KWASU Journal of Religious Studies is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal published biannually by the Department of Religions at Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria. The journal welcomes research articles that address issues related to religious experiences and phenomena in Islam, Christianity and African Traditional Religion. ISSN: 2579-0463
Department of Religions, Kwara State University, Malete
Reclaiming the Socio-Theological Intent of Deuteronomy 14:22–29 for the Church in Nigeria
This study explores the socio-theological significance of Deuteronomy 14:22–29 in light of current debates on tithing in the Nigerian Church. It responds to growing public and ecclesiastical concerns that tithing is often misused as a means of wealth accumulation, sometimes to the detriment of the poor and vulnerable. The central issue is the neglect of tithing’s biblical foundation as an expression of covenantal worship, communal responsibility, and social justice. The study investigates the socio-theological setting of Deuteronomy 14:22–29 within Israel’s covenantal framework, examines the ethical and communal dimensions of tithing in ancient Israel, and applies the text’s theological principles to the Nigerian Church as a model for advancing socio-economic justice and ecclesial unity. Methodologically, it employs historical-grammatical and contextual-theological analysis, supported by Hebrew lexical study and contemporary theological reflection. The findings indicate that Deuteronomy’s tithing laws were not merely religious rituals but practices rooted in a theological vision that united reverence for God with ethical concern for the community, especially the economically disadvantaged. The paper therefore recommends redirecting the teaching and practice of tithing in Nigeria from prosperity-driven giving toward a biblically grounded model of communal stewardship. By recovering the socio-theological purpose of Deuteronomy 14:22–29, the Church can serve as a credible agent of economic equity, ecclesial solidarity, and spiritual integrity in a society marked by inequality and doctrinal confusion.
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Two Souls, One Rationality: Navigating Daraaro Ritual and Protestant Christianity Through Theological Labour in Gedeo, South Ethiopia
This article examines how Gedeo believers in southern Ethiopia rationally navigate competing truth claims at the intersection of indigenous Daraaro ritual and Protestant Christianity. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork across multiple sites in the Gedeo Zone, it introduces the concept of theological labour as the process of conscious, reflective deliberation within and between received traditions. Rather than treating religious plurality as a binary choice between mutually exclusive systems, the article shows how Gedeo believers exercise creative agency by negotiating tensions, selectively drawing on diverse theological resources, and forming coherent religious identities in response to existential and communal needs. Central to this negotiation is the ontological tension between divine immanence, articulated through Daraaro, and divine transcendence, emphasised in Protestant Christianity. The article argues that authenticity under such cross-pressure may lie not in final resolution but in the quality of ongoing negotiation. In doing so, it contributes to philosophical debates on religious rationality, tradition, and identity in contexts of cultural contact.
A Theological Discourse on Church’s Response to Fundamentalist’s Assault on Her Mission and Members: The Nigerian Experience
How the Church should respond to violent attacks on her mission and members by those whose actions do not wish her well has been generating arguments because mission tasks is based on the love of God. Some Christians have argued that people should not respond to violence with violence based on biblical teachings, but majority of those who had experienced the bitter pill of attacks generally express contrary opinions. There seems to be a feeling that society needs a redefinition of biblical passages that teach on how to respond to attacks. The paper took a retrospective look at the paradoxical relationship existing between Christians and Muslims who profess one creator God and had common ancestry in Abraham. It also looked at some of the violent attacks on the Church particularly by the Boko Haram sect and some of the insinuations of a possible move by some governments in Nigeria to Islamize the country. To guide Christians in responding in a theologically appropriate manner the paper suggested self defense and adequate Christian education. It also recommended that churches should unite, teach converts to become intelligent believers who practice their faith reasonably. While not becoming offensive for any reason, they should be pro-active in their approach to self-defense against violent attacks.
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An Exposition of Nehemiah 5:7-8 and Its Implications for Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Development
Leadership has become a serious problem in Nigeria. This makes the nation to suffer a deficit of civic pride and collective responsibility. This paper attempts a comparative analysis of leadership style advocated by Nehemiah as a onetime governor of Judea. It adopts an exposition of Nehemiah 5:7-8 where Nehemiah's leadership by example, patriotism and selflessness are emphasized. Also, Nehemiah showcases the divine call to a sacred duty. The paper concludes that the quality of leadership in any organization affects greatly the success or failure of that organization. It recommends that for Nigeria to experience prosperity in the midst of her abundant human and mineral resources, her leaders must be ready to live above board.
