Focusing on the spiritual realm, this presentation explores the concept of divine energy and presence as embodied by the Lwa (Spirits) in Vodou and the Holy Spirit in Christianity, and how practitioners interact with these spirits. To investigate the involvement of the Vodou Lwa in the universe and their guidance of and interactions with Vodou practitioners, I suggest the notion of Vodou-Spirit hermeneutics. Vodou-Spirit hermeneutics is also deployed to explain the phenomenon of spirit possession in Vodou, the anointed Vodou community, and the embodiment of the personality of the Lwa in the human form. Toward this goal, I study selected Vodou songs and prayers to inform my analysis and substantiate this chapter’s claim. In the case of the cosmic presence and the empowerment and guidance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church and believers, I adopt the theory of “Spirit hermeneutics” as developed in Craig Keener’s magisterial studies Sprit Hermeneutics: Reading Scripture in Light of Pentecost, and The Mind of the Spirit: Paul’s Approach to Transformed Thinking. I am also applying Veli-Matti Karkkainen's concept of plural pneumatology and my own theoretical proposals of a "Multi-Spirit Cosmology" and "Pneumatological plural experiences." In conjunction with other scholarly works, I will offer exegetical and theological perspectives to enhance understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in Christianity, particularly in comparison to the Lwa in Vodou.
Our intellectual curiosity prompts us to explore whether the characteristics and attributes of the Lwa in Vodou align theologically with the divine attributes and perfections of the Christian God. Do the Lwa offer access to the inner life of both the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity" as described by German theologian Karl Rahner, known as "Rahner's rule"? To balance Christ's role as the revealer of God and the way to God, do the Lwa play a complementary and performative role in relation to God or Bondye? In other words, what exactly can we learn and know about God through the personality, characteristics, and manifestations of the Lwa?
Finally, the presentation also studies their roles, functions, and significance within the cosmos and human life. The presentation also offers a careful study of the nature of the Lwa and their manifested attributes and characteristics, and their significance in the life of Vodou practitioners. The presentation concludes with a comparative study on how both traditions perceive and interact with divine forces and energies; It also emphasizes the diverse disparities in ontology, power, and authority between the Holy Spirit in Christianity and the Lwa in Vodou.
This presentation explores divine energy and presence through the Lwa (S/spirits) in Vodou and the Holy Spirit in Christianity, focusing on their roles, interactions, and manifestations. I introduce "Vodou-Spirit hermeneutics" to analyze spirit possession, the embodiment of the Lwa, and the anointed Vodou community. Examining Vodou songs and prayers, I draw parallels to Christian pneumatology, employing Craig Keener’s Spirit Hermeneutics and The Mind of the Spirit, along with Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen's concept of plural pneumatology. I propose a "Multi-Spirit Cosmology" and "Pneumatological plural experiences" to further this analysis. The study also questions whether the Lwa align with the divine attributes of the Christian God, referencing Karl Rahner’s theological framework. Finally, a comparative study highlights differences in ontology, power, and authority between the Holy Spirit and the Lwa, examining their cosmic significance and their impact on believers in both traditions.