Influence of Prayers in ATR on the 21st Century Igbo Christians

ISBN-13: 9786202076852 / Angielski / Miękka / 2018 / 144 str.

Nbili Chimaobi Ubani

Opis

The Igbo man believes that everything is possessed by spirits including inanimate objects. To this end the high God requires both prayers and sacrifice to gain his favour to avert or overcome the bad influence of other spirits. On the advent of Christianity, the Igbo people were exposed to liturgical formal documented forms of prayers to God and the saints. The study investigated the influence of prayers in African traditional religion on the 21st century Igbo Christians. The 21st century Christians was influenced by the traditional prayers due to its ability to appeal to the emotions and ability to follow different terms and patterns during gatherings. And the emphasis of "if I be a man of God" or "If I be a prophet of God" syndrome were copied from Igbo diviners and medicine men whose influence and popularity was dependent on their ability to convince their customers on how intimate they were with the spirits. The work call on church leaders and other Christian bodies to guard against the emphasis shifting from God to the personality of the men of God and Prophet and also to guard against syncretism in copying Igbo religion into Christianity.

O autorze

Ubani, Nbili Chimaobi
The Very Rev'd Nbili Chimaobi Ubani Dip.Th, B.A.(Hons, UNN),M.A (Church and Society, ABSU), Ph.D (African Traditional Religion, UNN); hails from Ikwuano L.G.A. of Abia State. He has been in Methodist Ministry for over three decades, He has lectured at Methodist Theological Institute for close to a decade and currently is the Dean, Student Affairs.