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Modimo

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The reverence for Modimo often extends to traditional rituals and ceremonies. Many traditional practices involve prayers, songs, and offerings to seek the favor or blessings of the divine. Although Modimo is the most powerful being in the order of creation of the Sotho-Tswana religion, he is often
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The term "Modimo" persisted and adapted to coexist with Christianity in many cases. Some communities blended traditional practices with Christian elements, creating a syncretic belief system that incorporated aspects of both worlds. This syncretism allowed for the preservation of cultural and
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Before the arrival of European colonizers, the various Bantu-speaking communities in Southern Africa had their own distinct spiritual beliefs and practices. The concept of a supreme being, often referred to as "Modimo" or similar names in different Bantu languages, was central to these belief
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With the advent of European colonialism in the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a significant impact on indigenous belief systems. Missionaries played a role in introducing Christianity to the region, leading to the spread of Western religious influences. However, many African communities
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In Sotho-Tswana cultures, the concept of Modimo is deeply rooted in traditional religious beliefs. Modimo is often ascribed feats such as the creation of the universe and is considered the highest spiritual authority. There are various other names for Modimo such as
239:"above, in the sky" and so Modimo can be translated to mean "the high one" or "the sky-deity" or "the one above" or "the Supreme Deity" or merely "the high god" in English. Modimo is the equivalent of the Xhosa Supreme Deity 616: 473:
Many people in Southern Africa continue to find meaning and cultural identity in their traditional beliefs, which include a reverence for the supreme being.
300:, and mythological figures of the Sotho-Tswana people. There are various legends, stories and mythologies regarding Modimo amongst the Sotho-Tswana people. 651: 700: 288:. Modimo is often described as a genderless, formless, omnipresent and omnipotent maker. Modimo is the most supreme deity in a 617:"The gendered God in the Setswana Bible and the captivity of Modimo: Moffat and the translating of the Bible into Setswana" 695: 675: 659: 562: 546: 519: 503: 448: 361: 108: 89: 430: 343: 61: 591: 426: 339: 46: 68: 715: 710: 220: 130: 75: 204: 200: 411: 324: 57: 705: 466:
integrated their traditional beliefs with Christianity, resulting in syncretic forms of worship.
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systems. The supreme being was seen as the creator of the universe and the source of life.
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used in the rituals of the Bantu-speaking people, in possible connection to Modimo
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seen as a deistic god who can be appealed to through intermediaries like the
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spiritual identity while also incorporating new religious influences.
495: 216: 400: 313: 24: 156: 152: 380: 297: 240: 160: 248: 227:. Modimo and all its derivatives ultimately stem from the 303: 49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 383:, who are believed to be closer to Modimo in the 687: 615:Mothoagae, Itumeleng Daniel (December 2014). 429:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 342:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 652:Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge 614: 449:Learn how and when to remove this message 390: 362:Learn how and when to remove this message 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 16:"God" in some southern African languages 575: 532: 688: 254: 645: 489: 498:(published 2018). pp. 230–236. 427:adding citations to reliable sources 394: 340:adding citations to reliable sources 307: 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 13: 14: 727: 578:"The contested history of Modimo" 592:"Modimo and the Origin of Death" 399: 312: 304:Beliefs, mythologies and legends 129: 23: 621:Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae 576:Bennett, Bruce (January 2022). 34:needs additional citations for 639: 608: 584: 569: 526: 483: 1: 701:Traditional African religions 674:: CS1 maint: date and year ( 561:: CS1 maint: date and year ( 518:: CS1 maint: date and year ( 476: 235:which indicates personhood + 648:The Bechuana of South Africa 247:and the Shona Supreme Deity 7: 243:and the Zulu Supreme Deity 10: 732: 292:of different deities and 144: 128: 123: 696:Religion in South Africa 533:Casalis, Eugene (1861). 646:Crisp, William (1896). 490:Stayt, Hugh A (1931). 391:Modimo in Christianity 716:Religion in Botswana 423:improve this section 336:improve this section 221:traditional religion 149:Sotho-Tswana peoples 43:improve this article 711:Religion in Lesotho 255:Meaning and origins 225:Sotho-Tswana people 229:proto-Sotho-Tswana 459: 458: 451: 372: 371: 364: 166: 165: 119: 118: 111: 93: 723: 680: 679: 673: 665: 643: 637: 636: 612: 606: 605: 603: 602: 596:Oxford Reference 588: 582: 581: 573: 567: 566: 560: 552: 530: 524: 523: 517: 509: 487: 454: 447: 443: 440: 434: 403: 395: 367: 360: 356: 353: 347: 316: 308: 205:Northern Ndebele 133: 121: 120: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 731: 730: 726: 725: 724: 722: 721: 720: 686: 685: 684: 683: 667: 666: 662: 644: 640: 613: 609: 600: 598: 590: 589: 585: 574: 570: 554: 553: 549: 541:. p. 248. 539:Books on Demand 531: 527: 511: 510: 506: 488: 484: 479: 455: 444: 438: 435: 420: 404: 393: 368: 357: 351: 348: 333: 317: 306: 274:Hla-Hla Macholo 257: 179:, and known as 177:Lesotho Sesotho 171:(also spelt as 151: 140: 137:Lydenburg Heads 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 729: 719: 718: 713: 708: 706:Bantu religion 703: 698: 682: 681: 660: 654:. p. 43. 638: 627:(2): 149–168. 607: 583: 568: 547: 525: 504: 481: 480: 478: 475: 457: 456: 407: 405: 398: 392: 389: 370: 369: 320: 318: 311: 305: 302: 296:ancestors, or 266:Tlatlamatjholo 256: 253: 164: 163: 146: 142: 141: 134: 126: 125: 117: 116: 31: 29: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 728: 717: 714: 712: 709: 707: 704: 702: 699: 697: 694: 693: 691: 677: 671: 663: 661:9780598934956 657: 653: 649: 642: 634: 630: 626: 622: 618: 611: 597: 593: 587: 579: 572: 564: 558: 550: 548:9783375040543 544: 540: 536: 529: 521: 515: 507: 505:9780429942778 501: 497: 493: 486: 482: 474: 471: 467: 463: 453: 450: 442: 432: 428: 424: 418: 417: 413: 408:This section 406: 402: 397: 396: 388: 386: 382: 378: 366: 363: 355: 345: 341: 337: 331: 330: 326: 321:This section 319: 315: 310: 309: 301: 299: 295: 291: 287: 283: 279: 275: 271: 270:Tlatlamacholo 267: 263: 252: 250: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 226: 222: 218: 214: 213:supreme deity 210: 206: 202: 198: 194: 190: 186: 182: 178: 174: 170: 162: 158: 154: 150: 147: 143: 138: 132: 127: 122: 113: 110: 102: 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: –  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 44: 38: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 647: 641: 624: 620: 610: 599:. 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Index


verification
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"Modimo"
news
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JSTOR
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Iziko Lydenburg Heads 2
Lydenburg Heads
Sotho-Tswana peoples
Basotho
Batswana
Bapedi
Lesotho Sesotho
Tshivenda
Southern
Northern Ndebele
creator god
supreme deity
sky deity
traditional religion
Sotho-Tswana people
proto-Sotho-Tswana
Qamata
uMvelinqangi
Mwari

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