Pagan bloggers Chas Clifton and Nikolaos Markoulakis have pointed out that the New Statesman has posted a weeks worth of articles on modern Paganism. Contributors include Markoulakis, his colleague James Head, and Damh (aka Damh the Bard). In addition to their recent contributions, animist and author Graham Harvey has also contributed several articles recently.

Spiegel International has issued a report on the religious landscape in Africa. Thilo Thielke looks at how polytheistic (or “animistic” if you prefer) religion survives in Sub-Saharan Africa despite increasing pressure from Christian and Islamic groups vying for religious dominance of the region.

“The clash of civilizations and religions, the focus of so much debate in Europe and America, can be witnessed firsthand here in Africa. And today Maryal Bai is one of its many fronts. Islamic Fundamentalism is advancing from the west, penetrating all the way to the continent’s eastern reaches. In some regions it collides head-on with an equally aggressive brand of Christianity. The clashes are becoming increasingly bitter because the desert is expanding, bringing more poverty in its wake…Yet, as hard as the two great monotheistic faiths have struggled for supremacy, they have failed to wrest power from priests like Akoon Duong. With its nature deities, the old African mythology is often the only stabilizing force in a world full of suffering, displacement and death, where everything is in constant flux but rarely changes for the better, where – in many respects – time has stood still.”

Thielke points out that while many Africans claim to adhere to Christianity or Islam, the older religious traditions still hold sway over their lives.

“In truth, religious distinctions have long blurred, indeed evaporated, in Africa. Someone who attends church in the morning and the mosque at midday might easily invite a voodoo priest over in the evening to read the kola nuts…In Kenya, for example, the modernminded Kikuyu, flashing cell phones and Ray-Bans, happily journey to Mount Kenya and pray to Ngai, the supreme God of the animists – despite often being members of one of the numerous Christian sects, such as the Pentecostals or the gospel churches.”

The article also interviews voodoo priest Chief John Odeh (Nigeria) about his views on the religious conflicts and intermingling happening today in Africa.

“Christianity has destroyed our culture. The people have lost faith in our ancient gods and values. The pastors go to church in the morning and preach Christianity, and in the evening they come to me and speak with their forefathers. Christianity cannot compete with our ancestors. Your God is impotent against Shango, the god of thunder and lightning. That’s why the Christian pastors in Nigeria all die so young. Oh well, that’s how things are nowadays. Nothing’s free in life except death.”

It seems that despite the best efforts from the major monotheisms, traditional African religion isn’t going gently into that good night. During the colonial era, progress was an all or nothing proposition. Technological and medical advances had to come with the adoption of our religion as well. While some Western missionary groups now endeavor to be more sensitive to cultural traditions, in many ways their goals are the same. Eliminate traditional religion and replace it with the “one true” God. With all the current problems in Africa, a religious conversion experience doesn’t seem like it should be high on the list of priorities.