The Christian Perspective on Worldly Practices in 21st Century Nigeria

Abstract

Worldly practices, in Christian thought, would mean acts considered inappropriate, in that they suck Christians in by things that are harmful to their spiritual lives or cause another to stumble. This challenge is exacerbated by globalization and explains the paradox and dilemma of Christians in the rapidly advancing world. It is this that this chapter investigates in 21st century Nigeria. The work aims at situating Christians as responsible members of the global community freely expressing their fundamental human rights without infringing on the right of others. To achieve this, the chapter utilizes the phenomenological and sociological methods. The chapter discovers that most Nigerians hinging on the freedom platforms provided by the exercise of fundamental human rights show great preference for worldly practices, which is at variance with normal regulations of religion. The chapter recommends a synergetic approach of major faiths in Nigeria for an articulation of moral/spiritual codes, adopted from existing ethical windows for a fresh national moral rebirth and cohesion.