Open AccessThe structural advancement of religious communities and the commercialisation of the Christian religion in Nigeria
Author(s) -
Benjamin C.D. Diara,
Mmesoma Onukwufor,
Favour C. Uroko
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
theologia viatorum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2664-2980
pISSN - 0378-4142
DOI - 10.4102/tv.v44i1.31
Subject(s) - blessing , nigerians , poverty , christianity , islam , sociology , religious values , buddhism , tamil , investment (military) , contentment , religious organization , worship , environmental ethics , economic growth , law , religious studies , political science , economics , politics , history , social psychology , psychology , philosophy , linguistics , archaeology
This article examines the activities of Christian religious communities and the birth of a commercialised Christian religion. It begins by creating an atmosphere that the Nigerians find themselves in, and explaining as to why they rely more on religious vendors for solutions to their physical and spiritual problems. Thus, the real causalities are the people with no contentment. The commercialisation of religion in Nigeria has been characterised by increased poverty and social vices such as armed robbery, bad leadership and bad citizenship. Findings reveal that adherents of the various churches that have commercialised their blessings comprise both the poor and the rich of the society. The poor are seeking God for instant blessing, while the rich are seeking God for the sustainability of their wealth and protection. True religion is now lost in Nigeria. Some pastors treat the church as an investment, expecting to get something in return personally when the institution prospers financially. This is evident in the rise in sugar-coated preaching in most Nigerian churches. It was discovered that commercialisation of churches is mainly for financial gains, and it is an offshoot of the proliferation of churches in Nigeria.