Religion, Spirituality and Apocalyptic Dystopia

The dilemma in Nigeria’s socio-political development over the decades has been widespread religious affinities and spirituality. In the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious environment, her predominantly Christian adherence finds itself encountering more of this dilemma. This article us...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Old Testament Essays
Main Author: Amadi Enoch Ahiamadu
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: Old Testament Society of South Africa 2023-11-01
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ote-journal.otwsa-otssa.org.za/index.php/journal/article/view/504
Description
Summary:The dilemma in Nigeria’s socio-political development over the decades has been widespread religious affinities and spirituality. In the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious environment, her predominantly Christian adherence finds itself encountering more of this dilemma. This article uses Hegelian dialectics and socio-rhetorical lenses to assess Nigeria’s socio-political dilemma based on Jer. 30:7. Its findings include a dissonance between religious piety and theo-praxis which crystallises into a complacency evoking an apocalypticism devoid of utopia, and which is unable to provoke a thesis or anti-thesis that could give birth to a new synthesis. It recommends a pendulum shift from mere Christian religious pietism to a religious involvement of the churches in socio-political action that could provide the needed thesis and anti-thesis for a renewed socio-political synthesis. To do so, however, it must retain the apocalyptic component of the Christian faith while actively engaged in religious cum socio-political action. https://doi.org/10.17159/2312-3621/2023/v36n2a11
ISSN:1010-9919
2312-3621