The Communion of Saints in the Light of Ancestor Veneration in Africa and Its Sequels on the Christian Theology of Hope

Abstract

The article argues that the praxis of ancestor veneration in Africa is a system akin to the Christian belief in the “communion of saints.” It is a system for realizing the fullest potential of human (religious) experience. Humanness is a skill developed to become more and more human with God’s help. In this regard, well-being, or in the Christian sense, “salvation” is the fruitful accomplishment of a person’s proficiencies by sustaining beneficial relationships between earthly descendants and their ancestors. This worldview is scrutinized through the lens of the Christian doctrine of the communion of saints; thus, it is a present reality and pathway to attaining fullness of well-being. The author recognizes the tripartite Church and identifies the “exalted spiritual life,” “resurrected life,” and divine life as systematically possessed through living the doctrine of the communion of saints. Christian hope is thoroughly Christological, transcending merely natural ties.