“Electrical Energy”: Dynamic Metaphors of Spiritual Power

Abstract

Spiritual power is a dynamic concept; its significance for C&S lies in what it does. Those seeking the benefits of the Spirit do not necessarily worry about the way in which results appear to be produced: “We don’t bother to think how or what, the purpose has to be served” (Elder Sister Sanni). “It’s like an experiment. If it works, you don’t wonder how” (Pastor Tomori). But this does not mean that there is no rationale for the efficacy of unseen energy. First, as we have seen, spiritual power was identified as a distinct concept in Aladura practice; ordinary members consulted elders specifically for prayers and techniques to augment their own spiritual strength. Second, these senior men and women felt themselves equipped to offer this advice through their own understanding of the multifaceted qualities of the Spirit. They recognized that power operates according to certain principles, for there must be predictable regularities in the way power “works” in order to put it to practical use. These meanings were constantly communicated through C&S discourse, partly in a systematic fashion in sermon or Sunday School, but chiefly through the Yoruba idiom of image and allusion in the texts of prayer and revelation. An exploration of the metaphors used to represent spiritual power, and the traditions upon which they draw, is the subject of this chapter.