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OBJETIVOS ESPECÍFICOS ACTIVIDADES FECHA RECURSOS RESPONSABLES EVALUACIÓN
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It is held that the Bible never records any instance in which Jesus‟ disciples celebrated Easter or those traditions associated with it.40This argument presupposes that if this festival were what the Christians should observe, there would have been a recorded instances by the early disciples to which the contemporary Christians could draw a reference. They regard the absence of such information as valid ground why the Christians should dissociate themselves from it.
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investigation. This assertion to our respondents validates the moral appropriateness of the observance of this festival by Assemblies of God‟s pastors and members.
3.2.3 The time of Easter celebration
Unlike Christmas, a festival that has fixed date for its celebration, Easter Sunday, according to Clendon, may occur from 22nd March to 25th of April and take an extended period of 5,700,000 years to make a complete cycle through the dates in the Gregorian?44
3.2.4 The place and significance of Easter festival
Easter festival occupies the most important place among all Christian festivals. Scholars indicate that it is regarded as the focal or central point of the Christian faith. Among the reasons suggested in the works we consulted and responses from our respondents as necessitating its vital importance we have:
1. It is through the event that the festival commemorates that many Old Testament prophesies of the Bible, especially those that were predicted concerning Jesus‟ death and resurrection became fulfilled. Hence, we see that Easter is not an afterthought in the context of God, the Creator, but something He planned for and worked out according to his intention.
2. It is through the event that this festival commemorates that we see Jesus being pictured as the perfect model of what it means to die to self in order to exemplify perfect obedience and faith in God. Jesus, according to the Bible, died horrendous death, but in doing so, he did not sin (Heb. 4:15).
3. It was through his death that Jesus Christ paid for the penalty of all those who believe in His name. This was possible because among men, going by the teaching of the Bible, He was the only one who was pure, perfect and deserved not to die (Gal. 4:15).
4. The resurrection of Jesus from the death proves His divinity, and is a guarantee that He has power to save from sin and for eternity those who commit themselves to him.
44 Crequer and Clendon, Easter: Moving Holidays, retrieved February 15, 2012 from http: // www.Easter.com
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5. Christians believe that Christ‟s resurrection guarantees their own resurrection as well (1 Cor. 15:20-23). This makes the festival put in place to commemorate this unique incidence to be of great and enduring significance to them.
3.2.5 Process of Easter celebration
Easter celebration lasts for four days annually. These are from Good Friday to Easter Monday. Prior to this time, some Christian denominations, for example, Anglican and Roman Catholic observe a forty-day fasting, otherwise known as lent.
Our investigation revealed that in Assemblies of God, this is not the practice. The members of this denomination are not obliged to go into such spiritual calisthenics, for the belief held is that Christ did not intend that Christians should take this as a rite instituted for continuous observance, like the case of water baptism and Holy Communion. In the same way, while some Christians refrain from eating meat or any blooded animal, AG members do not subscribe to that.
Church worship is a common feature during Easter Sunday. Members conglomerate for Easter Sunday service in most churches. The officiating minister preaches sermon on Christ‟s resurrection to aid the Christians‟ recapitulation on this focal truth of their faith. Merriment may commence thereafter, in individual family, as the case may be.
In Assemblies of God, with particular reference to Ogun State, the Easter service takes a little different form from the way most Christian denominations observe it. Although service is held to commemorate Easter, this is not only on Easter Sunday. All AG‟s parishes in each District are closed from the eve of Good Friday to Easter Monday, for a joint worship at the Easter retreat camp.
Our findings revealed that the National Easter Retreat commenced in AG Nigeria in 1986 as an annual spiritual event to celebrate Easter. In it, all the pastors and members of the church are expected to withdraw from their familiar environment and engagement to designated places for the purpose of spiritual renewal. During such programmes, selected speakers are chosen from among the clergy and the laity and assigned to preach. They also teach the truths of the Bible to people in attendance.
The sermons and teachings during the ministration cut across various areas of needs, such as spiritual, marital, economic, social and psychological. The overall purpose of this, as we gathered from our respondents is to empower the participants by giving
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them the needed enhancement for their continuous relevance in their society, including being heavenly focused. This programme continues until Easter Monday when the participants depart to their homes.
