1) Introduction
IFA, which is also known as Ifá or Orisha religion, is a traditional African religion that was adopted by a majority of Yoruba people of Nigeria and Benin. It is the worship of Orishas, the spiritual entities, which are believed to embody the essence of human life and nature. Ifá highlights the significance of oral tradition, the rituals, and the divination that the priests of Ifá perform. People who follow Ifá teachings are convinced of the interconnectedness of humans, spirits, and Yoruba gods, and they turn to them for advice and wisdom through rituals and offerings.
Catholic religion, which is one of the biggest churches with roots in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the disciples, is one of the major branches of Christianity. It is known as it is its belief in the Holy Trinity – Father, Son Holy Spirit, and the Pope authority, who is the Bishop of Rome. One of the main features of the Catholic Church is the sacraments that Catholics practice. The sacraments include baptism, communion, and confession which are pillars of their faith. They defend the truths of this religion including the belief in heaven, hell, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Catholicism reflects the adherence to charity, morals, and the community acts of worship practiced through rituals such as The Mass. Notwithstanding, Ifá and Catholicism are systems for interpreting the spiritual world and empowering the faithful in their daily activities, nonetheless, with differentiated cultural and theological backgrounds.
2) Main Body
IFA is a religious system from the people of Yoruba, Nigeria Nigeria, and Africa. It is super ancient, even older than 8 000 years. This religion is a significant part of Yoruba culture and is present now in other African, American, and Caribbean regions. It is, first and foremost, about uniting with spiritual entities, these are the Orishas in which dictate life (Jackline Wangare 2019). Catholicism is Roman Catholicism that was created in the Mediterranean region sometime around the first century of the Common Era. It started by a small group of Jews who wanted to renew and partially reshape the Jewish faith. The word “Catholic” means “universal” and it was first used to refer to the early Christian church by Ignatius of Antioch in the first century. Today 1.3 billion Catholics on the whole globe and the majority of them live in Latin America (ThoughtCo 2019). Both religions have spread to other countries, but people of different backgrounds still practice them. They are of great importance and have been a font of cultural influence for many civilizations.
Ifa and Catholicism refer to two different religions with different belief systems. Catholicism is a facet of Christianity that regards the One supreme God and several Saints who stand between man and God. Also, IFA has an African history and spirituality that concentrates on getting in touch with spiritual entities, named Orishas. In most cases, people do not understand or interpret differently the practices that they consider as unusual. This occurs when a country starts to view its cultural aspects less positively. For example, some Catholics might judge IFA as a sin or as something that has the devil in it because the practices of IFA are different from those of Christianity. This is mostly oftentimes the consequence of ignorance or the lack of comprehension about what IFA means (Aerometrics 2016).
IFA is not about badness or sin. This is about the Oneness of all beings and the grandeur of a perfect and fully united humanity. It is a holistic system in which the spiritual aspect touches everything, trying to make better the life of the individual and people at large. It is all about keeping the right levels and being in sync with inner self, with the word Ori describing the head and inner self-being aligned to the spiritual sense and ultimate destiny (Ifa 2020). However, this doesn’t imply that just because something differs from what is popular or moral, it’s not right or not evil. Every religion has a distinct manner of dealing with a God. It has a particular way of comprehending the sacred. This really shows that what is odd or what is not familiar in one religion might just be a norm in another. It’s all about perspective (Martin and Michael 2024). However, some Catholics who find IFA practices to be opposed to Catholicism due to misinterpretations or differences in beliefs should rather understand that IFA, just like Catholicism, is a faith that aims to guide its followers to a better life and a clearer understanding of the universe.
