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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | The use of imprecatory psalms in African context |
Author: | Ademiluka, Solomon Olusola |
Year: | 2006 |
Periodical: | African Journal of Biblical Studies |
Volume: | 23 |
Issue: | 2 |
Pages: | 53-62 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Africa |
Subjects: | religious songs curses |
Abstract: | Apart from reading from the Psalter during Sunday worship, Africans also use psalms in a distinctively African way. This involves reading psalms in conjunction with certain techniques of African medicine and magic, for protective, healing and other purposes. The rationale behind the use of psalms in this way lies in the similarities between ancient Israelite and African cosmologies as they are depicted in the Old Testament, especially the Psalter. The particular aspect of the world view in this context is that of traditional consciousness and fear of enemies, common both to the individual Israelite and the individual traditional African. Thus the African understands the enemies of the psalmist as none other than witches, sorcerers, and all who share a hatred against him. African Christians, especially the prophets of African Independent Churches, readily use psalms to protect against and counterattack the evil tendencies of enemies. The significance of this 'imprecatory' use of psalms, 'to call down evil on somebody', can be appreciated in the light of the contextualization of Christianity in Africa. Ref. [ASC Leiden abstract] |