Intersection of African Indigenous and Christian Ethics in Fanny Crosby's Hymns: Yoruba Cultural Perspective

https://doi.org/10.36349/olijhe.2024v.01i01.016

Abstract

This study set within the context of Yoruba cultural perspective, explores the complex mantle of African indigenous and Christian ethics embedded in the hymns of Fanny Crosby(1820–1915). Bridging the gap in the literature that have analyzed Crosby'sdeep-rooted work in Christian theology, the author sargue that the ethical values and moral teachings epitomized in her hymns significantly resonates the indigenous ethics of the Yoruba people, one of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria. Through a qualitative analysis of four of Fanny Crosby's hymns, this study identifies thematic counterparts between Crosby's Christian ethics and the Yoruba concepts of "ìtẹŕ íba" (submission), "ojúàánú" (mercy), "ìfẹń iarajin" (commitment), and "ìfẹ"́ (love) which form the philosophy of interpersonal relationships and community life of indigenous people. The methodology of the study combines ethnographic study with the matic and interpretive phenomenological analysis to evaluate the ethical connotation of the sampled hymns that agrees with Yoruba moral values. The findings opined that while Crosby's hymns communicate Christian ethical values, its translation to Yoruba language echoes the indigenous moral imperatives of indigenous people, thereby encouraging a cross-cultural ethical interaction. The study contributes to the broader discourse on intercultural theology and ethics and opens new avenues for investigating the influence of African indigenous thought on Christian practices.