Women’s Inheritance Rights in Yoruba Custom and the Islamic Law: A Comparative Analysis
Inheritance is an age-long tradition in the human society. Although the inheritance custom differs from one culture to another, it is established that in most cases women receive the brunt of the traditions. This is particularly the case in the Yoruba custom. It is yet note-worthy that Islam gained prominence in Yorubaland and Muslims constitute a simple majority of the population. Traditionally, the Yoruba people have their established inheritance system while Islam has its distinct legal provisions on estate distribution which supposedly should be embraced wholly by all its adherents regardless of race, colour and gender. This scenario and the inescapable influence of one culture on the other often generate conflict of interest in estate distribution among the Yoruba Muslims where syncretism is deep rooted. Generally, women are the most vulnerable in such conflicts. This prejudice prompts the need for a comparative study on the provisions of the two systems on the women's inheritance rights with a view to distinguishing the pristine teachings of Islam and advocate its entrenchment among the Muslims. The research involves interview, observation, and analytical studies of relevant library materials and court records. Findings revealed that the Yoruba custom exploits the women folk while the Islamic law provisions guarantees their inheritance rights. The paper concludes on the recognition of the Islamic legal dispensation as a revolution that protects the interest of women and it therefore proffers recommendations for upholding it among the Yoruba Muslim women.
The Care of the Poor in Ancient Israel as a Paradigm for Contemporary Nigerian Church
The response of the church to the cry of the poor in the contemporary Nigerian society is far below the expectation. In the church today, it seems that God’s concern for the poor and marginalized is often overlooked. The church gives necessary attention to spiritual matter but often completely neglects the physical. However, in the Old Testament (OT) corpuses most especially, the Pentateuch (Law), the Poetry and the Prophets, the care, provision and redemption of the poor and the marginalized are of the utmost concern to God. God instructed His people, the Israelites in form of legislation to actively care for the poor while discouraging any mistreatment of or indifference toward the needy (Exodus 22:21-23; Leviticus 23:22; 25:39-43; Deut. 15:7; Proverbs Isaiah 10:13: Malachi 3:5). Thus, this paper, using social-historical and textual approaches examines the OT stipulations for the care of the poor in ancient Israelite society with a view to challenging the contemporary church in Nigeria to rise to her social responsibility by advocating for the poor, caring for their needs and pursuing justice on their behalf. This paper revealed that many Christian denominations/churches in Nigeria have neglected or care less about the social needs of their members for those needs that are spiritual as against Christ's spirit of empathy and sympathy with the poor and marginalized. The paper recommends that the present day church in Nigeria should practically emulate the step of Jesus Christ and that of the early church by making the care of the body and spirit a priority in their evangelical programmes. The church should not allow bad theology and poor excuses to keep them from responding to the cry of the poor and marginalized in their communities.
Towards Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Lessons from Al-Qaradāwī's Dawru ‘l-Qiyam
Sustainable development that ensures every citizen of a nation to have access to all requirements of sufficient standard of living is a pride of any government that accomplishes it. This has been a concern of most of the developing nations. In Nigeria, many programmes have been established and initiatives are brought to board all in attempt to actualize a sustainable development. Issues of sustainable development are parts of focus of Yusuf Al-Qaradāwī in his 440 page work titled: Dawru 'I-Qiyam. Therefore. it is the objective of this paper to review Al-Qaraḍāwi's approach towards sustainable development and how it is relevant to Nigerian situations. The study, given its nature. is library based with extensive literature review. The method used is phenomenological and printed books, published journals, unpublished thesis, newspapers and internet sources were consulted on Nigerian cases. The result reveals that the Proper implementation of development plans and prevention of corrupt practices and culture of wastage are lacking in the Nigerian case. Diversification of economy to maximize advantage of all economic potentials endowed Nigeria would improve the situation.
