted it is done in anticipation of performing the kurova guva in the
near future.

- It takes place a year after burial

-The Shona belief that the body will have to completely decompose .however, there are instances
where it can take place immediately after burial.

-This would be due to some difficulties surrounding the condition of the deceased's spirit.

-When a person dies the Shona be believes that the spirit of the deceased wonders in the
wilderness awaiting the kurova guva ceremony.

-Post -burial period the spirit is considered dangerous and can be manipulated by evil spirits.

-Musha mutema- there is a dark cloud that wonders in the family.

-The ritual can also be held after more than one year in some cases after 30 to 40 years due to
several factors.

1. In poor families this was mainly due to lack of livestock especially cattle or the scarcity of
grain to brew beer and food to feed people at the ceremony.

2. Sometimes there were droughts which would force people to post pone the ceremony.

3. The person might have died in a distant place

4 rituals are performed according to spirituality hence they have to wait until the senior‘s kurova
guva has been done.

5. Family conflicts in some of them held to do with the decease's wealth and widow.

14
6. In modern days the impact of western religious (Christianity)

-The ceremony was held during the dry season (August) dry season=religious and social
activities.

It was seen after harvest that food will therefore be plentiful.

-There were certain taboos that were supposed to be respected between the burial and the kurova
guva ceremony by the members of the family e.g. The children were not supposed to marry

-The spirit should be there to bless their marriages

-They also wanted to prevent shock to the incoming of new members in the family.

-You were not supposed to temper with the estate of the deceased since it will have to wait the
inheritance ceremony which is held after the KUROVA GUVA ceremony and this might include
the widow.

-the widow herself was not to marry or indulge in sexual relation s until after the kurova guva
and nhaka ceremony.

-if a widow or widower decided to marry before kurovaguva ceremony that's violation which
referred to as "kupisa Guva'

Procedures to be taken in the kurova guva ceremony

-The rituals differ from place to place and region to region.

- They consult a n'anga to find out the procedure they should take.

- Consulting a n'anga is done to make sure that the ritual will be performed in a way that is
acceptable to the spirit.

-From this stage all the steps will be done with amultation with the deceased's spirit.

-the ritual should have the approval of the family spirits.

- If one wants to marry there should be consultation.

15
-Millet beer will be brewed by elderly woman who are beyond child bearing stage with no
sexual relations(kupedza ura)

-she will be helped by the small boys and girls (pre -pubescent boys and girls)

-members of the family are advised not to have conflict when preparing for the ceremony.

-On the evening before the ceremony the beer is concentrated to the spirit of the deceased by the
eldest member of the family.

-The concentration marks an all- night celebration that involves singing and dancing in honour of
the spirit.

-Music is important because it enables communities between the living and the dead person.

-The next morning involves rite of inviting the spirit from the grave.

-This rite varies from area to area

-In some areas they remove one or two stones and ------ of porridge and beer are poured on the
front of the grave to invite the spirit.

-The elder member of the family who will be leading will speak to the deceases asking the
spirit to accept the invitation to come home.

-after this the entourage return home to dance and feast

-sometimes the spirit is symbolizing brought home.

- For the Shangwe they tie a black cloth around the neck of a ------on the----before the ceremony
and take the good outside-the homestead and appropriate functioning will address the spirit that
they are bringing home and sacrificed the following day.

-Among the Shona people of North E. Zimbabwe a branch is cut from a ceremonial tree and the
severed end is covered to avoid the spirit from escaping.

- The branch is dropped to the homestead making fragment rest to the rest the spirit.

-The spirit is cooled by pouring beer into a branch.

16
-The branch is tied to the wall of the house of the family head.

-Among the Korekore a pathway is made between the grave and the homestead to provide the
spirit into a road to travel as it rejoins the family.

-among the Shona there is need to go to the grave early in the morning the spirit is invited by
members of the family by pouring water on the back of a goat addressing the spirit of the
deceased to come home.

- If the spirit accepts the invitation the goat would shake its body vigorously.

-The goat is slaughtered and the meat is roasted and eaten without salt.

Significance of the ceremony

1. It brings hope and confidence into the family considering the unpredictability of the
spirit of the deceased.

2. It marks the end of mourning in the homestead which is referred to as musha mutema

The widow will no longer veil her head with black cloth or wear the symbolic black dress of
mourning - return to mourning.

