My Syncretistic Faith-World Perspective

Abstract

This article introduces and sets the parameters of my faith-world based on whakapapa (genealogy) and whakapono (faith) and outlines my whakapapa links to whakapono: Patuheuheu and Ngāti Whare to Ringatū; Te Kooti’s Te Umutaoroa prophecy gifted to Patuheuheu; Ngāti Manawa and Catholicism; and Ngāti Porou to Te Hāhi Mihinare. I also describe some of my experiences pertaining to Pentecostalism and Mormonism—a highly significant theological experience for me—and my lingering encounters with Taoism and Hinduism. Overall, I show how whakapapa is connected to whakapono and explore the facets of my faith that have shaped my personal theology.

Towards an understanding of Io through Atuatanga

“…The second part, "tanga," is the suffix which speaks about the culture or dealing with everything that has to do with spiritual beings, or ngā atua Māori and Te Atua o te Paipera (God of the Bible), and how Māori modified and adapted their understandings to these in their lives. (p. 20) I define Atuatanga quite simply as all things Atua (Rangiwai, 2018a(Rangiwai, , 2018b(Rangiwai, , 2018c(Rangiwai, , 2018d(Rangiwai, , 2018f, 2018g, 2018h, 2018j, 2019a(Rangiwai, , 2019b(Rangiwai, , 2021b(Rangiwai, , 2021c(Rangiwai, , 2021d. In the context of this work, and regarding my theological thinking generally, Atuatanga pertains to Māori theology and spirituality on whether one is referring to ngā Atua (ancestor deities with continuing influence) or Te Atua (the Christian God) Rangiwai, 2019aRangiwai, , 2019b.…”

“…The Māori worldview is open and holistic and allows us to understand and value the whakapapa (genealogy) between ourselves and the world around us (Rangiwai, 2019a, 2019b). Whakapapa (to layer) is the basis for our understanding of our spiritual and physical place in the cosmos and provides us with the foundation upon which we stand as Māori (Rangiwai, 2019a, 2019b).…”

“…Māori life is understood in spiritual terms (Rangiwai, 2019a, 2019b). Birth, life, and death are viewed as physical facets of spiritual life (Rangiwai, 2019a, 2019b).…”

“…This article understands that the concept of God in any given society at any given time reflects that society, and Io, whether real, invented, or a result of syncretism, is certainly real to believers (Rangiwai, 2022). This article also understands that concepts of God shift, change, and evolve over time, which adds another layer of complexity and richness to the arguments about Io (Rangiwai, 2019a(Rangiwai, , 2019b(Rangiwai, , 2022.…”

“…When Māori were introduced to the Bible, we made connections between ourselves and the stories and traditions of the ancient Israelites (Rangiwai, 2015, 2019a). Our Māori prophets, who resisted colonisation and missionary Christianity by creating syncretistic religious movements, interpreted their situation through the lens of the Bible; Māori used the past—in this context, the biblical past—to make sense of their present and future (Rangiwai, 2011a, 2011b, 2012, 2015, 2017a, 2017b, 2017c, 2018e, 2018k, 2018l, 2018m, 2019a, 2019b, 2021f, 2021g).…”