Christianity and Political Participation: A Theological Reflection on Nigerian Experience
Christian participation in politics and governance has always been a contentious issue. Each view on the involvement of Christians in politics has based its argument on its interpretation of certain New Testament passages that are found to be related to the relationship between Church (sacred) and State (secular). In a pluralistic society as Nigeria, what is the relevance of Christianity as a transformative institution to governance? Toward this end, this paper will investigate the relationship between Church and State from history and endeavor to suggest certain factors that must be put into consideration in the approach of the Church in her relationship with the State. With the understanding that things are out of balance, this paper advocates a return to a more biblical model of church in her relationship with the state. The titles used to describe the church in I Peter 2:9 are very significant in this research in order to understand the nature and functions of an ideal Church in its environment. To achieve this, historical and exegetical methods will be employed in carrying out this research. There is nothing in the intrinsic nature of the Church as defined in the scripture that suggests her restraint from contributing to the governance of the State. Christians in Nigeria should understand that the Church and State are inextricable.
Indigenous Institutions and Sustainability of African Traditional Communities for Global Competitiveness
In spite of a modern national political organizational system, the majority of the people in Africa especially in most parts of rural areas are still organized around their indigenous institutions for carrying out the activities that are important for their development and well-being. In fact, civil society in rural Africa is embedded within their indigenous institutions, philosophy and systems. These institutions are key to the organization of people at the rural level for their political and socio-economic development. These institutions have however been largely ignored by both colonial and post-colonial governments in the development equation in Africa in favour of western-framed institutions. In spite of all the good attributes that can be accorded western-styled institutions, they do not capture the worldviews and wellbeing aspirations of rural communities. This paper argues that western-oriented institutions are exclusionary and leave out the bulk of Africa’s human resources (indigenous institutions) in the development process. This situation is an important contributing factor to the demise of Africa's development. This paper seeks to demonstrate the existence and efficacy of indigenous institutions in Africa that could form the basis for organizing rural communities to lead Africa’s development process globally. It places the value of indigenous institutions within the context of endogenous development and describes indigenous institutions in Nigeria and their contributions to community development in the country. It concludes by giving some policy directions on an endogenous approach to development in Africa that is premised on mobilizing, revitalizing and re-valorizing Africa's indigenous Institutions as the boon for engagement with the global village.
Al-Maṣlaḥah Al-Mursalah as a Source of Islamic Law and Its Relevance to Political Dispensation
The relevance of Islamic studies to the modern political settings cannot be undermined. This is because Islamic studies covers all aspects of human actions, be it ritual and social. It is observed that publications related to Islamic studies have not cxplicitly emphasised the relevance of the concept of Maṣlaḥah Mursalah in Uṣül al-Fiqh to somc social sciences enough. Thus, this paper attempts to relate the aforemcntioncd concept to the political science with the view to enunciating the importance, benefit and application of this concept in modern political dispensation. The methodology applied in this paper is content analysis which incorporates both descriptive and prescriptive approaches. The examples used are not exhaustive and limited to the chosen country. The application of the concept may also be found in some Muslim countries without realization.
Jesus’ Servant Leadership in African Perspective: An Expository Analysis of Mark 10:2-45 with Particular Reference to Nigeria
The alarming poverty situation in Africa is a concern for everybody in Nigeria. It is no doubt the cause of socio-economic problems bedeviling Nigeria particularly in the areas of crime, militancy and religious insurgency. It has also resulted in the recent calls for restructuring of the country, making the 1914 amalgamation, a curse rather than a blessing, as a result of incessant leadership failure. This paper looks into Jesus' leadership style of serving his subject sacrificially rather than being served. Mark 10:2-45 is studied by way of exposition and compared with John to reveal the six metaphors of a successful leader such as servant, scapegoat, shepherd, steward, student and salesperson as the overall secret of Jesus' successful leadership. The paper denounces "the hand in pocket" leadership style of Africa particularly in Nigeria where leadership is seen as a means of grabbing the collective common wealth to the detriment of the populace. It recommends Jesus’ servant leadership for sustainable development.
