RELIGION - The African Mirror

Dec

2022

Sacred rivers: Christianity in southern Africa has a deep history of water and ritual

WATER is a scarce commodity in much of Africa, particularly in southern Africa. This is well symbolised in the name of the Botswana national currency, pula (rain). When tragedies like flooding and drowning take place, it may seem inappropriate to speak of the scarcity and commodity of water. For example, members of the Johane Masowe church drowned in a flash flood during a baptismal ceremony at a river in South Africa recently. Author RETIEF MÜLLER, Associate Professor in Theology, VID Specialized University But part of the attraction of moving bodies of water to religious groups may be rooted in this…

Nov

2022

By The African Mirror

What is beatification? How the Catholic church determines the path to sainthood

RELIGION

ON 5 November 2022, the Catholic Church will formally recognise Sister Maria Carola Cechin (1877-1925) as “Blessed”. The Italian-born nun spent two decades serving in Kenya. After this, in places closely associated with Sister Carola or within her religious order, Catholic church services can be held in her honour. An annual celebration in the church calendar of seasons can also be dedicated to her. Additionally, churches and other institutions in those areas can be named after her. The process culminating in calling Sister Carola “Blessed” is known as beatification. This marks the second-last step before canonisation, which is the official…

Sep

2022

By The African Mirror

How Shiite Islam reached Tanzania, and Ashoura processions became an annual tradition

RELIGION

EACH year, the largest contemporary Muslim pilgrimage takes place in Iraq to remember Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. Before the pandemic, this event reportedly drew more than 30 million people, but in recent years participation declined to more than 14 million. This procession from Najaf to Karbala, where Hussein is buried, commemorates the 40th day after his martyrdom, a typical length of mourning in Muslim traditions. In 2022, this falls on September 17. Author MARA LEICHTMAN, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Muslim Studies, Michigan State University Following the death of the prophet in A.D. 632, a dispute developed over…

Sep

2022

By The African Mirror

John Paul I, ‘Smiling Pope’ for a month, moves towards sainthood

RELIGION

PHILIP PULLELLA POPE John Paul I, who died in 1978 after only 33 days as pontiff, moved closer to sainthood with the Vatican still having to dismiss lingering conspiracy theories that he was a victim of foul play. Pope Francis beatified his predecessor at a ceremony in St. Peter's Square before tens of thousands of people. Beatification is the last step before sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. John Paul was known as "The Smiling Pope" because of his meekness and simplicity. "With a smile, Pope John Paul managed to communicate the goodness of the Lord," Francis said in his…

Aug

2022

By The African Mirror

Pope Francis appoints two African cardinals

RELIGION

TWO Africans are among the select group of leading Catholic Bishops who were appointed as Cardinals by Pope Francis at the weekend, raising speculation that the next Pope may be from Africa. The new Cardinals are Peter Eberechukwu Okpaleke of Ekwulobia, in the Eastern region of Nigeria and Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr from Ghana. Okpaleke and Baawobr joined the College of Cardinals which had 229 Cardinals. He now becomes the fourth Cardinal from Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa. A total of 131 of the new Cardinals will elect the successor to Pope Francis. In 2010, Baawobr became the…

Aug

2022

By The African Mirror

With new cardinals, pope puts stamp on Church future

RELIGION

POPE Francis inducted 20 cardinals from around the world, choosing men who mostly agree with his vision of a more progressive and inclusive Church and influencing their choice of his eventual successor. Francis, 85, presided at a ceremony known as a consistory, telling the new cardinals to show concern for ordinary people despite the high rank that will bring them into contact with the powerful of the earth. The ceremony marked the eight time Francis has put his stamp on the Church's future with a new intake of cardinals who will serve as his top advisors and administrators at the…

Aug

2022

By The African Mirror

Analysis: Question of who might succeed Pope Francis to loom over cardinals’ gathering

RELIGION

PHILIP PULLELLA ROMAN Catholic cardinals from around the world gather for events at the Vatican starting this weekend that could amount to a dress rehearsal for an eventual conclave to choose a successor to Pope Francis after he dies or resigns. On Saturday Francis will induct 20 prelates into the College of Cardinals, the exclusive group whose members serve as the pope's top advisors and administrators at the Vatican and around the globe. Sixteen of the newcomers are under 80 years old and thus join the even more exclusive inner sanctum known as cardinal electors, eligible to enter a secret…

Aug

2022

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s sharia blasphemy law not unconstitutional, court rules

RELIGION

A Nigerian court ruled that Islamic religious law does not violate the constitution, dismissing a test-case challenge from a singer who was sentenced to death two years ago on the charge of blasphemy. But in a majority decision, the court in northern Kano state also upheld a lower court's call for a retrial. Yahaya Aminu Sharif was convicted of having shared a blasphemous message on WhatsApp and was sentenced to death in August 2020 by a sharia court. The high court in Kano threw out the conviction and ordered a retrial but Sharif appealed, challenging the constitutionality of the religious…

Aug

2022

By The African Mirror

Why is the Anglican Church torn over same-sex relationships?

RELIGION

HUGO GREENHALGH THE Anglican Church has seen a simmering row over same-sex marriage erupt as leaders gathered for the Lambeth Conference, a roughly once-in-a-decade meeting of its bishops from around the world. At the heart of the matter is a 1998 resolution known as Lambeth 1.10 that states marriage can only be between a man and a woman. An initial statement in the programme for debate at this year's conference said "same-gender marriage is not permissible", re-opening painful divisions within the 85-million-strong global Anglican Communion on the issue. A subsequent updated version that noted stances vary within the church and that some…

Aug

2022

By The African Mirror

Christians in Nigeria feel under attack: why it’s a complicated story

RELIGION

NIGERIA has a long history of religious tensions against which the current spate of violence against Christians must be seen. There are a number of factors that have heightened religious tensions in Nigeria. The first is the competition for space between the two main religions of Islam and Christianity. Secondly, there is the perception that Nigerian leaders use the state to promote their religion or faith at the expense of others. Thirdly, there’s a culture of insensitivity to the feelings of minorities. Author JIDEOFOR ADIBE, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi The root of Islam…