| Chapter 1: | Introduction |
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The commission’s final report—volume 3b, chapter 7, paragraph 39, on the subject ‘Traditional values and methods informing reconciliation’—portrays the importance and indispensable contribution of African traditional values in society and public life by stating, among other things, that ‘the reconciliation process cannot move forward without the participation of the religious and traditional leaders’.
Therefore, neglecting or relegating ATR to an inferior position may cost Sierra Leoneans ‘an essential component in the indigenous religious heritage’, which constitutes ‘a vital factor in the religious motivation and perception of Africans’ (Sanneh 1983, 86). In the spirit of justice, relations among these religious parties demand serious study and action.
In view of the long history of coexistence among the peoples of these faith traditions and the important role played by ATR and its practitioners in the transformation of society and culture, as well as the impact thereof 3 on Christianity and Islam, this book aims to answer the following questions:
In view of the aforementioned, this study will later investigate the reasons for the exclusion of ATR from interreligious dialogue, the relevance and place of traditional religion in interreligious encounters, and ways in which ATR might possibly be included in Sierra Leone interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
The rest of this chapter provides past and present academic context relating to interreligious encounters and dialogue among the three faith traditions under study. This is followed by a social history of Sierra Leone and is concluded with an outline of the rest of the book.