| 1 |
Author(s):
Kolade Oladele Olusola, Ven Dr. Atowoju Ayodele.
Page No : 1-9
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Assessment of Covid 19 Pandemic and its Effect on the Foreign Mission Work of the Nigerian Baptist Convention
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic that began initially like a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China, later resulted in unprecedented global disruption. This pandemic has affected every facet of human life including religious life. Christian missions, which was experiencing a major shift in missionary sending direction from the global West and North to the reversed global South and East, was also not spared by this pandemic. This study examined the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the mission work of the Nigerian Baptist Convention in the United Kingdom. The study adopted a descriptive survey design method and purposive random sampling technique to select the respondents. The information and data were gathered through structured questionnaires and interview guides, using electronic means, from members and leaders of the Nigerian Baptist Convention in the United Kingdom. Interviews were conducted among the selected leaders and policy makers in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. The findings revealed that COVID-19 brought about disruptions of conventional missionary and worship methods in the United Kingdom. The study recommends that the Nigerian Baptist Convention does a rework of strategic mission agenda and approaches that can adapt well to the new normal brought by COVID-19 pandemic across the world.
| 2 |
Author(s):
Seriki, Kazeem Omotola.
Page No : 20-31
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Ethno-Cultural Associations as Shadow States: The Case of Ijebu Province in Western Nigeria, 1900-1960
Abstract
Extant scholarly works on ethno-cultural associations (ECAs) have done little to provide a robust historical perspective on their roles in community development of British colonies in continental Africa. Thus, this paper is an attempt to fill the gap in the body of knowledge on ethno-cultural associations in colonial Africa with specific reference to Ijebu province in Western Nigeria. The study is aimed at providing a critical historical discourse on the social, economic and political roles of ethno-cultural associations in colonial Ijebu province of Western Nigeria. The study utilises primary and secondary sources. While archival materials and oral interviews provide the primary data in this discourse, books, journal articles and newspaper reports are explored as secondary data. The study found out that the efforts made by the ECAs through several strategies in colonial Ijebuland brought about meaningful development at the community level. We also found out that the ECAs represented indigenous organizational structures developed by the Ijebu people and functioned as community-wide forums for problem identification and prioritization, social and financial resource mobilization and development project implementation at the community level in colonial Ijebu province of Western Nigeria. The study concludes among other things that the ECAs were more or less shadow states and that their efforts must be seen against the background of the failure of the colonial state and the Ijebu Native Administration between 1900 and 1960.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Monday Honesty Oke.
Page No : 32-50
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Theological Education in the Light of 2 Timothy 3:10-17: An Evaluation of Pastoral Ministry in Nigeria
Abstract
God’s calling of humankind for the work of the ministry is as old as the beginning of the world; but God does not call a man without a period of training known today as theological education. Unfortunately, these days, there is an emergence of anti-intellectualism in the pastoral ministry, where many pastors go into ministry without basic token of theological training. Also, many seminarians attend the seminary for formality purposes, just to acquire certificate for their licensing and ordination; they jettison theological and divinity courses like Greek, Hebrews as well as Dogmatics, insisting that success in pastoral ministry does not lie on theological education. However, this research aims at evaluating the necessities of theological education in the 21st century Nigeria pastoral ministry on one hand and the ephemerality of anti-intellectualists and impostors in ministry on the other hand, drawing inference from 2 Timothy 3:10-17. The research adopts lexico-grammatical exegetical method of data analysis in order to achieve its aim, using primary and secondary sources of data collections. The research claims that why there is a multiplicity of pastors in Nigeria presently, who are not successful in the ministry is because many churches and individuals take theological education for granted. Thus, it recommends that churches should take theological education serious and those who disdain and undermine theological education should refrain from that, so as to have successful pastoral ministry in Nigeria.
| 4 |
Author(s):
Dr. Samuel Agbenyo, Emmanuel Foster Asamoah.
Page No : 51-66
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The Bible and Music in African Christianity
Abstract
This bibliographic study explores the interplay between the Bible and music within the context of African Christianity. Underpinned by the theory of syncretism, the paper employs a contextual thematic analysis to unravel the nexus between African indigenous music and Christian worship and draws implications for both scholarship and practice. Findings indicate that early European missionaries incited a satanic impression against the use of African indigenous music among Christian worshippers. It was contrarily revealed that Bible-informed use of African music in Christian worship is imperative for evangelisation, deeper spirituality, and faster church growth in Africa. In conclusion, the paper emphasises that the Bible and (indigenous) music are inseparable. It also maintains that music has the transformative power of fostering community cohesion, religious identity, and spiritual devotion among African Christians. Finally, the paper recommends greater collaboration among scholars, theologians, music educators, and gospel music practitioners in the African context in accomplishing the goal of the gospel.
| 5 |
Author(s):
Victor-Akinyemi Helen Bidemi (Ph.D.), Aiyedogbon Josiah Sunday.
Page No : 67-73
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An Assessment of the Implementation of Christian Religious Knowledge Curriculum in Nigerian Schools
Abstract
This paper examines the assessment of the implementation of Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum in Nigerian schools. The aim of the Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum is to encourage students to participate in those activities which foster personal discipline, character training, tolerance, reconciliation & peaceful co-existence. Despite these rich objectives of the Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum, however, there is a growing perception that Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum is not effectively implemented in the Nigerian primary and secondary schools as no much impact on the lives and the receiving students seem to have been observed over the time. It is in the light of this that this paper attempts to examine critically the reasons for not implementing the curriculum as expected and proffer solutions to it. Library sources and internet sources were used to gather relevant data / information for the study. From the study, it was discovered that there are challenges confronting the implementation of the Christian Religious Knowledge curriculum in Nigerian schools such as inadequate funding, use of auxiliary teachers, student attitude to this subject among others. The authors therefore recommend that the government should provide adequate and relevant instructional material for school while only qualified teachers in the field of Christian Religious Studies should be employed to teach in our schools.
