African Spirituality vs the African American

This new title, which had an official release date of November 1, 1997, is phenomenal; there has never been anything like it. Written by an African American priest in the Orisha / Ifa religion of Yoruba, it treats a variety of subjects of interest and describes the challenges to the African American who contemplates a "bi-cultural" existence. Michael Oshoosi (Michael Frank Wright Ph.D., J.D.)--who is one of the highest professionally certified psychologists in the United States--wrote, and through IKO, Inc., published this text. It is one which is bound to become an underground classic and collector's item.

The premier edition was rushed into print in order to coincide with the historic 5th World Congress of Orisha Tradition and Culture, held in San Francisco, California in August 1997. This premier edition was the most widely sold book at the Congress and was the subject of its most widely attended workshop. The most popularly practiced of African traditional religions in America is the Yoruba Orisha / Ifa Religion. It is composed of practitioners oriented to the traditional African continental approaches, the Afro-Cuban ("Lucumi" or "Santeria") variants, or the Afro-Brazilian ("Candomble") school. The author suggests that in the 21st Century there will emerge an African American version of this world class religion which combines aspects of these schools, along with Vodu, with the cultural requirements of the African American in the United States. He is also concerned about the absence of mutuality and the reciprocal suspicion (instead of reciprocal respect) among practitioners within these schools, and what can be done about it. Accordingly, there are challenges for African Americans aplenty in producing a culturally authentic approach for themselves, but the psychological, spiritual, and political rewards are great as well.

The book first decribes differences in "Afro spiritualist" and Eurocentric "thinking styles" and argues that thinking styles of African Americans are largely Eurocentric--though our "depth culture" is not. "Why does the African American think like a Greek and react like a Jew" he asks rhetorically? Second, he addresses the controversial topics that African Americans raise when delving into these religions: "white folks", "money", "homosexuality and lesbianism", "animal sacrifices", and "authenticity and validity" in traditional African religious practices in the west.

Next, he traces the history of Kemetic (Egyptian) history and thought, Judaism and Jewish moral psychology, Grecian Philosophy, Christianity, Neo-Platonism, Hermeticism, Gnosticism, and Freemasonry in order to explain to the African American the component parts of "Eurocentrism". And finally, in a tour d' force of innovative analysis in contemporary history, he examines Black male-female relationships in the United States in light of the divisive effects of white supremacy, feminist/womanist cooptation of Black liberation struggles, capitalist victimization and mass media dependency.

In the author's view, these are the subjects that explain why many African Americans need the insights and psychological support of their own traditional religions and spirituality, why Christianity and Islam are barely able to sustain the masses of Black Americans at this point, and why the challenges are so great in this bold reconstruction of our psychological history. His work gives original meaning to the concept "liberation theology".