The Paradox of Female Headship of Muslim Families in Contemporary Ilorin Metropolis
Headship of the family unit is exclusively meant for husband and/or rather as canvassed by many religions and cultures. The underpinning factors for this stand stemmed from the roles designated for headship which includes: provision of material and psychological needs of the family on the one hand and protection from both physical and psychological harms on the other hand. Consequently, it is presumed that the male gender of family members is naturally endowed to perform these roles better than his female counterpart. Astoundingly. female headship of Muslim families is now on the increase in the ancient Islamic city of Ilorin. This development contradicts the Islamic family hierarchical order. This study therefore investigates the causes and implications of this development on family life in the town. The study adopts interview and observation as research instruments. The findings revealed the major causes of female headship of some Ilorin families to be: shirking of familial responsibilities by husband; circumstantial factor of economic predicament; assimilation of foreign values of individualistic and materialistic life; hypnotic influence on the husband; and inevitable factor of death/sickness of husband. It was also discovered that some female family heads were able to combine their maternal duties with the paternal responsibilities of their husbands; whereas, the psychological and disciplinary aspects suffer. This trend gradually impaired the children upbringing and the Islamic family value generally. The study recommends total submission to Allah's familial hierarchical design and conscientious discharge of duties assigned to spouses. This will breed orderliness and peace, which are germane to family sustainability.
Leadership, Change and Religion: Nigerian Experience
Change is ubiquitous in any society, especially a society that strives hard to fulfill human needs. The Nigerian experience is no exception. Nigeria has undergone various systems of political changes. These include parliamentary feudalism to military dictatorship as well as presidential aristocracy. Yet, none has reasonably met the yearnings of the society. This can be attributed to the fact that the word "leadership" is often misunderstood. Rather than leading by example, dictatorship and anarchy have eaten deep into the fabric of the elected and appointed leaders both in the church and political circles. Nigeria has witnessed succession of changes of power from north to the southwest. from southwest to the south-south and back to the north.Unfortunately, these changes in leadership have not been of any benefit to the common men, but those in the corridor of power. In the midst of this disturbing socio-political upheaval, the intention of this paper is to examine Jesus' attitude to leadership and socio-religious situations of his period and what Nigerian leaders can learn from it. The researchers made use of historical method in this work. The paper discovered that Nigerian political leaders are selfcentered; religious institutions have lost focus; and that Jesus exhibited servant-leadership attitude towards his followers. It is therefore recommended that political leaders should have servant-leadership attitude and that the Church should wake up to her responsibility.
Religion and Spirituality in Nigeria: Focus on Islamic Movements of Social and Political Inclinations
Nigeria as a nation is not a religious state. The constitution with which the country was established recognizes the country as a multi-religious one. In other words, Nigeria is a state that adopts no particular religion as official state religion. That is because Nigerians profess belief in different forms of religions such as African Traditional Religion (ATR), Islam and Christianity. The competition between Muslims and Christians to absorb adherents of the ATR seems to have succeeded to a large extent that both Islam and Christianity occupy a prominent position in running the social and political affairs of the nation today. One of the agents of mobilization by the Muslims is the formation of Islamic movements. Attempt is made in this research to show the role played by some Islamic movements and some notable individual Muslims in making Islam relevant to social and political milieu -positively and negatively. The research adopts descriptive, library and field methodologies. All is aimed at showing the degree of religiosity and spirituality of Nigerians in relation to the social and political milieu in Nigeria, a scenario that explains why Nigeria finds herself where she is today. The research concludes with some recommendations as a way forward.
استصحاب قاعدة تفسير المجمل وتقييد المطلق وتخصيص العام ودلالاتها في تفسير النصوص التشريعية والقانونية وفقا لقانون أصول الأحكام القضائية السوداني لسنة 1983م
Re-Assessing New Testament Doctrine of Eternal Security in Relation to Prosperity Gospel in Contemporary Nigerian Society
The doctrine of Salvation is one of the several doctrines in Christianity which finds its deepest meaning in the spiritual aspect of life and fulfilment in Jesus' death. The highpoint of Christian commitment is to achieve salvation and be sure it is secured. God is holy and has zero tolerance for sin, therefore, no one who relishes in sin would be saved by God. Within this context, two schools of thought emerged, namely: Calvinism and Arminianism. In Calvinism, God offered irresistible grace to those whom He elected to save in his sovereignty. While in Ariminianism, Redemption was gotten through God's grace but could be resisted by people through free choice. Prosperity gospel is a current phenomenon in Christianity in Nigeria being peddled by some preachers. It has become so popular that it is seen as a point of spiritual salvation. The problem of study in this study examined the import of sin and how eternal security can remain intact where sin does not abound. Replacing call to repentance and faith with too much emphasis on donation of money, especially gotten through illegal sources is a sin and unChrist-like. Therefore, the relationship between preacher's attitude to eternal salvation and prosperity gospel is critically examined. The methods employed are historical and sociological. The study concludes that once a Christian is saved, he cannot lose it because the Holy Spirit dwells in him. Also, prosperity gospel is a deceit to lay the foundation of greed. Therefore, preachers should make their callings and election sure by adding to their salvation God's virtue and godliness.
