Religion - Ruth Marshall

Question 1

Discuss Ruth Marshall’s article regarding fundamentalism and rise of the Pentecostal church in Africa

Answer 1

Retrenchment, price increases, Unemployment, runaway inflation - suffering was universal for the SAP generation
- Pentecostal church offered the rebirth experience which appealed to many, allowing believers to ‘reorganise a chaotic moral field’ by establishing a new moral universe which enabled them to articulate political discontent and attack political rivals

Question 2

In 1900 what happened to African Islamism

Answer 2

Split between the formal structure of the state (associated with the sultan of morocco versus the radical, heterodox Islam of Perlphery (associated with Mahdi of Sultan)

Question 3

Comment on the two strands of Islam in North Africa

Answer 3

One strand was the established, academic / almost British Islam - which was the Islam of the coastal cities and the core of the state

The contrasting strand of Islam was dominated by local cults and brotherhoods - it was heterodox, non conformist and potentially fanatical

Question 4

Reforming Islam

• who argued that Islam was entirely compatible with modernisation because it was founded on law and rationality?

Answer 4

Jamal Al Afghani

Question 5

What did Khamir Amin argue?

Answer 5

Islam is built on past laws

- religion and secular society must be separate to enable modernisation… modernisation leads to instability

Question 6

What is eclecticism?

Answer 6

Collectivising ideas from different cultures

Non - literate cultures are religiously imaginative - take ideas different cultures and are pragmatic in their belief system

Question 7

R Horton on the impact of colonial rule on African religious belief?

Answer 7

Colonialism enlarged the theological scale; focused on a high god

Question 8

J Ajayi?

Answer 8

Christianity destabilised traditional family and tribal systems
- Christianity broke down local loyalties and placed an emphasis on globalisation
Local religions had failed to protect believers - allowing christian god to a fill a space in African spirituality

Question 9

Peel on religion and young people?

Answer 9

The young generation were particularly drawn to Christianity

Question 10

According to Gifford how has the state been involved with politics?

Answer 10

State political and economic failure led to an increase in support for the Pentecostal church
- link to Ruth Marshall’s article