Abstract:
The concept of healing in both African Traditional Religion and
Christianity poses serious problems to the understanding of healing in our
society. Although the thoughts of both religions concerning healing appear
to be same, there is bitter disagreement on the method of healing between
the votaries of the two religions. To this effect, African traditional medicine
men and the Christian healing ministries do not often agree. For Christian
healing ministries, African traditional medicine men are idol worshippers
whose aim is to perpetrate evil in the society while the African traditional
medicine men regard Christian healing ministries as those who do not live
the virtuous life that they preach.
This work therefore presents a piece of work which drives out the
looming clouds surrounding the healing practice in the two religions. With
this we can see the two sides of healing in each of the religion and then
make recommendations for reconciliation.
This work is made up of five chapters. The first chapter gives the
clues of what the entire work is poised to achieve. Chapter two deals with
the review of the related literature. In the third chapter, who the African
traditional medicine men are, what they do and their value in the society are
presented while chapter four examines healing practice in the Christian
healing ministries.
Finally, the last chapter concludes by assessing the whole work and
making some suggestions that may help further researchers in exploring
more areas yet to be treated and then find possible solutions for proper
handling of healing by African traditional medicine men and Christian
healing ministries.
