The new drive for recognition of African Traditional Religions (ATR) is posing a problem for weak and undecided Christians, and for those who have no previous experience with ATR. On every point raised by proponents of ATR I can relate to a specific experience from my personal upbringing. My grandmother and my aunt were sangomas; our family were zealots of ancestor worship. Witchdoctors went in and out of our house; by day and night. On many weekends family members and neighbours ate sacrifice meat, drank beer, danced and sang praises to our ancestors...that is until my family met with the Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world.

It is unfortunate that tradition, culture and religion are used almost interchangeably in ATR. That is why many White Christians withdraw from the debate on ATR for fear of being accused of undermining African culture and traditions. In my work amongst people of different races and nationalities I soon learned that Christians need to use the Word of God as a yardstick for measuring any tradition, culture or religion. This is the lesson our Lord taught us when he asked those who accused His disciples of not keeping to the tradition of the elders. "And why do break the command of God for the sake of your tradition," He asked them. (Matt 15:2). There are jewels in African culture and tradition; wonderful values that can only be enhanced by the true message of Christ. But as soon as you bring the dead into the picture, then God draws a clear line and puts up a STOP sign!

African religionists have no good word for Western missionaries whom they accuse of despising and destroying ATR, and of imposing their culture and religion on Africans. So writes one of them, "The earliest missionaries to Africa did not have the opportunity to get all the information we have today from Anthropology, Ethnology, History, Geography and even theology of the Mission. The result was that adherents of ATR were dismissed as pagans, animists, pantheists, superstitious people, magicians, even devil worshippers. The first catechism book I ever read has ATR worship as the first in the list of mortal sins." The truth is that no amount of Anthropology, Ethnology or even Theology will change God's mind on this issue.

One of the mistakes made by African religionists is to accuse those African Christians who oppose ancestor worship of allowing themselves to be influenced by Westerners. I have been accused of being "stuck in colonial Christianity." My response to them is that there are those of us who say with the people of Samaria, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world." (John 4:42)

One of the arguments used by African Religionists to disarm Bible-believing Christians is to brand them. "You are fundamentalists, bigots, narrow-minded" (In this case does this perhaps have to do with the narrow way?) etc. White Christians are reminded about past apartheid injusticies, including "despising and ridiculing Black culture." The race card is often played. I have since realised that this is not a Black and White issue - there are Blacks and Whites on both sides of the debate. And ultimately, God's truth transcends our petty differences and prejudices.

The heart of ATR is Ancestor Worship. Of course, proponents of ATR dispute the use of "worship", they claim that our people donnot "worship" ancestores, instead they "serve" and "honour" them in the same way they did whilst they were alive. The foundational belief in ancestor worship is that the dead continue to live in our midst and are part of our daily lives - they are called the "living-dead," and should therefore be acknowledged in the affairs of the living. They are praised and thanked when blessings flow, consulted in times of need and are appeased through sacrifices whenever they are displeased about some wrongdoing by the living.

The role of sangomas (diviners) and izinyanga (witchdoctors, doctors) is an important one in understanding ATR. S A Thorpe says, "It is believed that izinyanga first taught humankind about the existence and proper care of amadlozi. At the same time izinyanga are believed to have received their call or designation to the profession from the ancestral spirits...It is not unreasonable to view the amadlozi/izangoma complex as representing the core of Zulu religious beliefs. The importance of the ancestors as mediators needs to be emphasized. They are both accessible and in touch with Zulu affairs, whereas the Supreme Being is difficult to conceptualise and thus remains vague. The izangoma then provide a direct line of communication to the ancestors who are the official protectors of the community."

From the above it is clear that the African Religion is a religion of Sauls, those who have lost touch with the living God, who go to mediums (sangomas) hoping that the spirit of Samuel (the ancestors) will give answers to their problems. In the words of Don Richardson (Eternity in their hearts), Africans are also "Peoples of the Vague God."

In conclusion

It is unfortunate that African Religionsts refuse to take God at His Word. Here are some Scipture references on this topic:

"You shall have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3)

"You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." (Ex. 20:5)

"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.

Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you." (Deut. 18:10-12)

"I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have removed any of it while I was unclean, nor have offered any of it to the dead." (Deut 26:14)

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven and given to men by which we shall be saved." (Acts 4:12)

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim 2:5)