Ethics of Interpersonal Communication from the Islamic Perspective
The present study addresses the importance of employing the language of etiquette and politeness as a means of consolidating peaceful coexistence in human society from the Islamic perspective. Since communication is one of the most important components that constitute human relations in the society, any attempt to disallow language to fulfill its social function will definitely affect human relations because language is perhaps the most pertinent tool of human communication. Language is a double-edged weapon being a sound expression consolidates human interactions and creates atmosphere for a peaceful coexistence. In contrast, violent and destructive words according to Islamic teachings may lead to misunderstanding, conflict and indeed war. Hence, there will be no room for a peaceful co-existence. The negative effects of those aggressive words and expressions on human relations and society at large are addressed. Using descriptive analysis approach, some destructive types of communication from Islamic views are addressed. The findings of the study suggest that aggressive use of language hinders the integration of the society. Every individual is required to practice communication ethics in order to consolidate human relations.
The Religious Question and the Change Era in Nigeria: Going Beyond Illusions
Umpteen scholarships have identified religion as one of the many factors responsible for instability in many countries of the world especially Nigeria. This assessment is a snapshot from the central role that religion plays in the lives of typical Nigerians, indeed Africans. In this era of change, it is pertinent to evaluate how religion could make the desired change a dream come true. This paper contends that a bold step towards achieving this desired change is curbing the challenge to development posed by religion in Nigeria. Religious values have a lot to offer towards establishing a balanced and stable society. All the major religions in Nigeria share these values even though crises among these religions have not allowed these values to bloom desirably. Findings show that once religious sanity is guaranteed and the rich values in the religions in Nigeria are allowed to play out in daily affairs, the desired change will go beyond mere illusions. The analytic as well as prescriptive approach is adopted by this paper.
An Analytical Study of the Controversies on Female Circumcision: The Islamic Perspective
Circumcision is an age-long practice among people of different cultural backgrounds. The pracüce antedates both the pre-Islamic and Islamic periods in Arabian Peninsula. It became one of the aspects of culture found acceptable and practicable by Islam and eventually incorporated into the Sunnah of the prophet. Male circumcision, as an ancient practice was adopted by Islam and other faiths without much challenges or skepticism except for some minority parts of the world whose people consider it unnecessary to circumcise both their male and female children. Surprisingly, this peculiarity still exists till today. Historically, circumcision was practiced in ancient Egypt before 1300 CE. It became the norm in America during the 2nd world war based on the belief that it has certain benefits in stock for the soldiers. Female circumcision began to be contested about three decades ago, at the instance of Islamophobia and feminism. The former labels some socio-cultural and religious acts as threats and barbarism while the latter deems female circumcision as mere violence against women. As a matter of fact, both Islam and Christianity are of the belief that the practice was initiated by the fathers of faith i.e. Ibrahim or Abraham as the case may be. This article seeks to identify the status of female circumcision in Islam with a view to critically studying the controversies that surround its practice. The study is based on library research and the use of internet materials. The research findings indicate that rebellion against female circumcision is merely culturally biased whereas, to Islam, it is a form of purification. The paper recommends strict adherence to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet to determine which path to be followed.
The Influence of Religion and Civilization on Child Language Acquisition among the Kambari in Niger State, Nigeria
Language in any given society serves as a means of communication. In the Kambari society the language is not only meant for communication, but also to establish and maintain relationships in the Kambari society. Due to the influence of religion and civilization, the essence of the local dialect has been defeated, thereby adulterating the identity and culture of the people. The paper addressed the issue from a psychological perspective, employing psychological theories for the analysis. The paper endeavoured to discourage neglect of local dialect and encourage serious embrace of what is cultural to the Kambari.
