Reinventing African christianity in the twentieth century : a study of the pentecostal movement and its socio-ethical impact on Yorubaland, Nigeria (1960-2016)

Abstract

The proliferation of the Pentecostal movement coincided with the period of the outbreak of societal malaise which gave rise to the increasing need for new spirituality to expel evil and restore social and bodily well-being. Arguably, this could be regarded as one of the factors which contributed to the problem of moral decadence in Nigeria and especially in Yorubaland. This study investigates the factors that are responsible for the emergence of Pentecostal churches in Yorubaland of Nigeria. It attempts to examine the impact of the Pentecostal movement on socio ethics, economic, political and situation in Yorubaland of Nigeria. It presents the relationship between Christian spirituality in Pentecostal movement and African Theology and analyzes different methodologies used by the Pentecostal movement to renovate Christianity in Yorubaland of Nigeria. The researcher opted for an exploratory study by examining the pragmatic issues and themes related to Pentecostal beliefs; namely, the Bible and religious experience. The researcher also explores some of the key contexts that inform and shape the Pentecostal beliefs and gives the ‘solution-oriented’ ideology that underlies many of the beliefs such as Born Again, Holy Spirit and Gospel of Prosperity. This work provides insights about the Pentecostal movement in Africa at large and in Yorubaland of Nigeria in particular. It suggests that Christianity has been reinvented in such a way that it blends harmoniously with the African cultural background using the three most important concepts in the doctrinal messages of Christianity, viz. Born Again, Holy Spirit, and Gospel of Prosperity. This present research contributes to the understanding of the proper way in which religion should be studied, practiced and understood in the context of socio religious and cultural worldview in Africa. Furthermore, this research also shows why religion has been seen as problematic in Africa even though Africa has been regarded as the most religious continent in the world.