Decoloniality on Culture and Religion: Anglican Ritual performed on the Zulu King

Abstract

Decolonial discourse continues to challenge Eurocentrism and, among other things, raises profound questions about culture and religion or their unreceptive interactions. Conversely, both culture and religion remain products of the social context in which they are located. Some have even gone so far as to conceptualize religion as a form of culture, or vice versa. Historically, however, in societies such as South Africa where dominant religions such as Christianity emerged with distinct Eurocentric cultural identities, the interaction of culture and religion remains a stumbling block. South African scholars have commendably long debated the inherent conflict between cultural practices and religion, and their impact on social bonds. The above picture, however, calls for further exploration or understanding of the intricate interaction between culture and religion. Consequently, several questions arise: Can one belong to a Western religion and practise African culture? Can an African traditional monarch belong to a Western religion, in particular Christianity? What are the implications of mixing indigenous culture with foreign religion in our society? What are the decolonial boundaries between African religion and Christianity? Can there be a healthy interplay between indigenous culture and Christianity? Can African Christianity be tamed into an indigenous cultural expression? Consequently, this paper encompasses responsive academic insights into the cultural–religious collision, particularly in the light of the recent coronation of the Zulu king in South Africa.