Should Christians use Herbs to attract favour?
Over time, there has been many and diverse reactions as to whether Christians should use herbs. While for some, the use of herbs by Christians is a given and so the question should not arise, for some others, they should not.
Those who approve of the use of herbs hold that God made herbs for human and animal use:
“Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food” (Genesis 1:29).
Those who do not approve think that the use of herbs, beyond the purpose of diet, is a way of deviating from the plan of God; humans are to depend on God for all their needs.
In this writeup, I am engaging with the question: ‘should Christian use herbs?’ by paying attention to some details that require reflection.
In one of my graduate level classes, this seemingly simple question ‘should Christian use herbs’ generated an intense discussion. As indicated above, there were two perspectives to the use of herbs by Christians. All the students, nonetheless, agreed that herbs should be used for physical healing. However, there were some who opined that , in addition to healing, herbs can be used for anything else they can do naturally. This second idea of herbs being used for purposes beyond diet was strongly opposed by some others. This reaction from some of the students forms the background to this writeup.
The difficulty in accepting the use of herbs in its entirety by Christians lies in the fact that Christians are taught that Jesus can do ALL things. They question why anyone would engage in the use herbs when the name of Jesus can do ALL that is needed. Reflecting on the matter after the class, I realized that the contention here is not on the efficacy of the name of Jesus to heal, (of course the name of Jesus can , and does heal), but on whether it is wrong (allowed) to engage in herbalism (the use of herbs/plant parts) for healing and for protection?
Herbalism (the knowledge and use of herbs, roots, barks, leaves, seeds, juice, etc.) can be considered from two levels:
a) For the purpose of healing ailments that have natural causes, ailments that manifest in the physical body.
b) From the level of natural protection from known and unknown spiritual attacks, or to attract favour in interpersonal engagements.
Get Cathreaf’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
In this discussion, it is important to first establish that in both cases, and at both levels, herbs are used NATURALLY, without the invocation of any spiritual force. What happens in herbalism is the tapping into, or engaging with the active ingredients imbued in specific plants by God, and for the specific purposes. The key point here is the engagement with the NATURAL active ingredients found in the plants.
The type of Christianity that was handed down to Africans by the missionaries replaced everything African: names, clothing, education, language, and, of course, knowledge and experience of medicine, which includes the uses of herbs. Christianity introduced western education, language, dressing and medicine. The medicine introduced by Christianity did not use raw herbs. By implication, whatever is not contained in the existential realities of the missionaries was seen as ‘not good to practice’.
This western influence and teaching made it difficult for many Christians to accept treatment in whatever form from herbalists who, by the way, are merely specialist in the nature and function of medicinal plants. This attitude continued until recently when, for the first level, health needs compelled people to re-examine the components and potency of herbs. They soon realized that the herbs have the natural capacity to heal, and that many of the western medicines were developed from them. So Christians gradually began to accept herbal remedies , but with extra caution and care that nothing was chanted or invoked to activate the power of the herbs.
However, the second level is still not popularly/majorly accepted because of the IMAGINED link to spiritual forces. There are still questions like; ‘how can mere herbs protect someone, activate positive awe around someone, or attract favour to someone without any extra effort?’ This is where the big issue about the use of herbs lies. One of my students said; “why use herbs when the name of Jesus can give you favour or protect you?” And another said; “why did God put the active ingredient in the plants if He wants the name of Jesus to do what plants can do?”
My response to the first question is that one can use the name of Jesus because He is OMNIPOTENT. The Bible teaches that “God has highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11). This means that the name of Jesus can truly do what the herbs can do. However, usage of herbs does not connote that one is going against the name of Jesus, or that one does not trust the name of Jesus. The use of herbs just provides a natural alternative to what the name of Jesus can do. This was God instruction in Genesis.
For the second question, I would say that prior to Jesus’ coming down to earth, God already made nature available for human use. Jesus’ coming did not deactivate the force in herbs. He came to save our souls, and He is aware that we are still physically present in the world, and still need to benefit from herbs. This does not imply that the use of herbs is against the use of the name of Jesus.
‘Is it then wrong to engage with herbs at the second level’?
At the second level, the question should not be whether it is right or wrong as the missionaries asked, but whether the process is natural or not? If the process is natural, then it is allowed to engage the active ingredients of herbs for what God intended them: be it for healing, for protection or for favour. To put this in perspective, herbs that bring about favour, keep spiritual forces away, or help to create some level of awe around the user, merely do exactly what many already use other things for. For example, the use of incense that drives away foul forces.
Natural incense is nothing but plants that have natural scents that have the potential of driving away forces that are not wholesome. To add some other herb to incense, or to chew some healthy plant part (fruit, root, bark, etc.) known to contain activate ingredients that inspire favour or awe will not be going against the plan of God, in so far as it is NATURAL. I know people who eat bitter kola and alligator pepper in the morning just for favour. Some others, grind the peel of bitter Kola and rub it on themselves, while others burn the peel of bitter kola with the hope that their day/ week will be accident free. There are those that rub palm kernel oil for protection against attacks.
It is the use of herbs at this second level that bothers some Christians. It is therefore important to state that Christians should not burden their consciences with things that were wrongly interpreted and passed down as bad by missionaries. Many early Christian missionaries simply did not understand what they condemned. Herbalism is clearly different from the use of talisman which is linked to forces, powers, or ingredients that are activated through different spiritual chants. The key to understanding herbalism is the NATURAL nature of the things that are used. If God naturally endowed these plants with these active ingredients that heal or create some awe around the users, God expects humans to use them to the best of their capacity, without abuse or neglecting God who made them. He clearly gave the instruction in Genesis 1:29.
I wish to conclude that very many people already use these herbs naturally for different things e.g spices. The use of these same herbs only becomes a problem when someone thinks that an IMAGINARY force is invoked for some effects to be achieved. God has blessed us, and we are to get the best of what nature has to offer. Use herbs for natural purposes and stay healthy and safe with the powers of nature, these are the good gifts from God
Akinmayowa Akin-Otiko
