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Yet, at least outside the Islamic majority parts of Northern Africa, the presence of the Catholic Church has grown in the modern era, in Africa as a whole, one of the reasons being the French colonization of several countries in Africa. [1] Catholic Church membership rose from 2 million in 1900 to 140 million in 2000. [2] In 2005, the Catholic ...
Under several laws established around 1685, Catholic practices amongst African slaves (such as baptism and teachings of doctrines) were enforced. [2] Due to risks of practicing their own beliefs, Haitian slaves began to practice their own beliefs under the cover of the Catholic ones. These practices were derived from their religion, known as ...
The Catholic Church in South Africa is part of the worldwide Catholic Church composed of the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, of which the South African church is under the spiritual leadership of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference and the pope in Rome.
Some forms of folk Catholic practices are based on syncretism with non-Christian or otherwise non-Catholic beliefs or religions. Some of these folk Catholic forms have come to be identified as separate religions, as is the case with Caribbean and Brazilian syncretism between Catholicism and West African religions, which include Haitian Vodou, Cuban Santería, and Brazilian Candomblé.
Abrahamic religious beliefs, especially monotheistic elements, such as the belief in a single creator god, were introduced into traditionally polytheistic African religions rather early. [17] West African religions seek to come to terms with reality, and, unlike Abrahamic religions , are not idealisations.
As an AIC, some aspects of African traditional religion and beliefs are incorporated into the church, including the early revelation to Simeo Ondetto that polygamists could be baptised into the church. In this sense, the church is more willing to accept some cultural practices, but this is balanced by a strict sense of holiness.
Buddhism is a tiny religion in Africa with around 250,000 practicing adherents, [44] and up to nearly 400,000 [45] if combined with Taoism and Chinese Folk Religion as a common traditional religion of mostly new Chinese migrants (significant minority in Mauritius, Réunion, and South Africa).
Christianity is the predominant religion in Central African Republic, with significant minorities of the adherents of Islam and Traditional African religions. The country is officially secular and freedom of religion is enshrined in its constitution. Christmas and Easter are recognised as public holidays. [2]