a a 6 Religion, Medicine and Healing Christianity and Healing: The Yoruba Experience A. 0. Dairo INTRODUCTION The western missionaries who brought Christianity to Africa brought it wrapped in western traditions, without any regards for African culture.' Since it is when g religion caters for both the spiritual as well as the physical needs of its adherents that it would appeal to people-as well as other religious groups, Christianity then came together with its own form of diVine healing..If the aboriginal culture of every race was given by God to order its social and spiritual life and. Christianity did not regard African culture, then there must be a problem for the African Christian who will like to remain in the Christian faith and at the same time cleave lo their culture, since in no culture, no matter how primitive, has God left people in complete ignorance about themselves. The purpose of the work, .therefore, is to look into Christianity and healing in Nigeria, espeCially among the Yoruba, and see whether it is wholly Biblical with European -background or adapted to suit the situation in Africa. The work intends to show how the majorityof Yoruba Christians line on two unreconciled levels about ."healing" and remain in .the cultural island of the Europeans. It is now accepted that scientific medicine, . mechanically, not longer holds a monopoly of successful healing.2 According to McMillen, SI., "Peace •does- not come in capsules.' Anti-aches of today is anathema of tomorrow, and . this makes a great preponderance of the Yoruba population seek divine healers. There is ' therefore a recipe for public frustration: what to trust.° • The work examines healing from the angles of three major groups of Christians prominent in Yorubaland—the Orthodox churches, the Pentecostal churches and the African independent churches [the Aladura]. On the basis of the above, the work-then focuses on the following premise: ... That scientific medicine no longer holds a monopoly of successful healing. And that div inc healing is not a monopoly of any religion. • THE BIBLE AND HEALING When we -talk of "heating in the Bible,": we talk of "spiritual healing" or "divine healing." Before there can be need for healing there must be sickness, and if there is' sickness it must have an origin. There was not sickness at creation as "everything was good." Man was king •of all creation. Sin came to the world when the serpent deceived Eve, and when Adam followed Eve and disobeyed God. He then lost his powers and'was surrounded by evil, he became a king sinking in a morass of pain [spiritual death], evil inclinations, futility. poverty, sickness, ignorance, deception and complete emptiness of heart towards God.s Thus the very nature of spiritual death. Having fallen, there exists only one way to raise Religion, Medicine and Healing• the natural man from his down-fallen spiritual condition. That way is through a supernatural spiritual person known as "the Redeemer," who has the ability to wage a spiritual warfare to become totally triumphant to raise man through divine-healing. • . • Immediately after "the fall," God provided spiritual healing for His people. Right from the Old Testament the provision had been made [cf. Ex. 15:26; Pro. 3:1-8; Ps. 103:2-3; 27:1]. Spiritual healing was not an automatic blessing of God to man, but was conditional "to diligently obeying God's words." When sin manifests in 'the •spirit, sickness manifests in the body: Sickness, according to the Bible, is the consequence of sin and the-work of Satan. HEALING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TIMES The following are a few of the healings recorded in the Old Testament: We read that God healed Miriam of leprosy in answer to Moses' prayer' [Numbers •12:13- 15]; when Hezekiali was on his deathbed, he cried to the Lord and the Lord heanJ him; He' was healed, and moreover, fifteen more years were added to his days [II Kings 20:5,6]; Job, too, was healed by God [Job 42:10]. When David prayed too, he was healed by God [Ps. 6:2, 30:21; God healed Naaman the leper when he obeyed the word .Of God [II Kings 5:10- 14]. HEALING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT . . 'And they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various-diseases and pains, demonises, epileptics and paralytics, and he healed them" Nati 4:24]. • The modern 'man believes that all that is beyond the world of senses and the 'conclusions of logic and all that cannot be proved scientifically is purely. incredible.' But we have recorded in the New Testament 729 verses dealing with spiritual healing. A few ,of them would just be mentioned in this work. After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus healed a leper [Matt. 8:2,3]; Jesus healed the centurion's servant of palsy [Matt. 8:5-13.); Peter's mother-in-law was healed of. a great fever [Matt. 12:221, he healed a womah who had an issue of bloOd [Mark 5:25-34]; he raised Jairus' daughter from the dead [Mark 5:35421; he opened the eyes of a man [Mark 10:51-52); he healed the than at the pool who had suffered for thirtyLeight years [John 5:5- 9]; and he healed ten lepers [Luke 17:12-141. After Jesus rose from•the •clead, before his „ascension, he commissioned his .disciples to gO and cast out devils in his name and lay hands on.ithe• sick .to be recovered [Mark 16:17. 