VOlUME 05 ISSUE 04 APRIL 2022
1Apyewen, Ande Utensati, 2Nuhu, Dantani, 3Weyi,Josephine Joseph
1,2,3Department of Religious Studies, Federal University Wukari. 200 Katsina-Ala Road,P.M.B. 1020 Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria.
Google Scholar Download Pdf
ABSTRACT
The paper examines effects of prosperity gospel on contemporary Nigerian Christian church and society. It discussed its historical origin and noted that it was birthed in USA and since the seventies now spreading among Nigerian Christian churches and society like corona virus. The study used historical and descriptive methods in its analysis. It discovered that most prosperity teachings are misused, thus, giving a false impression and interpretation about what the Bible really teaches. Finding revealed that, prosperity teachings in a way gives one a sense of hope, direction and reassurance that the life one lives can get better if one can only have faith in God. Equally, it was observed that the prosperity preachers or churches are quite correct in pointing believers to God and the wonderful promises made in his word in order to get their needs met. However, many of these preachers or churches have misused the gospel for monetization, lust for materialism, crimes and selfish advantages and thereby impoverishing their congregation the more rather than improving their lots. This in-turn has reduced the spiritual and moral capacity of the people in the church and society. The work recommended among other thing that the purpose of gospel preachers today should rather focus on doctrinal issues related to desire for the kingdom of God, soul-winning, salvation of man, hard work and good conduct in the church and society than lust for materialism and commercialization of religious activities.
REFERENCES
1) Ayantayo,J.K.(2010) “Prosperity Gospel and Social Morality: A Critique in David Ogungbile and Akintunde Akinade (eds) Creativity and Change in Nigeria Christianity, Lagos: Malthouse Press, Ltd.
2) Adegbesan P.R.A(1994) “Religious Permissiveness and the Legitimization of Crime in Nigeria” In Orita: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies,Vol.XXVI.No 1-2.p.102
3) Bowler, Kate (2013). Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199827695.
4) Brown, Candy Gunther (2011). Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-539341-5.
5) Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
6) Coleman, Simon (2000). The Globalisation of Charismatic Christianity: Spreading the Gospel of Prosperity. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-66072-3.
7) Dada O.(2001)” A Millionaire Through Jesus: II Corinthians 8:9 From the Perspective of some Nigerian Prosperity Preachers” African Journal of Biblical Studies Vol.XVI,No.1.P88
8) Daily Star, 20th February 1985 (Book Cover)
9) Fatokun S.A,(1999),” Pentecostal Culture and the Nigerian Society,” in E.Ifie(ed), Coping with Culture, Ibadan: Oputoru Books.
10) Ikekwun S.(1994)” The Police,Crime and the Nation”. In Orita: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies,Vol.XXVI.No 1-2.p.95
11) Obiora F.K,(1998), The Divine Deceit: Business in Religion, Enugu: Optimal Publishers. P.73 and 103
12) Paul.p.(1979) Longman’s Dictionary of Contemporary English, London: Longman Limited.p.670
13) Harrell, David Edwin (1975). All Things are Possible: the Healing & Charismatic Revivals in Modern America. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-10090-0.
14) Robins, R. G. (2010). Pentecostalism in America. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-35294-2. Robbins, Joel (2010). Allan Anderson (ed.). Studying Global Pentecostalism: Theories and Methods. Michael Bergunder, André Droogers, and Cornelis van der Laan. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26662-9.
15) Ojo,M.A.(2013) “Consonance and Dissonance in the Doctrinal Emphasis of Prosperity Among Nigerian Pentecostals,” in Journal of Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies 1(1), 2013, p.10