Encyclopedia of African Religion

"African religion has increasingly captured the attention of social scientists, philosophers, and humanists as new ethical and moral issues have expanded the desire for a science of cultural knowledge capable of advancing a multidimensional portrait of humanityA s responses to environment, relationships, and uncertainty. Involving numerous theoretical and methodological approaches to the emergence of ethical, moral, and ritual ideas, the field of African religion has tended toward a unification of thought which could best be seen through comparative lenses. Exposition of the activities and concepts of the divine, the nature of humanity, the end of life, the conquest of fear, and the quest for the attainment of harmony with nature and other humans are at the center of the process of the scholarly study of African religion. " "Note that the audiences for this volume consist of undergraduates, graduate students, and the informed lay public in the United States and other parts of the world. The volume is conceived as a work that will be in every major library and many museums in the world.At the present time, there is no comparable encyclopedia, and ours should be well received in fields such as religion, Africana Studies, religion, sociology, and philosophy. "

About the Author :
Molefi Asante is a distinguished scholar and is best known for creating the discipline of Black Studies over 25 years ago.  He is the Editor for the Journal of Black Studies (Sage) and the Encyclopedia of Black Studies (Sage Reference, 12/04  933 units, $82k LTD).  His recent research has centered on the history and present developments of African religions. Mazama is an Associate Professor of African American Studies with a Ph.D. from the Sorbonne, five books and more than fifty articles. She is the co-editor o the Encyclopedia of Black Studies. Her forthcoming book will be on the Vodun religion in Haiti.

Review :
"This volume is significantly more comprehensive than the relevant sections of S. Glazier’s Encyclopedia of African and African-American Religions (Routledge, 2001). Articles range from broad essays such as “Creation,” “Rites of Passage,” and “Circumcision” to shorter entries on topics such as the Pocomania religion, sangoma (a type of Zulu healer), and the Yoruba deity Ifa. There are numerous articles on the religious traditions of specific groups, as well as articles on important individuals. The religious traditions of the African diaspora, such as Santeria and Vodou, are also covered. The information is generally accurate and clear. A short bibliography follows each of the signed articles, as do cross-references, though sometimes these are inadequate. A reader’s guide lists the articles by type, and the helpful appendix lists the names of God used among different groups. Full access will be impeded by the author’s occasional use of the African form of Egyptian gods’ names, rather than the more familiar Greek forms. For example, there is no reference to Osiris, who appears here under the name Ausar, and although there is an article titled “Thoth,” his name in other articles becomes Tehuti, with no explanation. The black-and-white illustrations are sporadic, but adequate. Overall, because of its singular focus, reliability, and scope, this encyclopedia will prove invaluable where there is considerable interest in Africa or in different religious traditions." –Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City