181. In line with this, the disciples too wrought so 'many miracles of healing, in the name of Jesus. First,' the• lame 'man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple was healed [Acts 3:2-8]; at Joppa Dorcas was raised from the dead [Acts 9:36-41];.at Traos,;tbe young man who had fallen from the.upper window while Paul was preaching was raised from the-dead [Acts .20:9-12], etc.' . The sources of the above healing powers are .not accessible to empirical test. This is 'because it is wholly a spiritual and inner experience of the receiver. This is why Robinson, J.M. says: 1 8 Religian, Medicine and Healing The authority of Jesus' healing miracles resides . . in the power inherent in him as thy: son of God and bearer of the spirit, a power which is revealed by the efficacy of his words. When he speaks, God acts, in casting out a demon, in healing a paralytic, in forgiving sin.' HEALING IN YORUBA TRADITIONAL RELIGION Among the Yoruba, the art,of healing has a divine origin. This is in firm contact with divination. Osanyin [the divinity of medicine] is regarded as a younger brother of Orunmila.9 To keep 'a sound body, it is believed to be impossible without a sacrifice. In Yoruba religion, sacrifice can be directed by any orisa [god]. According to J.0: Lucas, "Sacrifice may be truly described as the kernel of Yoruba religious worship."' Awolalu. J.O. describes sacrifice as the "Essence of Yoruba Religion."" In- Yoruba thought, diseases that cannot be cured simply do not exist. The people believe in the existence. of the devil or the work of witches within the society. To them, the forces fight against God and good, healthy life. In their view, disturbed relations between man and God or the divinities are the man cause -of disease and accidents.' These problems are solved on a religious level. Good health withiln the traditional Yoruba cultural system depends primarily on a good unbroken relationship with God and the deities. Good health is a gift of God. Disease reflects broken and bad' relations. Diseases, then, to some extent, become a consequence of sin. CHRISTIANITY AND HEALING AMONG THE YORUBA This aspect of the work seeks to know if the Biblical doctrine of healing practice by Yoruba Christians derive their authority directly from Christ and his gospel,-or from a• wider and more comprehensive view of the healing ministry as operating within Yoruba traditional religion: The disciples were commissioned and empowered by Jesus to carry on his mission' of preaching, healing and exorcism. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits (Mark 6:7]. The authority given to the, disciples in Matthew includes the healing of every diseases and every infirmity, and Luke adds, "to heal" and "to cure" diseases [Malt. 10:1; Luke 9; I - 2]. In 'Mark 16:17-18, td chase out devils and lay hands on the sick in the name of Jesus are sings that will fpliow believers. The Yoruba "church" as a "legitimate branch of the church is universal," and, a bona fide•of 'the body 'of Christ shares in this inheritance.* Thus, some Yoruba Christians have received the healing gift of the Holy Spirit, aligned with the commission of Christ to heal the sick, to cast out demons and to raise the' dead. But this healing .gift ofvhe,Holy Spirit is surrounded with much suspicion and complexity. It is difficult to ascertain the source of the healing power since man is susceptible to manipulation by some agencies other than the divine. One then continues to.wonder if there is anyone left/who can still: discern the truth from the error. One sometimes doubt the forces behind soTe miracle healers because some healers could use the power of divinities and cults under the guise of, the Holy Spirit: This is why Koch, K remarks: People today use various healings which inclimie black magic ... spiritism often hiding wider 'the cloak of religion. They could read the Bible, pray in the name of Jesus . . . and the method - of healing is often mistaken for due Christian heating." * The name of Jesus plays the most significant role in the process of healing miracles. To them, the name possesses intrinsic power which dispels sickness, diseases and all types of demons, evil spirits, witches and wizards. Calling the.divine name of Jesus possesses a Strong saving and healing character. It is thus through his name that the exalted Christ functions in the healing miracles among Yoruba Christians. ,7/ Divine-healing among contemporary Yoruba Christians has demonstrated that Jesus' .4. r. healing ministry is not a saving experience of the past alone, but an active'and living saving experience for the Christian church of all time.15 This is manifested in the healing ministry of the 'prominent Christian groups in Yorubaland. In the orthodox churches, divine-healing is not given.much publicity. Though they know there is such a provision in the Bible, they, have a• liberal approach towards it. The members thus believe in divine healing but through traditional medicine and consultation with the doctors of "school medicine." The Pentecostal churches take the Biblical doctrine so seriously to the extent that most of their members abstain from both traditional and western medicine. In fact, the use of medicine in, whatevei- form to them amounts to sin. • The usual Bible reference they quote is Jeremiah 17:5: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm whose head turns away from the Lord. The third group of Christians which claim more than half of the Yoruba Christian population is the African Independent churches. Those in this group include: the Celestial Church of Christ, the Church of Lord-Aladura, Cherubim and Seraphim, etc. They are often referred to as 'Aladura [praying. people]. This group of Christians have a culturally pluralistic approach toward Biblical doctrine. They combine Africanness with the Bible. Though their paramedical approach combine with prayer: and fasting, they wrought many miracles of healing. Their divine healing could be opened to grave suspicions because of psychic acts, or the use of African magic. But these.are largely invented assumptions in many cases. It may be true of some Christian divine healers in some of the churches, but it cannot be true of all. Whatever the