1 Ancestorhood in Yoruba Religion and Sainthood in Christianity: Envisioning an Ecological Awareness and Responsibility SimonMary A. Aihiokhai Duquesne University Abstract Contemporary human society is faced with the reality of globalization and the need to be ecologically responsible. To foster a lifestyle that is ecologically responsible, the theologies on ancestorhood and sainthood in Yoruba religion and Christianity can respectively serve as guides. The moral life in these two religions is closely linked to maintaining harmony in the cosmos. It is not defined by some abstract non-tangible ideology. Rather, for Christians, the moral life is rooted in faithful discipleship shaped by the life of Christ, which leads to sainthood. The life of Christ is the concrete and historical existence of the Man-Christ. For Yoruba religionists, the moral life is shaped by a faithful adherence to the regulatory injunctions in the cosmos, made real by the lives of primordial ancestors. The reward for such moral living is the attainment of ancestorhood in Yoruba religion. Introduction Global warming and the ecological catastrophes that go along with it remind humanity of the urgency to articulate an ecologically responsible lifestyle. Actions and attitudes that continue to harm the environment are no longer acceptable. Historically, religion has not always been used to push forward theologies that foster responsible relationships between humans and the cosmos. The role and place of humans in the world in relation to other creatures have sometimes been understood as one of domination, exploitation, and subjugation. Today, as scientists continue to address the need for technological advancements that are ecologically friendly, it is my view that religion also can play a significant role in this prophetic witnessing. In this paper, I intend
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Ancestorhood in Yoruba Religion and Sainthood in Christianity: Envisioning an
Ecological Awareness and Responsibility
SimonMary A. Aihiokhai
Duquesne University
Abstract
Contemporary human society is faced with the reality of globalization and the
need to be ecologically responsible. To foster a lifestyle that is ecologically responsible,
the theologies on ancestorhood and sainthood in Yoruba religion and Christianity can
respectively serve as guides. The moral life in these two religions is closely linked to
maintaining harmony in the cosmos. It is not defined by some abstract non-tangible
ideology. Rather, for Christians, the moral life is rooted in faithful discipleship shaped by
the life of Christ, which leads to sainthood. The life of Christ is the concrete and
historical existence of the Man-Christ. For Yoruba religionists, the moral life is shaped by
a faithful adherence to the regulatory injunctions in the cosmos, made real by the lives
of primordial ancestors. The reward for such moral living is the attainment of
ancestorhood in Yoruba religion.
Introduction
Global warming and the ecological catastrophes that go along with it remind
humanity of the urgency to articulate an ecologically responsible lifestyle. Actions and
attitudes that continue to harm the environment are no longer acceptable. Historically,
religion has not always been used to push forward theologies that foster responsible
relationships between humans and the cosmos. The role and place of humans in the
world in relation to other creatures have sometimes been understood as one of
domination, exploitation, and subjugation. Today, as scientists continue to address the
need for technological advancements that are ecologically friendly, it is my view that
religion also can play a significant role in this prophetic witnessing. In this paper, I intend
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to argue for theologically rooted lifestyles that embrace and promote a healthy
relationship among humans and the entire inhabitants of the cosmos. In doing this, I will
focus on the theologies of ancestorhood and sainthood in Yoruba religion and
Christianity as essential aspects of these two religions which their adherents and those
interested in interreligious living can adhere to as they seek to promote an ecologically
friendly attitude.
The way people live is greatly determined by the views they have of their
identities in relation to the cosmos. In light of this, it is relevant for adherents of Yoruba
religion and Christianity to be faithful to their theological consciousness as it pertains to
the cosmos. This consciousness is tied to the ethical life. One cannot attain
ancestorhood or sainthood without having excelled in preserving cosmic harmony.
Hence, ancestorhood and sainthood make no sense if they are not viewed in relation to
the cosmos. An ancestor, in Yoruba religion, is defined as one who has lived the ethical
life without performing actions considered taboo. Primarily, taboos are not only
understood as actions forbidden by human society; rather, they are actions that have
cosmic implications. Fundamentally, actions are taboos because they go against the
harmonious laws of the cosmos even though they may be seen as beneficial to the
individual engaging in them. This nuance needs to be reclaimed in the Christian
understanding of sinful actions. For now, it suffices to state that there is a close link
between saints and the created order in the Christian religion.
Cosmology in Yoruba Traditional Religion and Christianity
Adherents of Yoruba religion can be found in present-day Western Nigeria and
parts of Ghana, Benin, Sierra Leone, and Togo. They are also present in Brazil, Cuba, and
the United States (Lawson 1985: 51; Gordon 1979: 231-244). In Brazil, adherents of
Yoruba religious rituals are called Nago.1 In Cuba, they are called Lucumi. In Sierra
Leone, they are called Aku.
