Humanities Society - Christian Social Responsibility: Theology, Charity, and Development in Nigeria

Christopher Wadibia
Christopher Wadibia PhD Candidate, Selwyn College / Ax:son Johnson Research Assistant in Applied History, Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge
Date 01/06/2021 at 18.00 - 01/06/2021 at 19.00 Where Zoom webinar
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The Humanities Society organises regular talks during term time. During Easter term 2021, all talks take place as zoom webinars, make sure to register.

Christopher Wadibia

With approximately 10 million registered members, the Nigeria-based Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is Sub-Saharan Africa's largest Pentecostal church and is one of the world's most influential religious organisations. In 2018, the RCCG introduced a new Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) programme in an effort to streamline and professionalise its vast and diverse portfolio of Nigerian development activities. In order to justify the launching of CSR, the RCCG has employed a number of Bible-based theological arguments to defend its commitment to investing several millions of dollars into developing Nigeria. This lecture will provide an overview of the main theological tensions underpinning CSR's theological model and will offer germane insights into how one of Sub-Saharan Africa's key religious players is using biblical theologies as an instrument to help compensate for the Nigerian state's development failings.

This is a virtual event held as a zoom webinar. Please register to attend.

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