Lesson 15: Animism

Miri was a small child in a village in Papua New Guinea. He had few toys but sometimes played with the skull of his grandfather. The skull was kept in the house as a way of respecting their ancestor and also to keep away evil spirits.

Read Psalm 147 aloud. Write a paragraph that summarizes this scripture passage. What does this passage say about God’s involvement with creation? Write a list of statements. 

Introduction to Animism

Animism is not a single religion, but a type of religion. It is typical of primitive cultures, and is the religion of most primitive societies, especially before they are affected by contact with the outside world.

Animism is not always a religion distinct from other religions. Many people who would call themselves Hindus, Buddhists, Voodoo worshippers, or Roman Catholics live by many of the beliefs of animism. Many people in the New Age religion study animist practices to find ways to interact with the supernatural.[1]

Animism in general has no authoritative Scripture and no written doctrine.

Animists believe that the elements of nature all around them have souls. This includes animals, trees, mountains, and rivers. They believe that they must acknowledge and interact with those souls to succeed at raising food, building houses, and staying healthy.[2]

Animists also believe in spirits that are not necessarily attached to a material body or location. They may also believe that the spirits of their ancestors are involved in the world and in their lives.

► What similarities do you see between Animism and other religions we have studied?

Animists do not consider humans to be distinct from the world, but part of it, with no special status.[3]

[9]

Animists may not call their beliefs a religion. Animism is just reality to them. Animists develop customs of using special words, items, or actions intended to interact with the spirits. These customs are different in different societies. The customs are supposed to help them avoid antagonizing spirits, and possibly get good responses from them. A person may carry with him an object that is supposed to have power. Often, an animist cannot explain why a custom is practiced.[4]

Animists may believe there are ways for a person to gain power from an object or other person. They believe a person must be careful not to be affected by harmful power from particular objects or places.

Most practices that are called superstitions come from animist concepts. A superstition is the idea that a person must follow certain practices because of particular objects or actions or places that have spiritual power. Christians are not superstitious, even though they know that evil supernatural powers are real, because they trust the supreme power of God.[5]

► Why does the Bible tell us not to use the things that are part of superstition?

Animists believe that the world is full of spiritual danger, and that they must be careful not to offend the spirits of nature or of their ancestors. Their life is guided by constant fear.[7] Sometimes people think that primitive societies are happy and without worries until missionaries come with organized religion, but that is not true. Primitive people who do not have the gospel live in slavery to fear of spirits. The gospel comes as a wonderful message of deliverance. They learn that they can serve a God who loves them and not have to fear the spirits.

An animist group may have a professional “witch doctor” who is thought to be expert in dealing with matters of the spirits.

Animists may believe in a supreme God who created, but they do not think that contact with him is possible. They think that the spirits around them are the ones they must deal with for results in their lives.[8]

The attempt to interact with spirits often leads animists into interaction with demons.

Now go back and read the footnotes for the entire section on Animism. Look up the referenced Scripture verses and read them.

[1] “God is uncreated, necessary, one, infinite, immense, eternal being, the life of all that lives.”
- Thomas Oden, The Living God, 53

[2] Animists believe in spirits that stay in certain places, but God has all power in every place (1 Kings 20:28).

[3] God puts special value on humans and gives them special care (Matthew 10:31).

[4] God wants us to get rid of anything that is used for depending on spirits for help. If we have those things, we are not completely trusting God (Acts 19:19).

[5] “It is the sovereign power of God that makes providence and miracles completely at home in the biblical world. God can never be excluded from His creation.”
- W.T. Purkiser, God, Man, and Salvation, 154

[7] The Bible tells us many times that we do not have to fear because we can trust God (Isaiah 41:10).

[8] “And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son.”
- The Nicene Creed

[9]Image by Bruce Warrington from Unsplash, retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/8Or5Z9-sH0Q.

Many animists already believe in a supreme God, but do not believe they have access to him or that he is interested in them. The gospel tells them that God loves them and demonstrated his love by sending Jesus.

Many animists think that they have offended God. The gospel explains that God is ready to forgive our sins so we can come into relationship with him.

Animists live in fear of spirits. We can assure them that if they come to know God, they are under his protection and can deal with him instead of with spirits.

Hato was a chief of a tribe in Papua New Guinea. He had lived in fear of spirits and ancestors. The villages were often at war with each other. A missionary came to live in his village. Hato saw how the missionary trusted God during a crisis when the missionary’s sons were in danger. Hato made the decision to serve God instead of the spirits.

Now read Psalm 147 again. Write a paragraph explaining the message this passage has for the animist.