3. It resolves problems and tensions caused by death by ….. the spirit of the deceased
among the family's spirit guardians. The living and the dead would have restrengthened
their cowardice relationship.

4. It allows one of the most important rituals in Shona culture to take place i.e. inheritance
ceremony "NHAKA"

5. from a general point of view the ceremony celebrates shona religious practices and
communities and re unites the people to the fundamental tradition of their culture

6. it strengthens relationship - ties as both close and distant relatives converge at one place
for a common purpose. So it reaffirms social ties.

CHANGE- the ceremony has been replaced by memorial service-Christianity.

17
Rituals in Judaism.

-In Judaism, rituals and religious observances are grounded in Jewish law (halakhah, lit. "the
path one walks.
- Halakhah governs not just religious life, but daily life, from how to dress to what to eat to how
to help the poor.
- Observance of halakhah shows gratitude to God, provides a sense of Jewish identity and brings
the sacred into everyday life.
-In addition, the Jewish religion recognizes several significant occasions in a person's life.
-While many times the individual is the focus of the festivities, the family, and in many cases the
entire community, participate in the commemoration.
-These special events are some of the most important practices of Judaism.
Birth Rituals
-In the Jewish faith children are a gift and a blessing from God.
- Observant Jews consider a new mother to be unclean, and thus she must purify herself by
immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath) after a prescribed time.
- For the newborn there are two rituals that take place, the Brit Milah and the Brit Habat.
- The Brit Milah, or covenant of the cutting, is celebrated with Jewish boys eight days after their
birth.
- During the ceremony the baby boy is circumcised by a highly trained mohel in the presence of
a group of 10 people, a minyan.
- The godmother presents the baby which is then placed on a highly ornate seat called the Chair
of Elijah
- The circumcision is performed by the mohel using a izamel (ritual knife).
- Circumcision is one of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) and is seen as the physical mark of
the covenant between God and Abraham.
- At the completion of the ceremony the Kiddush is recited and the baby is given his formal
Hebrew name.

Marriage Rituals.

18
-As in al cultures and eligions, in Judaism, marriage is a very special occasion.
- The most well-known Jewish marriage customs are the marriage and breaking of a glass to seal
the marriage bond.
- It is the fulfilling of God’s plan for human beings.
- The marriage ceremony is usually accompanied by singing of the Ketubah which is a Jewish
marriage contract which is signed by two witnesses.
- They are usually conducted by a Huppah.
- The bride walks around the groom seven times.
- The Rabbi recites blessings over the wine and give it to the groom and the brode.
- There is placement of the ring and the reading of the Ketubah by a Rabbi or an honoured guest.
- Seven blessings are said and there is the breaking of a glass.
..
Death Rituals in Judaism.

-In Judaism, death is not a tragedy, even when it occurs early in life or through unfortunate
circumstances. Death is a natural process.
- Our deaths, like our lives, have meaning and are all part of God's plan.
- In addition, we have a firm belief in an afterlife, a world to come, where those who have lived a
worthy life will be rewarded.
-Mourning practices in Judaism are extensive, but they are not an expression of fear or distaste
for death.
- Jewish practices relating to death and mourning have two purposes: to show respect for the
dead (kavod ha-met), and to comfort the living (nihum avelim), who will miss the deceased.
-After a person dies, the eyes are closed, the body is laid on the floor and covered, and candles
are lit next to the body.
-The body is never left alone until after burial, as a sign of respect.
-The people who sit with the dead body are called shomerim, from the root Shin-Mem-Reish,
meaning "guards" or "keepers".
- Respect for the dead body is a matter of paramount importance. For example, the shomerim
may not eat, drink, or perform a commandment in the presence of the dead.

