Humanity's African Roots

This book is the first volume in a series written from an Afrocentric perspective, especially for use in forming young visionary leaders for the emerging postmodern Global Civilization. It invites young leaders and all people to study humanity's African roots and the ancient and healing wisdom of African traditions. Within the contemporary intellectual-spiritual renaissance of African roots, the book highlights the creation-oriented spirituality of Africa, so full of joy and praise. It summarizes the scientific story of our human family's birth in ancient Africa, and our human family's subsequent migratory journey across the entire planet. It points out the African roots of civilization, of spirituality, and of the roles of women and men, all of which may still be partially reflected across today's human cultures. The book argues that we humans form a single human family guided by common philosophical-ethical truths seminally present in ancient African wisdom. It argues that these truths are grounded in the nature and purpose of everything in the created world, including humanity. We humans are not separated into radically different races. Nor are we separated from the rest of Nature. Rather, we form one human family within the natural world and we seek a common Global Ethics for ourselves and for the natural world of which we are an organic part. The book invites young leaders and all people to work together in healing the great spiritual, ecological, and social breakdowns that have developed from following the false philosophical wisdom of the mechanical-utilitarian cosmology at the foundation of modern Western industrial-colonial civilization. This misguided cosmology constitutes the deep intellectual root of late modern Western culture's promotion of selfish individualism, ecological destruction, and spiritual emptiness.Drawing on African wisdom, the book seeks to help young leaders, and others, to develop a healing global vision for ecological, social, and spiritual regeneration. The book may be used for college and high-school classes, for adult study groups, or for individual study.JOE HOLLAND, the author, is Professor of Philosophy at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, in the United States. He also serves as President of the Pacem in Terris Global Leadership Initiative. He holds a Ph.D. in the field of Social Ethics from the University of Chicago and has published twelve other books.