ABSTRACT

The Influence of Land on Igbo Socio-Religious Cosmology: A Pathway to Understanding Creation, Sin, and Christological Atonement. In Igbo cosmology, land (Ala) is not merely a physical resource but an ontological foundation that governs the legal, social, and religious fabric of life of Ndigbo. This study is done with a view to show the indispensability of biblical creation doctrine to understanding the cosmos, the laws that govern it, and the genesis of cultural identity. A panacea that provides the most effective improvements by sharpening the logical flow between the Divinity, land, and humanity. The focus here is on establishing a clear "problem-solution" gap that hinders the flow. This research has become necessary because it would help show the inflection point at which land seems to become the basis for human social constructs rather than the Creator centred. Evidence has shown that land concept in Igbo society has shaped the intrinsic link between a community’s environment and its belief systems, directly governing the fabric of its legal, social, and cultural existence. Without a dedicated framework to analyze these "land-centric" cosmologies, our understanding of how creation, origin, and social order are constructed remains fragmented. To achieve this, the study employs a dual-layered methodology. It integrates qualitative research methods—specifically thematic and structural analysis of cultural narratives—with a theological methodology. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a systematic examination of core concepts such as cosmology, creation, and atonement, treating them as both metaphysical claims and social realities anchored in the physical landscape. This study explores the intrinsic link between land and Igbo identity, examining how indigenous understandings of creation are rooted in the earth. However, the reliance on oral tradition creates epistemological gaps and a lack of a universalizing framework compared with the revelatory, scriptural accounts found in the Mosaic tradition. This research identifies these shortcomings as a catalyst for developing a clearly defined theological framework that bridges Igbo cosmology with Judeo-Christian concepts of creation, sin, and atonement. By positioning Christ as the ultimate locus of identity and reconciliation. The research further proposes a shift from a land-centered soteriology to a Christocentric one, asserting that Jesus Christ encapsulates the spiritual and communal functions traditionally attributed to the land.