19
- To do so would be considered mocking the dead, because the dead can no longer do these
things.
-In preparation for the burial, the body is thoroughly cleaned and wrapped in a simple, plain
linen shroud.
-The Sages decreed that both the dress of the body and the coffin should be simple, so that a poor
person would not receive less honor in death than a rich person.
- The body must not be cremated.
-It must be buried in the earth.
- Coffins are not required, but if they are used, they must have holes drilled in them so the body
comes in contact with the earth.
- The body is never displayed at funerals; open casket ceremonies are forbidden by Jewish law.
-According to Jewish law, exposing a body is considered disrespectful, because it allows not
only friends, but also enemies to view the dead, mocking their helpless state.
Mourning
-Jewish mourning practices can be broken into several periods of decreasing intensity.
-These mourning periods allow the full expression of grief, while discouraging excesses of grief
and allowing the mourner to gradually return to a normal life.
- When a close relative (parent, sibling, spouse or child) first hears of the death of a relative, it is
traditional to express the initial grief by tearing one's clothing.
-The tear is made over the heart if the deceased is a parent, or over the right side of the chest for
other relatives.
-This tearing of the clothing is referred to as keriyah (lit. "tearing"). The mourner recites the
blessing describing God as "the true Judge," an acceptance of G-d's taking of the life of a
relative.
-From the time of death to the burial, the mourner's sole responsibility is caring for the deceased
and preparing for the burial. T
-his period is known as aninut.
-During this time, the mourners are exempt from all positive commandments ("thou shalts"),
because the preparations take first priority.

20
-This period usually lasts a day or two; Judaism requires prompt burial.
-During this aninut period, the family should be left alone and allowed the full expression of
grief. Condolence calls or visits should not be made during this time.
-After the burial, a close relative, near neighbor or friend prepares the first meal for the
mourners, the se'udat havra'ah (meal of condolence).
-This meal traditionally consists of eggs (a symbol of life) and bread.
-The meal is for the family only, not for visitors. After this time, condolence calls are permitted.
- The next period of mourning is known as shiva (seven, because it lasts seven days).
-Shiva is observed by parents, children, spouses and siblings of the deceased, preferably all
together in the deceased's home.
-Shiva begins on the day of burial and continues until the morning of the seventh day after burial.
-Mourners sit on low stools or the floor instead of chairs, do not wear leather shoes, do not shave
or cut their hair, do not wear cosmetics, do not work, and do not do things for comfort or
pleasure, such as bathe, have sex, put on fresh clothing, or study Torah (except Torah related to
mourning and grief).
-Mourners wear the clothes that they tore at the time of learning of the death or at the funeral.
Mirrors in the house are covered.
-Prayer services are held where the shiva is held, with friends, neighbors and relatives making up
the minyan (10 people required for certain prayers).
- If a festival occurs during the mourning period, the mourning is terminated, but if the burial
occurs during a festival, the mourning is delayed until after the festival.
-The Shabbat that occurs during the shiva period counts toward the seven days of shiva, and does
not end the mourning period.
- Public mourning practices (such as wearing the torn clothes, not wearing shoes) are suspended
during this period, but private mourning continues.
- The next period of mourning is known as shloshim (thirty, because it lasts until the 30th day
after burial).
- During that period, the mourners do not attend parties or celebrations, do not shave or cut their
hair, and do not listen to music.

21
-The final period of formal mourning is avelut, which is observed only for a parent.
- This period lasts for twelve months after the burial. - During that time, mourners avoid parties,
celebrations, theater and concerts.
- For eleven months of that period, starting at the time of burial, the son of the deceased recites
the mourner's Kaddish every day.
- After the avelut period is complete, the family of the deceased is not permitted to continue
formal mourning; however, there are a few continuing acknowledgments of the decedent.
-Every year, on the anniversary of the death, family members observe the deceased's Yahrzeit
(Yiddish, lit. "anniversary").
- When visiting a mourner, a guest should not try to express grief with standard, shallow
platitudes.
- When leaving a house of mourning, it is traditional for the guest to say, "May the Lord comfort
you with all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."
Rituals in Christianity.

Birth Rituals.

-When a child is born in the Christian community, they follow three rituals/rites of passages.

- The first ever ritual or ceremony that a Christian will go through is always going to be related
to birth. - - The celebrations consists of: Naming Ceremony, Dedication and Infant Baptism.

Naming Ceremony
-When a child is named to become a unique human being.

- The family and relatives of the new-born child will gather into the church to celebrate the
offspring.
- The paster will preach the lord's words to be nourished into the child.

