CHAPTER EIGHT

RELIGION AND RITES

All people practice some form of religion, shared beliefs and practices.  Codified beliefs are called doctrines.  Basically religion has six cultural functions.

1. Psychological.  In the face of problems and uncertainties of life it gives them emotional stability
2. Transcendal.  It gives security and direction- hope.
3. Sacralization.  It provides norms and values thus providing a stabilizing force.
4. Prophetic.   While stability is desirable, progress cannot be achieved without change.  This is also provided by religion through prophets.
5. Identity.  It provides the individual an identity in terms of the present, past and future and in terms of the cosmos around him.  It tells him who he is and where he is going. Etc.
6. Maturation.  It helps an individual to his maturation through various stages in his life.

Rites of Passage

During the process of life, there are several crisis situations.  For example, personnel of family changes through birth, marriage and death.  People will enter into new relations with each other in the society, in groups etc.  Each such situation disturbs the society’s equilibrium.  The rites of passages serve as a mechanism of transition to find a new balance.  All rites of passages involve three steps:

• Separation
• Transition
• Incorporation

In most all societies as in the Southern Sudanese systems the following are some of the rites of passages commonly found:

• Birth
• Puberty
• Marriage
• Death
• Ilness and injury

Nilotic tribes as well as Hamitic tribes have elaborate rites of passages during puberty.  Boys in their adolescence have to undergo a painful process involving wounding their bodies before they are allowed to adulthood.  In another culture these boys are taken into a secluded place in a hut or a forest and kept there for a month providing them necessary instructions for adult life.  In some West African cultures this includes a month long isolation during which time a responsible elderly lady gives them lessons in the fine arts of house keeping and sex.  These people after the period of separation and transition emerge as full adults ready to take up any difficulties in life.  They then on have different role, status and relation in their society.

Birth of a child is the arrival of a new member in the family. This will require lot of rearrangement within, the household and also among near relationships. The child needs attention and nourishment which requires the full attention of the mother and the rest of the family. The mother needs rest and nourishment and will not be in a position to meet the needs of other members of the family in its full measure. Taboos are therefore brought to play during this period to provide these. Most Hamitic tribes provide forty days of intensive care for the mothers and freedom from sex. For the first delivery where the change is drastic she is taken back to her mother away from her husband and is reintroduced after a period.

Death is probably a major crisis in every family. The traditional funeral rites allows for smooth rehabilitation by twain, the relatives through, three fundamental steps necessary for restoration.

1. It takes them out of their shock period by making them aware of the fact that the person is dead and will never be able to return. This is made clear by the arrival of the relative and friends in a continuous stream.

a. This leads to the second step of sorrow, as the relatives and friends reminiscence, recounts and wails. This probably will go on for two or three days.

3. After these periods wailing will slowly die down and drumming and dancing will slowly creep in. The visitors will start playing games and the life's rhythm goes on. The life rhythm is restored and the relatives have been able to rearrange their lives without the dead person. A new family relation is set up without the dead person.

Though some or all of these ceremonies may have no meaning in themselves their importance in stabilizing and providing normal balance in society should not be forgotten.

Christian church also has its own rites. Baptism is one of' the most important rites of passage in the church. As a person is born again his relationship with people in, his past life changes into a new one. He may have to tore out certain friends and take in new people in his circle. Some will start hating him while others will look upon him in new light. To help this change some sort of rite is necessary. The more drastic and impressive this rite is, the better will be the effects.  Baptism by immersion provides such an impressive rite necessary for such a severe crisis.

Rites of Passages

Group disturbances are stabilized by ceremonial rites also. Normally these are rhythmic in nature and periodic. Family ceremonies, ceremonies of the clans and tribes etc are an annual feature. Sunday worship and regular festivals of the church celebrations. witnessing and confession and even outdoor preaching session, are some Christian rites of intensification. The purposes of these rites are to reinstate the community back into the original unity and balance. During the week, the Christian soils himself through the intercourse with the sinful society around him. Hence he needs cleansing and reinstatement in his standing with God and fellow brethren in the church. “He who is bathed does not need to wash; except for his feet.” Occasionally however a deeper intensification is necessary. Thus in the Old Testament God gave the Israelites seven annual festivals in some of which, the entire Israel was to appear before the Lord  in one place. Christians today celebrate different festivals. Their use as rites of intensifications is very valuable.

Similarity of Sudanese Culture to the Hebrew Culture

Several anthropologists have studied the similarity between the Sudanese Cultures (Hamitic, Nilotic and Sudanese) and the culture of the Old Testament period of the Hebrews. The similarity is particularly striking when we consider the period soon after the covenant ceremony during the period of Judges which is considered as the period of Theocracy under Yahweh. This similarity is found in the belief of a Supreme, Almighty God of all Creations, the existence of spiritual beings,   efficacy of sacrifice for redemption, and reconciliation both between man and man and between man and God,   the different types of rituals and rites prescribed, festivities and war procedures etc. Social customs and taboos etc are also almost identical. A deep understanding of the similarities will help the missionary to present the gospel very effectively. For details please my booklet on 'A Comparative Study on Kuku Culture and Hebrew Culture."

Christ is the fulfillment of all the laws and the prophet.  He is the ultimate revelation for which mankind everywhere was looking forward to. The rituals and rites of the Sudanese cultures are no exception. Thus Christianity is the logical outcome of the Sudanese culture itself and every missionary will be able to make direct contact with the people on this point. The cross of Calvary, the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, mediatorship of Jesus at the right hand of the God Almighty are all built into the cultural matrix only to be explained. The immense meaning of reconciliation and redemption through the blood of the Son of God, the efficacy of the blood and the name of Jesus in redemption, forgiveness and healing are easily understood and accepted by the Sudanese. But these ancient rites, morals and values are fast dying out and a self based destructive culture which questions the old is fast moving in under the impact of the Western cultures and its technologies. It is to the advantage of the missionary to take the step now while the message can be easily understood. Animism is a better medium if communication than materialism (where spiritual values are absent altogether)

God has prepared this country- for receiving the gospel. There never has been any other so well prepared in the history of man except Israel. The field is ripe and ready-for harvest.

QUEST IONS

1. What are the basic functions of the religion?

2. Consider each of the functions of religion and discuss how these are met by the tribal religion.

3. What are the various rites of passages in your tribe?  How do they achieve the three steps involved in it?

4. What are the various rites of intensification in your culture?

5. Discuss the various rites of passages and rites of intensifications practiced by the various denominations in the Sudan.  Discuss the alternate ways of expressing these and achieving the same end following the traditional counterparts of these rites.

6.   Study the similarities between the cultures of your tribe in the following fields:

·         Concept of sin

·         Concept of God, angels and spirits

·         Concept of just  men made perfect

·         Fall of man and his depravity

·         Marriages

·         Sacrifices and blood

·         Rites of passages and intensifications.

7. Based on your study develop all contact points for the transmission of the gospel

8.  Discuss the nature of an ideal indigenous church in your tribe in terms of Christian behavior, rituals, rites and festivals.