Biblical Roots of African Traditional Religion: A Comparative Study of African Traditional Religion and Religious Practices of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elijah, and Elisha

This study investigates the foundational parallels between African Traditional Religion (ATR) and the religious practices of biblical patriarchs and prophets. By way of systematic comparative studies of sacrificial practices, holy places, means of divine contact, and spiritual channels of communication, the study elucidates notable convergences among ATR and Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elijah, and Elisha. This paper, through historical-critical and phenomenological lenses, interrogates primary texts, ethnographic accounts, and current forms of religious involvement with a view to forging links that demonstrate the apparent separateness of African religious forms from biblical texts. The results indicate common religious prototypes and potential historical associations that fuel interfaith discourse and religious studies research. That said, this study gained a novel understanding of the formation of religious practices and consequent understanding of cross-cultural religious manifestations.