- The parent of the child may choose from a bible verse to be read out loud to their child.
Exodus 2: 1-10 the birth adoption and naming of Moses; 1 Samuel 1: 19-28 the birth naming
and offering of Samuel to God; Mark 10: 13-16 the blessing of children by Jesus; Luke 1:

22
59-66 the naming of John the baptist; Luke 2: 21-28 the naming of Jesus and his presentation
in the Temple.
- The parents will choose a unique name for the child.
- Your family will gather will people who have attended the ceremony and receive gifts from
them.
Dedication
-When a Christian family prays to god, dedicating their child's future under god.

- They will make dedications that their child will live under god's will.

- The child will then become educated in god's ways and god's words.

- The job of the parents after making their dedication is to educate their child under god's will
and teach their child and demonstrate god's ways.

- The teaching will finish and the responsibility (burden) of the parent's will pass onto the child.
Until then, the parents must earnestly pray for their child and lead them to the correct way.

- They will then make their vows and the dedication service will be over. After this ceremony,
the child will be under god.

Baptism
- During a Christian christening, the parents of the child will often make their declarations.

- The significant part of this ceremony/ritual is that the child is baptized with holy water. This
was started many years ago and now is a symbol of christ.

- Then the candle will be passed on, symbolizing that Jesus has lightened this earth. The parents
will be asked to learn the importance of baptism and make their vows.

- The previous ceremonies- Naming Ceremony and Dedication- are part of the baptism
ceremony. The parents make their dedication that the child will grow up learning the one and
only god's ways.

- Following that, the Child will be sprinkled with holy water and receive his Christian name.

- The ceremony will consist of one or more children willing to be baptized.

23
- By having holy water sprinkled over their heads, it symbolizes their sins being washed away.

- In this particular ceremony, the god parents will also attend.

- They will also make their vows and promise god to lead the child though god's words. If
anything were to happen to the child's parents, the god parents will come have the responsibility
to take care of the child.

Marriage in Christianity

-Marriage is the legally or formally recognized intimate and complementing union of two people
as spousal partners in a personal relationship.
The basic elements of a marriage are: (1) the parties' legal ability to marry each other, (2) mutual
consent of the parties, and (3) a marriage contract as required by law.
-According to many Christian denominations, Christian marriage is the union between a man and
a woman, instituted and ordained by God as the lifelong relationship between one man as
husband, and one woman as wife.
- The Apostle Paul gave a similar directive when he wrote, "Let marriage be held in honor
among all".
- Conservative Christians consider marriage as the most intimate of human relationships, a gift
from God, and a sacred institution.
- Protestants consider it to be sacred, holy, and central to the community of faith. Catholics and
Eastern Orthodox Christians consider marriage a Sacrament.
- Though it is presumed that Jesus never married, He taught the importance and sacredness of
lifelong marriage.
- He quoted from both Genesis 1 and 2[Matthew 19:3-5] that God had created humanity as male and
female,[Genesis 1:27] and that in marriage "the two become one flesh".[Genesis 2:24] Then He added: "So
they are no longer two, but one flesh.
- Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate".[Matthew 19:6]
- While marriage is honored throughout the Bible and affirmed among Christians, there is no
suggestion that it is necessary for everyone.

24
- Single people, who either have chosen to remain unmarried or who have lost their spouse, are
neither incomplete in Christ nor personal failures.
- Christians approach marriage as a covenant, a relationship based on promises and commitment,
not just feelings—though love is most certainly involved.
- The concept of marriage as a covenant is rooted in the Hebrew faith, and early Christians
preserved the belief as well.
-
God’s covenant with Israel was founded on his promise to be faithful to Israel.
- The Hebrew people promised faithfulness to God as well, though the Bible doesn’t hide that
they struggled and often failed to keep that pledge. Like God with the Israelites, Jesus
established what he called a “new covenant” with his followers.16
- To speak of marriage as a covenant is to say that the partners make mutual promises about the
way they will choose to live in the future, not just declarations of how they feel in the present.
- The endeavor to live into those promises remaining faithful to their covenant will shape their
characters over the years.
Death in Christianity

Christianity: death rites

The ways in which religious people deal with death and the funeral rites they carry out are
usually very closely linked with the beliefs about life after death which they hold.

