Cacophony and Linguistic Imbroglio among different Christian Religious Bodies: Issues in the Communication of Faith and Impact of Christianity in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerian society is one that is uniquely pluralistic, giving room for the growth, spread and keen competition among different cultures and religions. There is no gainsaying the fact that the above situation has greatly favoured the development of Christianity as a religion, helping it to grow by leaps and bounds. Different types of Christian religious groups emerge every day, with divergent denominational identities such as teachings, doctrines, beliefs and practices contrasting sharply with those of the existing groups both in approaches and modus operandi employed in communicating the above tenets of faith. Denominational approaches and modus operandi used in the communication of tenets of faith have, indeed, created more problems among Christians than they have solved today. Prominent among these problems is the confusion in words and languages which leave many doubts in most adherents as to the meanings of what are being communicated by their various leaders, teachers and preachers. This paper therefore, seeks to survey the heightened rate of discordant notes which various Christian religious bodies strike in some of their teachings, doctrines, beliefs and practices today. It also highlights theological confusion among Christian bodies and a serious decline in the impact of Christianity in Nigeria as by-products of discordant notes and linguistic imbroglio among these Christian religious groups. The paper thus recommends, among others, the need for harmonious teachings, beliefs and practices among various Christian denominations and the necessity of communicating tenets of faith to their numerous votaries with linguistic precision as the way forward.