position we may adopt, we cannot but misunderstand it unless we admit that.we are dealing with a theological strand with European background which needs to be brought home for African consumption. TRADITIONAL HEALING AND HEALING IN CHRISTIANITY FroM the abdve, it is evident that God makeS miracles 'is a leading idea. LikeWise, that the root of all'hunian suffering is 'the 'devil and 'evil powers in general. No-One seems to doubt the existence 'of the devil or :the work of witches among the Yoruba. The main concern of Chfistian churches, especially the African Independent churches, is to liberate its members from these malevolent powers and thus maintain good 'health among members. Theif main method of healing is intensive prayer. The belief is that this drives Out evil 'spirits and diseases, which are very hard to heal, both for herbalists and doctors of "school medicine."" (The Christian idea that broken relations with God explain farnine, disease and death, and • that these relations can. .be repaired by prayer corresponds very closely to traditional Yoruba thought. The use of symbolic elements for healing among the Aladura is essentially 10 Religion; Medicine and Healing uauo traditional; Theology of success is also common to both. That healing .is divine is common, too. .The African Independent Churches, therefore, attract members because they assimilate utaditional desires and integrate traditional patterns of values within a new religious context.' CONCLUSION 'we can see from the above that the Yoruba man has become a person divided in soul, while he unquestionably adopts the foreign models of faith healing, he is at the same•time searching for his true identity as an African and for what is authentic in -his tradition for healing purposes. I believe strongly .that submission to divine healing preached by Pentecostal churches should be personal and free from compulsion. Coercion'ol ten breeds •hypocrisy—evidence of this abounds in many of the • Pentecostal churches. Faith alone, for Sealing seems: too/abstract without any substance for Yoruba Christians. 'Feeling insecure in both OrthodoX and Pentecostal churches, many of the members seek solace -in Aladura • churches wiriclu will give them a sense of belonging in Christianity and at the .same time, either secretly or openly, satisfy their curiosity in traditional religion. • Generally, it is,when a religion caters for the spiritual as well as physical needs of its adherents that it can appeal to the people as well as other religious groups. It is for this purpose that a good number 'of Yoruba Christian's feel at home and remain in Aladura. churches. ,It is true that, in some cases•things are overdone anu 'for selfish purposes An the name of Jesus, and that rather than confirming their ministry by the healiiig miracles are exalted 'even more thin the ministry itself. But we need note that-the intellectual decadence of the day is not to the Church or to the subject of divine healing alone, but appears' even in secular edtcation as well. Facts in the sphere of education are now having a hard time too. On diVine-healing, I believe that there is no perfect church on earth. Even those who are well-known as .regards the doctrine are found wanton sometimes. No church is too original, but rather they are not half original enough. They go in the same routine way following their leaders like a flock of sheep, repeating the same stock phrases, with little knowledge of what 'they mean, thinking they are practicing divine healing and abusing what everyone else is abusing, namely, the religion that is founded upon Christ. Well, what the 'paper is saying in essence is that the right to originality has to be earned and that it cannot be earned by ignorance or be indolence. A man cannot be original in his treatment of a subject unless he knows what the subject is, true originality is, preceded by patient attention to",the facts of the Biblical doctrine of healing. REFERENCES 1. Mohono, S.A. [19831, "The Importance of the Bible to the African Independent Churches," African Indenendent Churches in the 80s Sam Babs Mala [ed.], Lagos:, Gilbert, Grace andAisociates, pp. 60ff. 2: Bacta, C.G., "Christianity and Healing," Orita: lbadan Journal of Religious Studies, Vol. 12, No. 1, Ibadan: Baptist Press. Keugu)n, meatcine aria Hewing 3. McMillen, S.I. [1975], None of These Diseases, 1st Ed., Old Tappan: Flcmin H. Revell Co., p. 5. 4. Enuwosa, Joseph [1992], "The Markan Tradition of Healing Miracles: The Urhobo Christian Experience," a seminar paper presented at the Dept of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan. 5. Ohene, J.K. [1983], "Spiritual Healing or Healing by the Holy Spirit," Mala op. cit. pp. 82ff. 6. Mohono, op. cit., 60ff. 7. See the tract of Apostolic Faith Church on "The Bible and Healing," printed in U,S.i by the Apostolic Faith Church, Portland, Oregon. 8. Robinson, J.M. [1957], "The Problems of History in Mark," in Studies in Biblical Theology, No. 11, London: S.C.M. Press, p. 5. 9. Hallgren Roland, "Religion and Health Among the Yoruba," Orita: Ibadan Journal o Religious Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1967. .10. Lucas, J.O. [1948], The Religion of the Yorubas, Lagos: C.M.S. , pp: 206ff. 11. Awolalu, J.O. "The Yoruba Philosophy of Life," Presence Africaine' 75 1970, p. 9. 12. Hallgren, op. cit., p. 70. • • 13. Ayandele,. E.A., "A Legitimate Branch of the Church Universal," Orita: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies, Vol. 4, No. 1, fhadan: Baptist Pres$,June 1970, pp. 44t 14. Koch, K. [1979], Between Christ and Satan, Michigan: Knegal Publications, p. 150. IS. Enuwosa, op. cit p. 35. 16. See editor's Comment on the work of Hallgren, op. cit. pp. 74-75. 17. Ibid. Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7