The Nigerian Yoruba people’s ancient religion and cosmology, IFA, means “life and destiny”. It connects to Orishas, mystical entities. Communication with ancestors is a luxury in IFA without festivities. Priests and priestesses employ sixteen IFA worship systems, divination, and prophecy reading. The IFA learns Yoruba culture via information, which is highly important (Flannagan 2023). This concept drives life to better oneself and others. While on the other hand, Catholicism is the Christian religion that originated in the Mediterranean basin. It is the one God worshiping religion and it also believes in a group of Saints and mediums who can act as intermediaries. Some of the main Catholic customs, in addition to others, include attending Mass every Sunday and holy days of obligation, confessing sins very often, receiving the sacraments, and obeying the Ten Commandments. These regulations form the basis for the pursuit of the good life and the fullest possible development of virtue among the Christian community (Catholic Conscience 2022).
Religion is the vessel through which many people express their values and beliefs. It is a basis of values and norms that direct the way of life that people practice. Societies that believe in IFA are characterized by a deep understanding of everything’s interconnectedness and by the fact that the equilibrium is highly valued. Conversely, communities with roots in Catholicism may give priority to individual salvation and the necessity of adhering to what the Church teaches (Howard Knight 2023). The dissimilarities can be extended to the different societal norms and values. For an instance, it may have a community that was shaped by an IFA and has a focus on the benefit of the community and the unity with nature. Catholic society may depict individual morality as well as the believer’s loyalty to the Church’s dogma as a guiding principle (Lifepersona 2020). These varieties can help a community in which people perceive the world. For example, due to humans in IFA society, the world would be perceived as interconnected where everything is linked to each other, including the natural environment and community (Peter Stanford 2011). A Catholic-impacted community can recognize the world in terms of salvation and follow the dictates of the Church to achieve its purpose.
3) Conclusion
Ifá and Catholicism are two religions a part of different worlds, being of different origins and practices. Ifá as it is today is traced to Yoruba people in Nigeria and is based on communication with spiritual beings namely Orishas and balance in life. Catholicism, which draws upon Jesus Christ’s teachings, stresses monotheistic prayer, the sacraments, and adherence to Church doctrine. These religions might not be the same but they both lead the believers to the same spirituality and moral values. Such differences can lead to misinterpretations, but it’s imperative to understand and respect others’ religions, beliefs, and practices. Appreciating and accepting the various religious views foster human societies as they allow multiple ways of observing the moral aspect and the spirituality in the world and at the same time they lead to peaceful coexistence.
4) References
Jackline Wangare 2019[online], ‘Ifa religion history, rules, initiation, sacrifices, voodoo, and facts’ Available at: https://www.tuko.co.ke/325623-ifa-religion-history-rules-initiation-sacrifices-voodoo-facts.html
ThoughtCo 2019 [online], ‘Catholic Religion: Beliefs, Practices and History’ Available at: https://www.learnreligions.com/catholicism-beliefs-and-practices-3897877
Aerometrics 2016 [online], ‘Africana Religious Studies’ Available at: http://www.afrometrics.org/africana-religious-studies-series/the-ifa-diaspora-the-art-of-syncretism-part-1-candomble-and-umbanda
Ifa 2020 [online], ‘religion belief’ Available at: https://ifa-odu.com/ifa-religion-beliefs/
Martin and Michael 2024 [online], ‘Roman Catholicism’ Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism
Flannagan 2023 [online], ‘WHAT IS IFA AND WHAT DO FOLLOWERS BELIEVE’ Available at: https://www.grunge.com/1360405/what-is-ifa-followers-believe/
Catholic Conscience 2022 [online], ‘Catholic Social Teaching’ Available at: https://catholicconscience.org/principles-values-virtues-of-catholic-social-thought/
Howard Knight 2023 [online], ‘Catholic Rules | Full List & Guide On What You Are Allowed To Do’ Available at: https://faithinspires.org/catholic-rules/
Lifepersona 2020 [online], ‘20 Examples of Religious Norms’ Available at: https://www.lifepersona.com/20-examples-of-religious-norms
Peter Stanford 2011 [online], ‘Roman Catholic Church’ Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/catholic/catholic_1.shtml
