Koinonia as Communion: Rethinking Communion in Igbo Traditional Society as Oriko

The Greek term Koinǒnia has been for everyday usage, contextually meaning many things – relationships, fellowship, participation, and communion in usages. This paper situates koinonia within the context of communion, evoking a special usage in Christendom. It applies an intercultural and interreligious linkage of the term to an agelong practice of Ndi Igbo, a practice that predates their encounter with Christianity. Ndi Igbo are people living in the Southeastern part of Nigeria, West Africa whose indigenous religion is the Igbo Traditional Religion – a subset of the African Traditional Religion. The encounter with Christianity introduced Koinǒnia from the Christian perspective, not as a new idea because there is an already existing idea of koinonia in their traditional everyday social and religious life. This paper investigates the religious and social dimensions of Koinǒnia from the Greco-Hellenistic period to the early Christian period, to the Pauline period, and the current usage of the term in the present time. This exploration is placed contextually to an age-long practice of Oriko in the Ogbako Umunna of the Igbo people that has the same meaning, effect, and practice model as the Christian communion, without an encounter between the two culture and religion. This paper explores the ontological, religious, cultural, and substantial relation of Koinǒnia as communion as reflected in Christianity and Igbo Traditional Religion. This investigation is an intercultural and interreligious exposé for enriching and fostering the ongoing mutual dialogue between Christianity and indigenous religions. A dialogue situated in bilateral and constructive exchange of experience for inculturation.