1 In Cuba, Yoruba religious rituals are called Lucumi, and in Sierra Leone, they are called Aku (Awolalu
1979: xiii).
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In Yoruba religion, the divine is not conceived as a being unto itself; rather, it is
always in relation to the created order. This is also true of Christianity, especially in the
early church's and contemporary post-colonial theologies. God's self-revelation is always
in the context of the created order. The climax of God's relational encounter with
humanity is enacted in the incarnation of the Son of God. In Christian theology, this
relational existence of God is contained in God's essence. Creation is brought to being
from the depths of God's love (John Paul II 1994: par. 295).
In Yoruba religion, the relational existence of God is reflected in the names by
which either the supreme deity or the divinities are known. The Supreme Being is
known as Ọlọdumare, Eledaa, Alaaye, Elemii, Ọlọjọ Oni, or Ọlọrun (Awolalu 1979: 10-
12). As Ọlọdumare, God is regarded as the possessor of goodness in its superlative form.
As Eledaa, God is referred to as the uncreated source of all creation. Alaaye refers to
God as not just the giver of life, but as the one who transcends death. As Elemii, God is
understood as the source of being. In relation to the created order, Elemii evokes
dependence. The created order not only derives its existence from God, but is sustained
by It as well.2 While Ọlọrun refers to God's transcendence, Ọlọjọ Oni points to God’s
immanence. As an imminent being, God is present in the daily activities of all in the
created order (Awolalu 1979: 10-12). These titles of God remind the adherents of
Yoruba religion of the multiple relational contacts God has with all God’s creatures.
In Yoruba religion, God as Supreme Being is never encountered directly in a non-
material or spatial realm; rather, the material world serves a vital role in enhancing
relational contact with the divine. The cosmos is the medium of encounter. In this space
of encounter between humanity and the divine, ancestors and other divinities serve as
secondary mediators who help to facilitate the encounter. The cosmos is constituted of
two layers: the material and the spiritual spheres. These two spheres are
interconnected and serve as a unified locus for encounters with the Supreme Being.
Unlike the Christian understanding of heaven and earth, where the former is
2 I have decided to use the neutral pronoun to refer to God in Yoruba religion in this context for the reason
that strict male anthropomorphism does not define the consciousness of God in Yoruba religion. God can
be referred to as the supreme male or as the fruitful female (Mother-Earth) when certain aspects of human
reality are being recognized, by the adherents of the religion, as controlled by the Supreme One.
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understood as distinct and separate from the latter, and the former as enduring and the
latter as temporary, in Yoruba cosmology, the spiritual and the material spheres are
very similar and there is easy movement from one to the other. Inhabitants of the
spiritual sphere are constantly encountering those in the material sphere through
reincarnation and/or assuming duties of ancestors to whom they are related. The
immanence of the Supreme Being evokes in the minds of the adherents of Yoruba
religion a sense of accountability to both the cosmos and the divinities whose role it is
to ensure cosmic harmony. This accountability is not to be made at the end of one's
earthly life; rather, it is made here and now.
The land serves as the incarnation of the divine presence, and as such, evokes in
the hearts of the adherents of Yoruba religion a sense of reverence both for it and for all
that is sustained by it. On a daily basis, a Yoruba religionist is aware of his/her duty to be
responsible to and for the well-being of the environment. The land bears witness to the
ethical actions of humans. This witnessing entails also a judgment. This explains why
Yoruba religionists believe that the land has two functions; first, it is the incarnated
divine presence of God. And because of its divine status, it is the source of food for the
preservation and continuity of life. Because of these vital roles of the land, actions that
violate cosmic harmony are punished by Yemalla/Yemoja/Ala (Mother-Earth).3 For
instance, a rare phenomenon whereby the corpse of a deceased person is mysteriously
unearthed after it has been buried is understood as punishment for the person's
actions, which disturbed the cosmic harmony. Just as the person caused harm to the
cosmos, his/her body will have to suffer the effects of such disharmony by not finding
peace even in death. This is the case because the land/earth is a living force in Yoruba
cosmology. Mother-Earth is the incarnate presence of Ọlọrun.
3 These different names refer to the same reality. This divinity is the sustainer and giver of terrestrial life as
well as cosmic life. She is the goddess of the seas, moon, and land. She is also the preserver of collective
human memories and secrets. Since the Yoruba people have a strong connection with the land, their history
as a people is safeguarded by this goddess. She makes ever conscious the need for cosmic harmony as the
people live out their collective and individual destinies. See Raymond Ogunade, 'Environmental Issues in
Yoruba Religion: Implications for Leadership and Society in Nigeria,'