MORAL DECADENCE IN THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH : CATECHETICAL ROLE OF THE CLERGY IN ANGLICAN PAROCHIAL MINISTRY

ABSTRACT

The study was aimed at investigating moral decadence in the contemporary church: catechetical role of the clergy in Anglican Parochial Ministry. The survey research was used in this study to sample the opinion of respondents. This method involved random selection of respondent who were administered with questionnaires. The target population of the study comprised members of selected Anglican Parochial Ministryin Abuja. The questionnaire administered was one hundred and ten (110) copies and one hundred copies retrieved which constitute the sample size. The descriptive and analytical approach was adopted using Chi-square to test and analyze the hypotheses earlier stated. The findings revealed that there is a significant influence of moral decadence in contemporary churchesand that church leaders should increase teachings on morality in churches. It was therefore concluded from the findings that the church should be involved in moral decision-making if it wants to act as a manifestation of the kingdom. This involvement should first and foremost be realised in the local ministry of the Word where the consciences of believers are shaped to act morally and to promote the social-ethical norms of the kingdom in all spheres of society. It was recommended that Christians in contemporary churches should imitate western cultures and values with cautiousness. Alsocontemporary churches needs to go back and read the scriptures and act according to the biblical scripture, they should learn the right things.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Religion is today becoming a commerce and avenue to rise to power. Audi, citing Oladipo , noted that “in West Africa (including Nigeria), there are people who assume religious leadership as one chooses a business for financial gains.” Prayer houses exist where religious leaders administer religious services and totems, requesting beneficiaries to make supplies that include foodstuff, wears, money, labour, and physical lust satisfaction of the self made leader. Some of these religious leaders at times manipulate the psychology of these members through religious persuasions and insinuation to actions, violent or non-violent. The results of these actions are numerous. When these people realize that their sources of economy and livelihood, dignity and worth of humanness (in a situation where one is sexually abused) have been tempered with, such a person may be psychologically affected and his/her role in nation building restricted. Today people kill, maim, destroy, and cheat in the name of religion. This is a moral lapse, and can only degenerate the society instead of making way for even development.

Christianity, a religion which the Central Intelligent Agency World Population Fact Sheet (2011) says accounts for 40% of religious adherents in Nigeria, has become a phenomenon in Nigeria.  In other words, Christianity is on the rise in Nigeria.