General

To start this paper about our course of Introduction to Theology: Revelation and Faith, I want to make as a summary what we have seen during the classes, after that I will introduce the main issue of this paper that is; the concept of God between African Traditional Religion and Christianity.
Revelation and faith intertwined together. They can't be separated. According to Avery Dulles,SJ, "faith is assent and the acceptance of a revealed message on the word of the divine revealer." And also in the document Dei Verbum one of the major documents of Vatican II completes the work begun at Vatican I on the central Christian reality of Divine Revelation, "By faith, man freely commits his entire self to God, making the full submission of his intellect and will to God who reveals andwillingly assenting to the Revelation given by Him." It is means, in word and deed, God reveals Himself to us both through Sacred Scripture and Tradition, yet these two sources come together as ways in which He speaks to us. The final interpretation of the Word of God, as Scripture or Tradition, rests with the teaching authority, Magisterium, of the Church, which is always guided by the HolySpirit.,
It should be clarified that God's revelation in some aspect is also pertaining to the doctrine or words of God (Gospel). On the other hand, faith in some aspect pertains to belief or believing.
Revelation is the object of faith. Even though, human reason is capable of knowing the existence of a personal God, it is not enough for man to be able to enter a real intimacy withGod. Entering a real intimacy with God is by believing His revelation and His masterplan of salvation which are hidden in mystery. But how could we enter a real intimacy with God if His revelation and masterplan of salvation are hidden in mystery? ...By having faith. Faith is above human reason. "...faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"(Hebrews 11:1). That'swhy we will not know and reach the truth of the revelation of God if we don't possess faith. Faith should be our response to God's revelation. Do you know how is it very essential to us to have faith in God's revelation?
Faith in God's revelation (Gospel) leads to salvation. St. Paul told us that the Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). OurLord Jesus Christ Himself required us to believe or to have faith in the Gospel in order to be saved:
"Go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.
He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who
does not believe shall be condemned."
Thus, it would be futile even if man will be baptized but doesn't believe in the Gospel (God's revelation), for he will not besaved. Instead, he will be condemned.
And finally, Pope John Paul II explores the relationship between faith and reason. In the light of his experience and breadth of vision, he opens the way to modern philosophies, while maintaining the privileged place of the “perennial philosophy” in the Catholic tradition. He indicates the weaknesses and dangers of misguided reasoning in our era. In thiscontext he provides a timely warning about the surprising revival of Nineteenth Century rationalist “scientism,” which perhaps emerged in reaction to the spread of irrational “New Age” superstitions in the last decades of the twentieth century. He challenges philosophy to become truly a quest for truth and wisdom.

1. God in African Traditional Religion

Africa is a land of great religions.Religion penetrates deeply all behaviors of life. We cannot find an African without religion. And since traditional religions permeate all aspects of life, there is no formal distinction between sacred and secular, between religious and nonreligious, between life and death. The African man makes religion the foundation of their existence, where is it, there is his religion. He takes him to the field...