Reading Deuteronomy 16-18 within the context of nepotism and corruption in ECWA, Nigeria : a theological-ethical study
| dc.contributor.advisor | Jonker, Louis C. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Hendriks, Hans Jurgens | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Amao, Solomon | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-08-25T14:18:26Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-12-22T14:13:50Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-08-25T14:18:26Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-12-22T14:13:50Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-08-25 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nepotism is described as an unjust, unethical, divisive and oppressive disparagement of the “other”, who is marginalized for kinship (family, tribal, ethnic, regional, or cultural), political (granting favours in a patron-client relationship to relatives, friends, benefactors, and privileged kinfolks), and similar prejudicial reasons. This study provokes further discussions by linking the historically established and provocative phenomenon of nepotism (cronyism, patronage, simony and favouritism) with corrupt leadership practices in the Nigerian church, Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and the Nigerian society. Incongruences between the church’s professions and practices signpost a problem. The Church, a community of faith, lays claim to a unique understanding of God, worship, fellowship, the exercise of authority, and the concept of “God’s household”. It is, therefore, considerably more difficult to rationalize the use of nepotism to provide identity and meaning for Christians than for others in the wider Nigerian society. This study compares the characterizations, factors, and features of nepotism and corruption that occur in church and society. It also analyses how several years of maladministration advance nepotism and a vicious circle of corruption on church and society. In order to address this problem from a biblical perspective, the study employs a historical, contextual and multi-dimensional exegetical approach to Deuteronomy 16-18, and a communal and accountable interpretation of the text. The socio-historical, socio-economical, and religio-cultural contexts ground the formulation of an analogical paradigm for the study. New Testament texts serve to continue the act of constant appropriation of Israel’s values for new and changing contexts. These stir the application of the text’s moral and social implications, ethical demands, and transformational potentials to apply to sacred and secular leadership in modern-day Nigerian situations. Furthermore, the study advocates that faith and non-faith communities opt for diligent, responsible and circumscribed leadership that obeys God’s word and exercise collective power strategies. This framework ensures social justice, corporate solidarity, social ethic, generosity to the economically weak, and the protection of the rights/entitlements of the vulnerable in a safe and secure society. The blunt realities of nepotism and corruption, especially as it pertains to marginalization of people groups, in church and society are reasonably acknowledged. This study endeavours to provide a voice for many of the silenced and ignored interpretive contexts and interests of the disenfranchised. Thus, the study generates platforms for dialogues and for influencing the shared interests of persons and groups in each community. The study also demands justice and equity as normative ethics of obligations, on a sound biblical basis from Deuteronomy 16-18. Besides, ECWA hierarchy, may be motivated to inculcate new attitudes and actions towards people marginalized via nepotism; to become advocates for social justice, and to contribute to transforming church and society based on a covenant obligation towards Yahweh and towards brothers/sisters and fellow citizens. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nepotisme word beskryf as ‘n onregverdige, onetiese, verdelende en onderdrukkende minagting van die ‘ander, wat gemarginaliseer word ter wille van verwantskap (familie, stam, etnies, streeks of kultureel), polities (wat gunste verleen in ‘n beskermheer-kliënt-verhouding aan familielede, vriende, weldoeners en bevoorregte familielede) en sort gelyke nadelige redes. Hierdie studie lok verdere besprekings uit deur die histories gevestigde en uitdagende verskynsel van nepotisme (baantjies-vir-boeties, patronaatskap, simonie en begunstiging) te verbind met korrupte leierskapspraktyke in die Nigeriese kerk, Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) en die Nigeriese samelewing. Onreëlmatighede in die beroepe en praktyke van die Kerk is ‘n probleem. Die Kerk, ‘n geloofsgemeenskap, maak aanspraak op ‘n unieke begrip van God, aanbidding, gemeenskap, die uitoefening van gesag en die konsep van ‘God se huishouding’. Dit is dus aansienlik moeiliker om die gebruik van nepotisme te rasionaliseer om identiteit en betekenis aan Christene te bied as vir ander in die breër Nigeriese samelewing. Hierdie studie vergelyk die karakteriserings, faktore en kenmerke van nepotisme en korrupsie wat in die kerk en die samelewing voorkom. Dit ontleed ook hoe etlike jare van wanadministrasie nepotisme en ‘n bose kringloop van korrupsie in die kerk en die samelewing bevorder het. Om hierdie probleem vanuit ‘n bybelse perspektief te beskou, gebruik die studie ‘n historiese, kontekstuele en multidimensionele eksegetiese benadering tot Deuteronomium 16-18, en ‘n kommunale en verantwoordbare interpretasie van die teks. Die sosio-historiese, sosio-ekonomiese en godsdiens-kulturele kontekste begrond die formulering van ‘n analogiese paradigma vir die studie. Nuwe-Testamentiese tekste dien om die voortgaande toeëiening van Israel se waardes vir nuwe en veranderende kontekste voort te sit. Hierdie toepassings stuur die verdere toepassing van die teks se morele en sosiale implikasies, etiese eise en transformasiepotensiaal op die kerklike en sekulêre leierskap in hedendaagse Nigeriese situasies. Verder bepleit die studie dat geloofs- en nie-geloofsgemeenskappe moet kies vir ywerige, verantwoordelike en omskrewe leierskapstyle wat God se woorde gehoorsaam en kollektiewe magstrategieë toepas. Hierdie raamwerk verseker sosiale geregtigheid, korporatiewe solidariteit, sosiale etiek, vrygewigheid vir ekonomies swakkes en die beskerming van die regte van die weerloses in ‘n veilige samelewing. Die blatante realiteit van nepotisme en korrupsie die kerk en gemeenskap, veral in die mate waarin dit bydra tot die marginalisering van sekere mensegroep, word algemeen erken. Hierdie studie poog om ‘n stem te bied vir baie van die stilgemaakte en geïgnoreerde interpretatiewe kontekste en belange van die veronregtes. Die studie genereer dus platforms vir dialoë en om die gedeelde belange van persone en groepe in elke gemeenskap te beïnvloed. Die studie eis ook geregtigheid en billikheid as normatiewe etiek van verpligtinge, gebaseer op die verantwoordelike bybelse basis van Deuteronomium 16-18. Boonop kan lesers gemotiveer word om nuwe houdings en optrede teenoor mense wat deur nepotisme gemarginaliseer word, in te skerp; om advokate te word vir sosiale geregtigheid en om by te dra tot die transformasie van kerk en samelewing gebaseer op 'n verbondsverpligting teenoor Jahwe en teenoor broers/susters en medeburgers. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | xiii, 246 leaves | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123646 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Bible. Deuteronomy, XVI-XVIII -- Criticism, interpretation, etc. | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Corruption -- Nigeria | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Political leadership -- Nigeria | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Christian leadership -- Nigeria | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Nepotism | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Reading Deuteronomy 16-18 within the context of nepotism and corruption in ECWA, Nigeria : a theological-ethical study | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |