PHILOSOPHICAL THEOLOGY IN THE FORMATION OF AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS

Abstract

This study explores the significant yet often understated role of philosophical theology in shaping African civilizations. Moving beyond the dichotomy of religious orthodoxy and secular anthropological interpretations, the paper delves into the indigenous theological frameworks that guided social organization, political legitimacy, moral norms, and cosmological understandings in pre-colonial and postcolonial African societies. By analyzing the theological underpinnings in major civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, the Kingdom of Axum, Mali, and the Yoruba and Bantu traditions, the article highlights the philosophical sophistication and civilizational influence of African theological thought. The study further examines how colonial and missionary encounters attempted to suppress or redefine these frameworks, leading to a reassertion of indigenous theology in modern African identity politics.