3.3 Harvest Thanksgiving
3.3.1 Meaning and origin of Harvest Thanksgiving
A Harvest Thanksgiving festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a particular region. Due to the differences in regional climate and crops, Scholars revealed that Harvest Thanksgiving can be found at various times throughout the world. Usually, this festival features feasting, both family and public, with foods which are produce from crops that are mature around the time of the festival. The two central features of this festival are ample food and freedom from the necessity to work on the fields45.
Harvest thanksgiving is the festival used to celebrate and appreciate God‟s providence over one‟s life‟s endeavour during the year. According to Oboh,
by Thanksgiving, we are looking at all offerings one gives to God in appreciation for a specific thing the Lord has done for him. People thank God for child birth, for blessing upon their marriages, for keeping their lives in terms of marital fulfillment and fruitfulness, protection, promotion and a host of other things.46
Scholars indicate that the idea of giving thanks for a plentiful harvest through traditional ceremonies and feast is dated back to ancient times, and still continues till today. Accordingly, the belief held by farmers in ancient times was that the fruitfulness or unfruitfulness of crops was caused by spirits, and that these spirits were released during harvest. Consequently, such spirits would attempt to revenge on the farmers who harvested such crops, and should be destroyed. It is their defeat that was then celebrated through harvest festival. On the other hand, the approach employed by ancient Egyptian farmers to prevent the spirits‟ anger was to pretend to be sad and weeping during the period of harvest47.
Scholars have written to prove that almost every culture in the world has celebrations of thanks for plentiful harvest. For instance, the Greeks, Romans,
45 The true harvest festival? Retrieved August 24, 2012, from http.//www.yahsaves.org.
46 E. Oboh. Discover the secret of divine Pprosperity. Lagos: Faith Realm Publishers. 103.
47 Harvest festivals around the world. Retrieved Oct. 11, 2011, from www.harvestfestivals.net/ harvest festival
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Chinese, and Korean have held and do hold celebrations of thanks for a plentiful harvest.
Scholars revealed that among the ancient Greeks48, many gods and goddesses were worshipped. Prominent among these gods and goddesses was Demeter, the goddess of corn and of course all grains. He was honoured during the festival of Thesmosphoria at each autumn. The custom of the festival was to build leafy shelters and furnish them with couches made with plants. This possibly has connection with childbearing and raising of crops. The second day was used by them for fasting, while on the third day a feast was held, including the giving of offerings of corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs to the goddess Demeter. The underlying belief held was that through this act, their gratitude to the goddess would make them receive bountiful harvest during next season.
The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival which they called cerella. It was through this, that they honored ceres, their goddess of corn, from which the word cereal originates. This festival occurred on 4th of October each year. It entailed the offering of the first fruit of their harvest and pigs to ceres. Music, parades, games, sports and a thanksgiving feast constituted parts of this celebration. This ceremony lasted for 8 days, climaxing with great chariot races, presided over by the plebeian audiles. They wore white robes at the games. There was a release of foxes into the circus, with flaming brands attached to their tails, which was one of the symbolic rituals of the occasion.
The Chinese observed Harvest festival of which no one is sure of its origin49. This is Harvest Moon festival, equally known as the Mid-Autumn festival. The origin was, however, romanticed by the story of Chang Er, of whom tradition holds that she took a pill, became fairy and got flown to the moon to escape from the pursuit of her husband. Among the Chinese, the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar is the starting day of their Harvest Moon festival.
Among the Korean, the 15th day of the 8th Lunar month is used to observe Chusok, also known as the harvest moon festival. The Korean honoured their ancestors during the festival. Offerings were made of newly harvested foods, Sang Pyan, crescent shaped rice cakes stuffed with sesame seeds, chestnut paste of beans,
48 Harvest festivals around the world.
49 Harvest festivals around the world.
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are believed to be the favorites of Chusok. It was the practice for families to visit the graves of their ancestors, whereby they bow and keep the area clean against the coming winter.
