God in yoruba belief and the theistic problem of evil pdf. In each instance, moreover, the authors work within the linguistic if not systemic framework of their own. It should therefore be a rewarding exercise to examine their contributions to an understanding of the specific issues destiny and the meaning of existence raised in this paper by focussing on their analyses of the concepts. First view the previous page of results prev 1 2 3 next view the next page of results last view the last page of results. African religion study on olodumare and disinformation of the supreme being. More than any book of or about the yoruba in the 20th century, olodumare succeeded in combining religion with philosophy and literature. The communication between people and god olodumare is carried out by the intercessors commonly known as the orishas. The pdf file you selected should load here if your web browser has a pdf reader plugin installed for example, a recent version of adobe acrobat reader if you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with pdfs, highwire press provides a helpful frequently asked questions about pdfs alternatively, you can download the pdf file directly to your computer, from where it. God in yoruba belief, revised and enlarged edition plainview. Many people have turned to the yoruba religion in this spiritual revolution. This may baffle those foreign armchair investigators who hold the thesis that olodumare is. Samuel johnson, the history of the yorubas from the earliest times to the beginning of the british protectorate, edited by o. Yoruba religious beliefs are part of itan, the total complex of songs, histories, stories, and other cultural concepts which make up the yoruba society. Thus it brings us to olodumare, oloduma re olorun, eledumare meaning.
He is acknowledge by all orisha and divinities as the one who all power and authority belong, he can do and undo any thing he. Pertanyaan apakah olodumare, tuhan dalam kepercayaan yoruba, sebagaimana diterjemahkan oleh bolaji idowu, adalah tuhan merupakan. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship. The yoruba religion has become widespread throughout the western hemisphere as well as its native africa. The yoruba contend that the study of nature is foremost. Hisher contact with humans is through the orisa, especially esu and ifa.
Several metaphysical interpretations have been given by various african philosophers on the nature and the meaning of and human destiny in traditional yoruba thought. Jun 20, 2019 god is an allpowerful being who is not limited by gender and is the supreme deity among the yoruba community. The yoruba religion comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the yoruba people. Shango is historically a royal ancestor of the yoruba as he. Jan 15, 2012 one does not need to be babalawo to answer the question on if yoruba belief in almighty god or not. From all available data, there is scarcely any suggestion that olodumare had any sons 7.
Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great. Avaliable format in pdf, epub, mobi, kindle, ebook and audiobook. All things are said to come from him, and to him all things are to return. A must for all practitioners and students of yoruba.
Ifa and my own life experiences has previously made known to me they we can convert poison into medicine. Yoruba gods and goddesses even today attract ordinary people and scientists. As a part of this, there is an expectation that everyone will eventually achieve the state of olodumare, which is becoming one with the divine creator who is the source of all energy. The sprits of ancestors, you wouldnt worship these, yet they live inside of you.
Olodumare, olorun and olofi or olofin are collectively known as the three manifestations of the supreme god or supreme being in the yoruba pantheon. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This is a simple, beautiful and powerful ifa prayer. Nov 29, 2019 the yoruba religion includes the concept of ashe, a powerful life force possessed by humans and divine beings alike. The debate on the philosophical nature of the beliefs in ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba thought has for sometimes now, been controversial. The major foundational concepts that make up ifa religion beliefs are described at a high level in this section. Santeros santeria priests do not believe that the orishas and the saints are identical. Keep reading to get acquainted with yoruba mythology the most enigmatic phenomenon of yoruba. This article also goes over the disinformation of good and evil within religion and shedding of colonized thought. Rituals and rites abound in yoruba traditional religion.
The concepts of ori and human destiny it is the ancestral guardian soul, having its physical symbolization as the physical head. Lange, ancient kingdoms of west africa, dettelbach 2004, pp. This was a necessity when slaveowners refused to allow slaves to practice african religion. Its name comes from the yoruba olodumare, which means lord to whom our eternal destiny goes. Some examples rituals and rites abound in yoruba traditional religion. The orishas are equated with a variety of catholic saints. Yoruba tradition says everything is in the hands of god olodumare when they are going to bed at night. John ayorunde tunde isola bewaji is a senior lecturer in philosophy in the department of language, linguistics, and philosophy at the university of the west. The orishas are representations of certain aspects of the one god, olodumare or god almighty to whom. God is not a separate and distant force, but a part of all things in nature. In every complete spiritual process,the first respect goes to olodumare for his ase. Olodumares name comes from the words odu, mare, and oni, which translates as owner of in the yoruba pantheon. Lucas, jonathan olumide the religion of the yorubas, lagos 1948. Olodumare is the material and spiritual manifestation of all the existing one.
Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship by odejobi cecilia omobola institute of education, faculty of education, obafemi awolowo university, ileife, osun state, nigeria. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The contribution of yoruba culture to the history of nigerians is unique and has a lot of exciting facts to offer you. Olodumare possess the absolute power and authority which is why we say. The yoruba religious system central connecticut state. A yoruba culture 1966 are pioneers in the fields of yoruba studies. He talks with humans, the high god, the orisa, the egungun, and the. Yoruba believe and recognize god olodumare and that is why we have names for him. In actuality it is our own divinity that is being honored, and having chosen our destiny before birth, the best outcome for us is to align ourselves with the universe in order to fulfill this destiny. The orishas gods of santeria guide to the beliefs and. The religion of the yoruba olodumare, god in yoruba belief.
In the handbook of yoruba religious concepts, baba ifa karade writes. There is a specific cult of olodumare in y orubaland. The yoruba religion comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of. It is understood that the orishas wear many masks in order for people to better understand them. The religion flourishes in the caribbean, and south america where it has been transplanted along with the peoples who followed this religious path, from africa.
That this that this interpretation is wrong and misleading in the consequences it produces is argued here. Its homeland is in presentday southwestern nigeria and the adjoining parts of benin and togo, commonly known as yorubaland. Nature is viewed as the manifestation of olodumares essence through degrees of material substance. Ashe is the energy found in all natural things much like the catholic saints, the yoruba orishas work as the intermediaries between man and the supreme creator, and the rest of the divine world. God in yoruba belief hardcover january 1, 1994 by e. I salute the four directions that believed the world. Olodumare has been a source for almost every paper i write. Elif eflatun rated it really liked it dec 25, 2018. The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba. Traditional yoruba beliefs hold that all people experience ayanmo, which is destiny or fate.
It shares some parallels with the vodun practiced by the neighboring fon and ewe peoples to the west and to the religion of the edo people to the east. Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great influence upon the conduct of the african people. God in yoruba belief and the theistic problem of evil i esu is primarily a special relations officer between heaven and earth, the inspector general who reports regularly to olodumare on the deeds of the divinities and men, and checks. The yoruba believe that the ori is actually a type of orisa, a divinity that is to be respected and paid respects to.
Specific spirits such as god of fire, of rebirth, etc. It is a thoughtful and comprehensive look at a most interesting aspect of a most interesting religion. Eledumare, eduard, old run, olofin orun, oluwa, eleda, adeda, aseda, alase, etc. God in yoruba belief 1962 and arinzes sacrifice in ibo religion largely because each work details a particular aspect of a very complex subject. It is reported from havana that the roman catholic church claims that seventy per cent of cubas elevenmillion people are catholics. Its core values series the reader will discover the origin and belief in olodumare, the meaning of olodumare, the concept of olodumare, and read over 16 major attributes of olodumare according to yoruba belief. For followers of ifa, known as elesin ibile, prayer is a daily practice. The term is also translated as deities, divinities or gods. Yoruba religion is the basis for a number of religions in the new world, notably santeria, umbanda, trinidad orisha, haitian vodou, and candomble. Yet what absolute means for the yoruba turns out to be very different. So much for those who claim that pagans have no concept of absolute god.
No leaf can fall from the tree without the authority, power and knowledge of god we can not speak about the yoruba belief, about god and the spiritual phenomena of our faith without tracing its origin. In the yoruba belief system, olodumare has ase over all that is. In yoruba cosmology olodumare is believe to be one, it is believe that olodumare is the creator of heaven and earth and whole universe, he is supreme over what is on earth and in heaven. The handbook of yoruba religious concepts by baba ifa karade, olodumare. African religion by africans, most useful to anthropologists are idowus olodumare. The truth about the ancient african yoruba religion the pan. Reincarnation, yoruba beliefs, ipadawaye, abiku, akudaaya. The first one i sing, the second i sing, the third corner, the room i sing saints the owners of the day. When we ascend into the yoruba religion, we must first look at the source of all living creatures within our universe and beyond. The belief in olodumare god will also be compared to the belief and concept of. The belief in olodumare god will also be compared to the belief and concept of olodumare among other religions or belief systems from. Shango is also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder.
It concludes that before any incontrovertible concept of olodumare could be reached, alternative translational linguistic equivalents true to the yoruba theology and true to christianity must be. Praise olodumare with his praisenames all yoruba its our good this first sunday of the month of erele some of the many attributes and praisenames of olodumare are. But yoruba traditional religion contains built into it a very similar notion, and here, far from indicating scepticism or decline of belief, it seems to be a central impulse to devotion. The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional. In all the previous works which have reference to the religion of the yoruba, the deity has been assigned a place which makes him very remote, of little account in the scheme of things. An evaluation of the akure yoruba traditional belief in reincarnation. God in yoruba belief and the theistic problem of evil. Feb 02, 20 olodumare, say to me to always sing his praise with word and name of his holy attribute. Yoruba refers to a group of cultures linked by a common language.
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