Christian funerals
Funeral rites
Funeral rites are very important for two reasons:
 They show respect for the dead and, in some religions, they include various ceremonies
which people believe are necessary to ensure that people go on to whatever their next life
will be.
 Perhaps more importantly, they give the relatives and friends of the dead person time to
mourn and show their grief in a certain way. People often say that showing their grief
formally helps them to get over their loss.
-Christian funerals vary slightly according to the Christian denomination to which people belong.

25
- Sometimes, when a person is dying, a priest or minister will come to their bedside to pray with
them and to try to help them prepare for death.
- In the Roman Catholic church, the priest will anoint the person with holy oil as a preparation
for death (the Last Rites ).
- When a person dies their body is placed in a coffin.
- Sometimes this coffin is left open so that relatives can say a final goodbye to the person.
- The coffin is then usually taken to a church or chapel (occasionally straight to the
crematorium). Here a priest will read from the Bible. The priest will also say a few words about
the person which are designed to comfort the mourners and then say prayers, hoping that the
person will now be in heaven.
- In a Roman Catholic church there will be a special Eucharist called a Requiem Mass where
prayers are said for the dead person's soul.
- Next the coffin is taken from the church, either for burial or cremation.
- In the past many people did not approve of cremation because they felt that it would mean that
the person could not be resurrected on the Day of Judgement. In the Apostle's Creed it says: I
believe in...the resurrection of the body... However, St Paul said that 'on earth it is a physical
body but in heaven it will be a spiritual body...'(1 Corinthians 15:43)
Rituals in Islam
Birth rituals
-Children are a precious gift from God, and the blessing of a child is a special time in a person's
life.
- All cultures and religious traditions have certain ways of welcoming a newborn child into the
community.
- According to the Sunnah, or the accounts of the Prophet Muhammad's life, the Prophet is
reported to have said that all children are born Muslim, they are later converted to other religions
by their parents, for this reason there are relatively few rituals required by Islamic teaching at the
birth of a child.
- Because a child is born Muslim, there is no rite to initiate a new member to the faith.
- Most of the rites performed are recommended as opposed to required.

26
Baby's Firsts
-The first words a new born baby should hear, according to Islamic tradition, are the call to
prayer, “God is great, there is no God but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
- Come to prayer.” Fathers whisper these words into their babies' right ear.
- The first thing a newborn child tastes should be something sweet, often this is a mashed date or
date juice.
Naming
-A name is chosen for a newborn baby by its seventh day of life.
- The name chosen should be meaningful.
- Often parents choose to name their children after pious member of the Islamic community, like
Muhammad or Aisha, wife of the Prophet, or after admirable qualities, like Karim, meaning
“kind,” or Jamilah, meaning “beautiful.”
Seventh Day Observances
-A number of rites are performed on the seventh day of a child's life. Muslim parents often shave
their baby's head on this day.
- The hair is then weighed and an equal weight in silver is given to charity.
- The aqiqah celebration is also observed on the seventh day.
- This typically involves the slaughter of an animal, one for the birth of a daughter and two for a
son, with the animal's meat distributed among family and neighbors, or given to the poor.
Circumcision
-All Muslims males are to be circumcised, according to Islamic law, however when a Muslim
male is to be circumcised varies widely depending on culture.
- Some Muslims believe new-born boys should be circumcised on the seventh day.
- In Europe and North American, Muslim babies are circumcised after birth before leaving the
hospital.
- Traditional societies in the Middle East perform circumcision as a separate ritual between the
ages two and twelve.
Marriage in Islam

27
-Muslim marriage and Islamic wedding customs are traditions and practices that relate to
wedding ceremonies and marriage rituals prevailing within the Muslim world.
- Although Islamic marriage customs and relations vary depending on country of origin and
government regulations, both Muslim men and women from around the world are guided by
Islamic laws and practices specified in the Quran.
- According to the teachings of the Quran, a married Muslim couple is equated with clothing.
- Within this context, both husband and wife are each other's protector and comforter, just as real
garments “show and conceal” the body of human beings.
- Thus, they are meant “for one another”.
-
The Quran continues to discuss the matter of marriage and states, "And among His Signs is this,
that he created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with
them, and He has put love and mercy between your [hearts]…"
-
Marriages within the Muslim community are incredibly important.
-The purpose of marriage in Islamic culture is to preserve the religion through the creation of a
family.
- The family is meant to be “productive and constructive, helping and encouraging one another to
be good and righteous, and competing with one another in good works”.
Celebrations includes the following:
a) The bride and the groom accept each other in the presence of witnesses.
b) The groom hands over a marriage gift to the bride this might be money, an item, or
a commitment to perform some services to validate the marriage.
c) Most Muslims will have a reading from the Quran.
d) There may be an exchange of vows and rings.
e) Those witnessing the marriage may be asked to pray for the couple, their family
and Islam community.
f) In Islam, the Quran allows a man to practice polygamy and a woman is only
allowed to have one husband.
Death Rituals in Islam
-Islamic tradition tends to present death rituals in a quite univocal way, as the actual ritual
practice shows to be far more diverse and flexible.