The works of Scholars consulted show that African continent is also permeated with the observance of harvest festival. Almost every indigenous group of the continent has a festival that is parallel to what we have discussed above. For instance, Egypt, Ghana and Nigeria observe harvest festivals.
The ancient Egypt celebrated their harvest festival in honour of Min, the god of vegetation and fertility. This festival was held at spring time, which was the Egyptians‟ harvest‟s season. In it, there was a parade in which Pharaoh participated.
At the end of this, there was a great feast, including music, dancing and sports50. Among the Ghanaians, the Harvest festival is christened „Homowo festival51. The word Homowo actually means making fun of hunger. An oral tradition of the people holds that long ago, there was a time when rain stopped. This was accompanied by a severe famine throughout Southern Accra plains, which is the home of the Ga people. As a result of a turn around which came later, in which harvest arrived and there was food in abundance, the people resorted into observing the Homowo festival to ridicule hunger. During this celebration, the Ga people eat a marshed corn and palm oil dish called Kpekpele. The Akan people also celebrate a harvest festival called Odwira.
In Nigeria, references could be made to the celebration of the Harvest festival, for instance, among the Igbo, Igede and the Yoruba people. Across the Igboland52 and among Igbo in diaspora, as we gathered from our investigation, the month of August is designated to celebrate the new yam festival, called iwaji and iriji Ohuru.
This festival is usually characterized in pomp and pageantry. It is with deep significance among the Igbo people. The day is symbolic for enjoyment after the cultural season.
The iwaji, new yam festival, is observed as a public function on certain appointed days of the New Year. It is the feast which indicates the breaking of the yam, and harvest is followed by thanksgiving. An offering is put forward and people pray for renewed life as they eat the new yam. During the festival, yam is cut into
50 Harvest festivals around the world.
51 Homowo Festival. Retrieved Sept. 10, 2012, from en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Homowo.
52 New Yam festival in Igboland. Retrieved Sept. 10, 2012, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New Yam festival
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some sizes and thrown unto the gods and earth with prayers for protection and benevolence. When the ceremony is concluded, everything is taken home.
Investigation revealed that the Igbo people regard the new yam harvest as a big cultural event and a time to thank God for bumper harvest in yam and other farm produce. It is a period when in-laws, friends and well-wishers are invited to come and join them to celebrate the new yam. It also marks the transition period from old yam to new yam. The oldest man in the community or the king (Eze) performs the solemn role of eating the first yam. The belief held is that their position bestows on them such a high privilege of being the intermediaries between their communities and God of the land.
The new yam or harvest festival among the Igbo people comes up at the end of the raining season in early August. It symbolizes the conclusion of a harvest and the beginning of the next work cycle. In the evening preceding the celebration, the tradition is that all old yams (from the previous year‟s crops) are either consumed or discarded. During the harvest day, the food to be served is solely dishes of yam, since the festival is symbolic of the abundance of the produce.
Further investigation shows that among the Igede53 people of Benue State, Nigeria, we have the celebration of Igede Agba, which is rooted in the belief in being patient. It marks the beginning of the harvest season, and comes up during the first Igede market (Ihigile), in the month of September. The most cherished farm product during Igede Agba is yam. It is a taboo to harvest the new yam before the celebration.
Igede Agba festival is an occasion of giving thanks to Ohe, the earth‟s goddess, who is regarded as the most important local deity, being responsible for fertility and an arbiter of harmony. Essentially, the harvest of yam and the celebration of the deity of the land are rooted in the people‟s belief in the Supreme deity as the giver of yam and donor of good harvest. Our respondents advanced two reasons as among the ideas behind this celebration apart from showing gratitude to God: first, that one must have one‟s own farm from where to harvest, therefore, encouraging industry and hardwork.
Second, one should learn to conserve and preserve foodstuff, including diversifying one‟s land for other uses apart from planting of yam, so as to avoid being in hunger before the next yam harvest.
53 Celebrating Igede Agba (New Yam festival Today). Retrieved Sept. 13, 2012, from www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/ John-i.
