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Publication Date

7-23-2025

Keywords

Traditional African Religion, Religious Syncretism, Mysticism, Racial Justice, Restorative Justice

Abstract

This article undertakes two projects rendering significant ramifications for philosophy/theology, if my assertions are correct. First, the philosopher/theologian known as St. Augustine of Hippo is most saliently recognized as a “white man”; if not a white man, “a European”; if not European, “a man of Rome”; or “Mediterranean”; etc. Outside the intellectual sphere, this is how he is often depicted in art, Penguin Classic books, and so on. Yet ironically, images of Augustine rarely circulate, if at all, as a Black-African-Indigenous person. Was Augustine nonwhite? Evidence is rendered that this is indubitably the case. Could Augustine have been modernly categorized as “Black?” Though I have immense and strong inclinations for asserting his Black-Africanness, they lack epistemic certainty, as does a project of inductive/abductive reasoning. However, despite traditional consensus, a compelling case is presented for Augustine’s racial Black-Africanness, even though it is complicated by his pursuit of “romanitas” with imperial Rome (the imperialists of the African Indigenous and continent). After ample evidence is given, a prima facie acceptance of Augustine’s Blackness is asserted. This opens the second project. Second, with this newfound understanding of Augustine as an Indigenous-Black-African alongside his status as a philoso-pher/theologian/mystic, a question arises of whether Augustine’s Christian mysticism/mystical elements could be syncretistic with Traditional African Religion’s (TAR) mysticism/mystical elements. From the outset, this seemed unlikely. As the project continued, the likelihood increased. The answer to the question is “Yes,” there is a “religious syncretism” but “what is it” and “how does it manifest?” Complicating matters, TAR is fungible with Indigenous philosophy or “African philosophy,” and the hidden epistemic/semantic landmines concerning this will be elaborated. These two projects as an aggregate, (while early in stage) if correct, will have the charged potential to be meaningful for oppressed peoples and restorative justice and will also have meaningful ramifications for philosophy and theology.

DOI

10.15365/sst.2025.5908

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