Funeral Rites Reformation for Any African Ethnic Community Based on the Proposed New Funeral Practices for the Agikuyu

Funeral Rites Reformation for Any African Ethnic Community Based on the Proposed New Funeral Practices for the Agikuyu PDF

Author: Johnson Nganga Mbugua

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2016-06-17

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1498290906

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This book has been written on the premise that the mode of coping with death of virtually all African ethnic communities has taken proportions and turns that are neither cultural, scriptural, nor necessary. Current rites are complicated, time-consuming, expensive, and are leaving most families and their neighbors impoverished. They have been extremely commercialized and a large number of Africans do not have resources to bury their dead the "modern" way. Were the Agikuyu (read: Africans) to curb numerous funeral demands which they deem necessary and "customary," when in actual fact they are not, funerals for them would become cheaper, faster, and simpler; would be decent enough for the dead; would take care of those left behind; and would be environmentally friendly. How Africans in the Diaspora, away from their ancestral homeland, should cope with death is also addressed. Also addressed is the issue of cremation. It is shown that at the resurrection, God will accord us new spiritual bodies which will have no bearing with the material substance of our earthly (mortal) bodies.

Death Rituals among the Karanga of Zimbabwe

Death Rituals among the Karanga of Zimbabwe PDF

Author: John Chitakure

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2021-10-04

Total Pages: 255

ISBN-13: 1666722650

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One of the inescapable truths that humanity has to grapple with is the reality of death. The manner in which we die, or the cause of our death, may differ, but death remains inevitable. We may be afraid of it or not; we may try to evade it, or not, but death still comes. Although most religions promise the possibility of another life in the hereafter, there is no scientifically verifiable evidence about the reality of that life. Despite that lack of evidence, every culture performs death rituals meticulously to prepare the spirits of its deceased for whatever form of life that may be available. Death Rituals among the Karanga of Zimbabwe: Praxis, Significance, and Changes explores the causes of sickness and death, and the praxis of pre-burial, burial, and post-burial rituals of the Karanga of Zimbabwe in an attempt to unearth their original form and significance, to identify the changes that have taken place. It also provides a brief manual for the performance of some selected Karanga death rituals.

African Traditions Meeting Islam

African Traditions Meeting Islam PDF

Author: Lawrence Odhiambo Oseje

Publisher: Langham Publishing

Published: 2018-12-31

Total Pages: 430

ISBN-13: 1783685557

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In many communities across the world traditional beliefs and practices are passed down generations and are a feature of day-to-day life, despite the influence of outside sources. Focusing on Luo Muslims in Kenya, Dr Lawrence Oseje looks at the interaction of Islam and traditional Luo practices, especially those around death and burial. Dr Oseje’s research with Luo Muslims in Kendu Bay investigates the impact of the traditional Luo conceptualization of death with their current views, and provides new understanding of fundamental issues that affect the lives of ordinary Muslims. From his observation of this community, Oseje encourages a celebration of traditions and customs, showing that an appreciation of traditions and beliefs can help develop ministry to local communities. Dr Oseje’s findings result in a deepened understanding of cultures, how they develop from a blend of influences, and provides anthropological and missiological guidelines for cross-cultural ministry, particularly in times of bereavement.

Culture and Customs of Kenya

Culture and Customs of Kenya PDF

Author: Neal W. Sobania

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2003-06-30

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0313039364

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Kenya, a land of safaris, wild animals, and Maasai warriors, perfectly represents Africa for many Westerners. This peerless single-source book presents the contemporary reality of life in Kenya, an important East-African nation that has served as a crossroads for peoples and cultures from Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia for centuries. As such, it is a land rich in cultural and ethnic diversity, where unique and dynamic traditions blend with modern influences. Students and general readers will be engrossed in narrative overviews highlighting Kenyan history, as well as the beliefs, vibrant cultural expressions, and various lifestyles and roles of the Kenyan population. A chronology, glossary, and numerous photos enhance the narrative. Kenya today struggles with nation building. Its society comprises the haves and the have-nots and faces the challenges of the trend toward urbanization, with its attendant disruption of traditional social structures. For Kenyans, the preserving of traditional cultures is as important as making the statement that Kenya is a modern nation. Chapters on the land, people, and history; religion and worldview; literature, film, and media; art and architecture; cuisine and traditional dress; gender roles, marriage, and family; and social customs and lifestyle are up to date and written by a country expert. A chronology, glossary, and numerous photos enhance the narrative.

The Minister's Manual for Funerals

The Minister's Manual for Funerals PDF

Author: Al, Jr. Cadenhead

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Published: 1987-12-07

Total Pages: 117

ISBN-13: 1433676699

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The plans for this book began several years ago as I personally sought quality resources for my work with grieving families. With such an abundance of homelectical materials in general, I was concerned that there seemed to be very little to offer guidance for the funeral setting. The goal of this book is to provide resource material for a setting that has so much potential for ministry. - From the Preface.

Ritual

Ritual PDF

Author: Catherine Bell

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2009-12-29

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 0199739471

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From handshakes and toasts to chant and genuflection, ritual pervades our social interactions and religious practices. Still, few of us could identify all of our daily and festal ritual behaviors, much less explain them to an outsider. Similarly, because of the variety of activities that qualify as ritual and their many contradictory yet, in many ways, equally legitimate interpretations, ritual seems to elude any systematic historical and comparative scrutiny. In this book, Catherine Bell offers a practical introduction to ritual practice and its study; she surveys the most influential theories of religion and ritual, the major categories of ritual activity, and the key debates that have shaped our understanding of ritualism. Bell refuses to nail down ritual with any one definition or understanding. Instead, her purpose is to reveal how definitions emerge and evolve and to help us become more familiar with the interplay of tradition, exigency, and self-expression that goes into constructing this complex social medium.

Aging in Sub-Saharan Africa

Aging in Sub-Saharan Africa PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-11-10

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 0309180090

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In sub-Saharan Africa, older people make up a relatively small fraction of the total population and are supported primarily by family and other kinship networks. They have traditionally been viewed as repositories of information and wisdom, and are critical pillars of the community but as the HIV/AIDS pandemic destroys family systems, the elderly increasingly have to deal with the loss of their own support while absorbing the additional responsibilities of caring for their orphaned grandchildren. Aging in Sub-Saharan Africa explores ways to promote U.S. research interests and to augment the sub-Saharan governments' capacity to address the many challenges posed by population aging. Five major themes are explored in the book such as the need for a basic definition of "older person," the need for national governments to invest more in basic research and the coordination of data collection across countries, and the need for improved dialogue between local researchers and policy makers. This book makes three major recommendations: 1) the development of a research agenda 2) enhancing research opportunity and implementation and 3) the translation of research findings.