Islamic Mechanism for Conflict Management: A Feasible Antidote to World Crises
It is an indubitable fact that there is proliferation of war and conflict throughout the world. In the North and South Korea, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, Cameroon, etc. there is one conflict or the other militating against the peaceful co-existence of their people. The fundamental issues in dispute include but not limited to struggles among the cthnic peoples or religious ideologies for land or resources, social and economic power, and/or freedom and self-government. Some of these wars and conflicts have long-standing basis and are therefore very complicated. These complications, however, happened as a result of several key players participating in these conflicts, either overtly or covertly for selfish interests. The task of finding solutions to the conflicts seems to be the focus of UN- the most recognized international mediating organization, so that the world may live in relatively peaceful and harmonious state. However, the United Nations has been found wanting in proffering lasting solutions to these conflicts. This paper thus presents practicalised Islamic mechanism for conflict management as contained in the Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.
The Effect Of Peter's Attitude to Christian Fellowship in Antioch and Its Implications for 21st Century Church Leaders
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians has been exposed to critical scrutiny by exegetes and biblical scholars, especially on Paul's reaction to Peter's attitude on Christian fellowship in Andoch as recorded in Galatians 2:11-13. Could Paul's reaction be interpreted as rude noting the position of Peter in the early Church or could it be regarded as God's means of rebuking Peter and not the personality of Paul? Analyzing the attitude of Peter and the effects it had on the fellowship, should more importance be laid on protecting Peter's personality or save a fellowship from wrangling situation? The research employed exegetical method. The major challenge the church faces even from her inception is disunity, therefore, the work recommended that in order to avoid unnecessary arguments and factionalisation in the Christian church, the leaders should concentrate more on the work of salvation which Jesus had wrought and de-emphasize tradition taking the lead of the Church.
Focus on the Exemplary Leadership of Prophet Muhammad for Contemporary Nigerian Leaders
The basic problem of governance in modern society is leadership. Almost all the world nations suffer from poor leadership as the leaders and their leadership styles fall short of the fear of God. In the pre-Islamic period, before the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Arabs had their way and manner of administration and governance which might be difficult to locate under any modern form of administration and governance. However, with the advent of Prophet Muhammad who established the first Muslim Government in Medina, things changed. This paper examines some of the leadership principles of the Prophet with the objective of making case for adoption of these leadership styles in the bid to revive the modern society and prevent it from collapse. Historical research method is adopted for the work while data were collected from printed and electronic sources. It concludes by asserting that the harmonious environment of the Muslim community during the reign of the prophet and beyond was a product of the prophet's perfect leadership style. It is therefore pertinent for government in the modern society to borrow from Muhammad's positive leadership traits for the revival of the world.
Patients’ Rights: An Enquiry into the Activities of Local Psychiatric Centers Managed by Muslims in South-western Nigeria
In Nigeria, aside the eight Government designated Psychiatric hospitals, there are also many local psychiatric centers managed by Muslims and non-Muslim individuals. These centers have been heavily criticized for human right abuses. This study is an inquiry into the truth or otherwise of the criticism. The study focuses on the activities of local centers managed by Muslim individuals in South-Western Nigeria with a view to determining the extent they uphold or violate their patients’ fundamental Human Rights as guaranteed by Islam. Information about the activities of the centers were collected through oral interviews. Both descriptive and analytical methods were used in the study. The study revealed that while there are some activities of the local centers managed by Muslims in the study area that could be regarded as outright violation of patients’ fundamental Human Rights, some others, in view of the rationale behind them, may not necessarily constitute outright violation of the patients' fundamental Human Rights as hitherto painted except where excesses are committed. The study therefore, using Islamic paradigm, suggests general measures that could be taken to improve on the activities of the centers.