28
- Death is a very painful and emotional time, yet spiritual faith may allow it to be one that is
filled with hope and mercy.
- Muslims believe that death is a departure from the life of this world, but not the end of a
person's existence.
- Rather, they believe that eternal life is yet to come, and pray for God's mercy to be with the
departed in hopes that they may find peace and happiness in the life that is yet to come.
Religious practitioners in religions
1. Indigenous Religion
-The following are religious practitioners in Indigenous Religion:
i. Priests
ii. Medicine men and women
iii. Diviners
iv. Mid wives
v. Rainmakers
vi. Seers
vii. Blacksmiths
viii. Elders
ix. Spirit Mediums
Roles of religious practitioners in Indigenous religion
Priests
- Take care of religious shrines/places.
- Perform rituals and ensure religious rules are observed.
- Mediate for the people to God/ the Supreme Being
- Install Kings and chiefs.
- Safeguard taboo observation and oral history.
- Unite people in times of crisis.
- Conduct fertility festivals
- Protect people from danger or harm
Medicine men and women

29
 - They heal people
- They identify illness and their causes.
- They identify appropriate treatment and prevention measures for the illness.
- Prepare charms for protection against witchcraft and evil spirits
- Give medicine to increase fertility to both human beings and animals
- Act as counselors, guiding people on all issues of life.
Relevance of medicine men and women
- Medical doctors and scientific researchers today work side by side with traditional
healers.
- There is widely held belief that some illness cannot be treated in hospitals hence,
people turn to herbalists for treatment of such diseases
- Many Africans hold that medicine men who practice magic have the power to change
their fate.
Mediums/Spirit Mediums

- These communicate with God on behalf of the living

- They also help cure diseases and end misfortunes resulting from curses or bad omens.
- They are very instrumental I the installation of Kings and Chiefs, they give
authenticity to the political authority of the Kings by giving a religious meaning to the
ceremony.
- They also solve problems of theft.
- Usually they act only when possessed by spirit.
- They help in dances and preservation of oral history and traditions.
Diviners
- These practice casting using small objects such bones, cowrie shells, stones, strings of
leather and flat pieces of wood.
- They predict the future
- They predict the past
- They predict the present

30
 - They offer comfort in times of crisis
- They are fortune tellers.
Rainmakers
- They study the sky, stars, moon, clouds and wind movements and they master their
body senses to predict weather.
- They perform special rain making ceremonies.
- They preside over religious functions.
- They advise both community and individuals on religious and social issues.
- They give blessings to members of the community
- They mediate between God and people
Relevance of Rainmakers
- They often engage during public gatherings and other big events to delay the rain
until the event is over.
- Christianity has eroded people’s belief in rainmakers.
- According to Christianity, God alone is able to bring rain.
- These days, the Meteorological department now gives information on weather and
seasonal changes.
Elders
- These are senior members of the community.
- They are in charge of families, clans and villages.
- They settle disputes in communities.
- They make important family decisions.
- They preside over functions such as rites of passage.
Relevance of Elders
- Elders today help in settling disputes which are too culturally such as land disputes
- They help solve ethnic disputes
- They still carry out rites of passage.
- They are useful in maintaining African culture through oral narratives.
- Elders provide helpful information to researchers in History and Anthropology

31
 - They give general guidance to individuals, family and community.
How religious practitioners in Indigenous Religion acquire their skills
i. Inheritance
ii. Apprenticeship
iii. Dreams and visions
iv. Being possessed by spirits
v. Received a call from the Supreme Being/God
vi. Observed the work of specialist
2. Sacred Practitioners in Judaism

32