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The Igede Agba celebration features such interesting things, like free and fair competition. In the competition, award and honour is given to the best farmer with the biggest yams in his barns. Equally, there is peace, reconciliation and sharing during the festival. It is the practice that none eats alone during the celebration, therefore, encouraging enthusiastic exchange of food and gifts.
Our findings revealed that a great lesson one can learn from Igede Agba festival is that it is irrational to live each year without having achievements, job expansion, including logical plan for a better future. Hence, everyone is to cultivate a saving culture, either yam products or money as the case may apply to one‟s chosen profession. For instance, those who are in civil service should avoid spending all their salaries before the next pay, in the same way that the Igede farmer would cope with what he harvests till next harvest period.
Our respondents indicated that the festival has taught the people to be good food processors and develop numerous preservation methods for yams, so as to have seedlings for next farming season. Equally, the competition which is an integral part of it stimulates diligence and development. However, marriages and funerals are not permitted to hold in the communities where Igede Agba is celebrated during the festival period. The festival has always been a means of uniting Igede communities through celebrations of harvest and giving thanks for plentiful growing season.
Further investigation revealed that the Igede people constitute significant percentage among the members of AG in the State, especially in Abeokuta and Ijebu Districts. Furthermore, we discovered that these Igede people in Diaspora still observe the Igede Agba festival, their religious affiliation notwithstanding. This underscores the great significance they attach to it whether at home or abroad.
According to our findings among the Yoruba people, the „„Egbe Onisin Eledumare54‟‟, meaning the group of worshippers of Almighty, celebrates the new yam festival to close one year and usher in yet another. This practice of closing and opening the year through rituals and ceremonies is common with many societies. The
„„Egbe Isin Eledumare‟‟ calls their ceremony „„Odun Ijesu‟‟, the festival of eating yam.
Our respondents revealed that the above festival gives room for the re-covenanting with the celestial powers. „„Ebo‟‟ (sacrifice), drums, song, dance, food,
54 Retrieved Oct. 12, 2012, from Yorubasacredsciencecentre.wordpress.
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and entertainment are significant aspects of what constitute the festival. During this celebration, many items are offered as appreciation for the prosperity and well-being received by the people during the previous year and also in anticipation of the prosperity and well-being of the incoming year. Among the items offered are; fowl, ram, goat, alligator pepper, bitter kola, kola-nut, yam and other farm products.
Investigation we carried out revealed further that Orisa Oko is the deity that is primarily focused during the above festival. Its spirit is invoked for the purpose of enhancing farm productivity. Usually, the festival ends the rainy season and the harvest of the yam. Prayers are offered during the celebration, both for personal and community interest, including that of the nation as a whole.
The people of Alara town, in Ifedore local Government Area of Ondo State, are a good example of the Yoruba people who are rich in the culture of observance of the new yam harvest festival till date, especially in the way depicted above. Among this people, the festival comprised several rituals that last for several weeks. According to tradition, none is permitted to eat the new yam until after the festival. They believe that disobedience to this is a great taboo with serious consequences. Anyone who breaks the rule would not live to celebrate the next festival.
Scholars have written to indicate that to the Christians, the origin of Harvest Thanksgiving dated right from the Old Testament era, precisely during the time of Moses, according to Ex. 34:22 „„ And thou shall observe the feast of weeks, of the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year‟s end‟‟. In Exodus chapter 34, Israel was expected to observe three feasts unto the Lord, as Yaweh‟s covenant people. These are the Passover, in remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt (Ex. 34:18-20); the feast of weeks, that is, Pentecost, which comes up seven weeks after the Passover feast and the feast of ingathering at the end of the year, which is regarded as the feast of Tabernacle (Ex. 34:22).
According to Kenneth, the third feast mentioned above, is the Harvest Thanksgiving feast or festival.55 Macleren56 indicates that each of these feasts has a reference to agriculture, with two of them (Passover and Pentecost) also having a reference to natural deliverance. This fact, posits, therefore, that each of them,
55 K. Barker and Kohlenberg. 1994. N.I.V. Bible Commentary. O.T. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1: 106.
56 A. Macleren. 1977. Macleren exposition of Holy Scriptures. Grand Rapids Baker Book House. 10: 119-125