The Creativity and Identity of Ijesa "Osomalo'' in The Socio-Economic and Christianization of Yorubaland in South-Western Nigeria
The Ijesa people of the present Osun state of Nigeria were known as Osomalo in the 19th century because of their ingenuity and introduction of trade shift merchandize in Yorubaland. As textile traders, they were found in the nooks and crannies of the geographical area. Apart from the niche they created for themselves in trading, they were also responsible for the introduction of Christianity to many towns and villages in Yorubaland. They were seen as successful business men and women because of their Doggedness, total commitment to a course they believed and determination to succeed in any endeavour of their choice. Many Ijesa people became pacesetters in the propagation of Christianity in areas where they were found in course of their businesses. Many of their children are seen as Church leaders in the Mainline, African Independent Churches and Pentecostal Churches in the 21st century in Nigeria. The traits found in their forefathers were embraced by the younger generation and this has led to the establishment of flourishing churches within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
African Indigenous Religious Response to Global Debate on Homosexuality: Hermeneutical Study of Relevant Ifá Corpora
The global debate on homosexuality has been a major religious concern to different beliefs. This present work therefore acknowledges the abundance of literatures on global debates on homosexuality. Homosexuality, in the recent time, has taken different dimensions in several academic disciplines from religion, extending to politics and economic engagements. So far, the emphasis on the quantum of literature about homosexuality is either argument in favor of the phenomenon or against the idea. However, it is worthy of note, to say that, virtually believers of religions have attempted to contribute their quota to the argument or debate by taking an introspective look at the sacred writings of their respective religions. By way of filling a part of the lacuna in the literature, this study examines the sacred literature of the indigenous religion of the Yorùbá people, especially, Ifá, in regards to homosexuality. It is noted that, Ifá, is the sacred genre for all the Yorùbá divinities and the springboard on which the culture of the Yorùbá people rests. The study as evinced from Ifá Literary Corpus established in strong terms, argument against the philosophical concept of homosexuality. The argument is generated from relevant stanzas of Ifá corpus; which are hermeneutically explicated and analyzed. This becomes part of an epistemological consideration into the debate concerning the issue of homosexuality. The paper concludes that, although there may be other positions on the issue of homosexuality, the sola scriptura of Yoruba traditional religious beliefs, is of the opinion that homosexuality is ungodly, unhealthy, immoral, unnatural and therefore forbidden; as such hampers development of individual, society and the nation at large. This is against the backdrop of Yorùbá worldview that encourages the birth of children in perpetuity of the family. Furthermore, this study notes that while homosexual tendencies are abhorrent, homosexuals should not be rejected or stigmatized, rather they should be assisted to change their perceptions.
Al-Kafā’ah (Compatibility) Between Spouses Regarding Righteousness as Discussed in the Tafsīr of Al-Ourṭubi: Implications for Marital Life
Choice of marital partner is determined by a number of catalysts one of which is al-kafā’ah (equality of status) between spouses. Some marriages cause a sort of antipathy which leads to discord and separation between the couples as a result of incompatibility emanating from disequilibrium of moral, religious or socio-economic status of the spouses. Jurists hold divergent opinions on qualities which should be considered as genuine criteria for al-kafā’ah as various contemporary societies differ in what they determine as criteria for compatibility between spouses. In this wise, the Qur’ānic paradigm relating to the issue of al-kafā’ah was exposed by al-Qurtubi in his Tafsīr. This paper, therefore, examines al-Qurtubi’s exegetical discourse on al-kafā’ah between spouses with the intent of identifying genuine criteria for the compatibility and their implications for marital life. Exegetical and analytical methods were adopted for the study. It identifies religion and piety as the basic criteria for the compatibility of status which help to maintain decency and wellbeing of individuals in marital life, while socioeconomic status may be waived, but with the consent of wife in order to curb psychoemotional disturbance resulting from mis-merge of socio-economic statuses. It also pointed out that repentance of unchaste spouse is considerable, and the chaste has the right to either retain the existing marriage with the persistent unchaste or dissolve it for the interest wellbeing of marital life. The study concludes that al-Qurtubi was able to deduce the criteria for the compatibility of status between spouses, from the Qur’ān.
The Source and Explosion of African Pentecostalism and Globalization
The Holy Spirit led the Early Church which was a community where freedom of expression and spontaneity that characterized its worship may not have been very different from that of many Pentecostal churches today. The beginning, spread and explosion of the Pentecostal movement is extraordinarily great globally, more especially among many African Indigenous Churches with a Pentecostal zeal. Presently, Christians can be found in almost every country in the world. Although Christianity has been gradually expanding since its earliest days, its globalizing presence is not old in human history. The effects of Pentecostal movements can be categorically felt across the globe today, and there is hardly a Christian denomination or sect which has not in one way or the other been influenced by this movement. One of the obvious questions that arise is that, what accounts for the beginning, explosive and extraordinary growth of African Pentecostalism and Globalization? This paper traces the source or the beginning of the Pentecostal movement and the rapid explosion involved in its spread across the globe in general and Africa in particular, between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries of the present era. The positive and negative impacts of the movement's on African Christianity are also examined. Since the topic has to do with church history, the study uses the historical perspective and qualitative method which is Africanist in approach to church historiography, which is marked by total and objective commitment to Africa.