Person, Cosmos, and Power in the Anthropology of Religions in Africa

Abstract This chapter integrates theoretical perspectives from religious studies into the anthropological study of religion in Africa. This is done by defining “religion” and its critical study alike—whether through anthropology or religious studies—as research into the convergence of people and the cosmos, whatever the type of person or cosmos. As a result, the chapter envisions an anthropological approach to religion in Africa as capable of engaging diverse visions of the world (capitalist, Indigenous, Islamic, etc.) as well as various kinds of persons (whether dividual or individual, living or dead). The core of the chapter focuses on six themes: (1) narratives of cosmic origins, (2) kinship and ancestorhood, (3) the human life cycle into adulthood, (4) sorcery and witchcraft, (5) healing, divination, and spirit mediumship, and (6) death, military violence, and politics. Above all, the chapter proposes deriving the categories of religious analysis from everyday African life.