THE NEED OF CORDIAL INTERN-TRIBAL RELATION IN THE CHURCH TODAY
| Format: Ms Word | 1-5 Chapters | Table of Content|
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Abstract
The study was to investigate the need of cordial intern-tribal relation in the church today, a case study of Church of the brethren, EYN. LCC Ikeja. The primary concern here lies on identifying the various views of intern-tribal relations; concept, theories, perspectives in African view and panacea to intern-tribal conflicts. The focus of this work involved the Church in inter-tribal relations, the obligation of the church in settling tribal conflict, giving solutions the distortion and misconception of intern-tribalism, and also the responsibilities of church in aiding intern-tribal relations for the health of the society. Findings revealed that, the reasons for most intern-tribal relation conflicts are Languages and cultural beliefs. Secondly intern-tribal relation help changes the outlook of the church and makes room for evangelization to other cultures. This work made used of historical research, a detailed survey of related literatures were carried out to validate the findings. It was concluded that the church should act as a role model to aid in solutions to solving problem of intern-tribal frictions in Churches and the society. The researcher recommended that believers should act based on the scriptures and the scripture should be the foundation for cordial inter-tribal relations in the church today.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Problem
Christians shares one body in Christ according to “Romans 12:5” so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Yet, every Christian belongs to a separate worldly entity, tribe or different ethnic group, easily identified by his or her mother’s tongue. This clearly shows that every Christian is a citizen of a nation. The problem has always been how to express such identities and associations, in ways that do not become contradictory to God’s initial gift of unity.
In the African context, everyone belongs to a tribe which forms the social, cultural and religious life of the society. Tribe is so essential that one cannot be separated from it no matter how bad or serious a situation is. The family, community, land, and the people belong to the tribe which forms the basis for life. The federation of Nigeria, as it exists today, has never really been one homogeneous country, for it is widely differing peoples and tribes (Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba) are yet to find any basis for true unity. In the society, any insistence upon relating with other tribes within the church is largely resisted by few people.
The society (ethnicity, tribe and race), demands association whether be it in the church or the society at large. However, it is a common knowledge that man hates loneliness and wants to relate to people, bearing in mind that man is a dependent being, thus, inter-tribal relations becomes of utmost importance to meeting this natural desire in human. Be it as it may: man has a colossal problem of differences in ideas, values and beliefs and these differences often leads individuals to disagreement, misbehavior and sometimes lack of respect.
History teaches us that, like other human characteristics, identities can be abused, becoming idolatrous and serving as an excuse to fear, exclude and disadvantage others. Dr. C.C Orgu in his book Jesus the Royal Messiah in the African Context opined that; “human beings are full of vices, such as greed selfishness, corruption and the like. These vices are self-destructive and antisocial. Greed is the mother of corruption and corruption breeds crime, violence and other vices. It is of an unhappy case to see what happens these days concerning tribal relationship amongst Christians.
Where there is tension and conflict the churches are called to be bearers of Christ’s presence, to be agents of reconciliation and justice. A thorough analysis of Ephesians 2:11-22 reveals that the church is not in any way limited to one tribe alone, be it the Jews or the gentiles.
The factors of race, ethnicity and nation are related in different ways in different contexts. Sometimes race coincides with ethnicity or nation, so that all members of the given ethnic or national group share the same racial features. Sometimes, Churches are so closely identified with particular groups, institutions, nations and their interests that they cannot play this reconciling role, and indeed may make conflicts worse by legitimizing and promoting the interests of one party over others. When divisions among the churches reflect and reinforce divisions in society the results are often destructive, even deadly.
Conversely, every issue needs to be solved properly in the church when relating. Because, church divisions dismay and distress mature believers, disappoints new believers, causes havoc in the lives of pastor as well as their families and generally kill the life and growth of such growth. Apparently, despite the prevalence of Intern-tribal conflict in churches rather than intern-tribal relations, there are but a few academic and theological works on this topic. In Nigeria, Intern-tribal relations is not a popular topic to engage people thus less attention is given to it except for some few journals and books. In view of this prevailing hitch, the study therefore aims at providing a lasting and workable solutions to the menace of Intern-tribal relations and conflicts in the Church, using Church of the brethren, EYN. LCC Ikeja Lagos State as a case study.
1.2 Problem Statement
Unfortunately, today’s church is not immune to Intern-tribal clashes and crises. Several research agrees to the fact that ethnicity, tribalism, and racism are also affecting the Christian church (Mercer, 1996). Therefore, the frictions of Intern-tribal relations in the church can never be over emphasized. Where the issues are not race related, they are either ethnic or tribe related. It ranges from spiritual to psychological and then to the physical, thus, it affects the being of a man, and in turn affects the life stream of any organization. Interntribal relation’ greatest problem is that it is a silent poison that if not managed well can kill a whole organization. Its subtle in its operation, it makes the favoured feel alright but yet set the unfavoured at war with the favoured and bitterness with the one showing the favour. This often leads to sects in church; it causes great division and in turn shortens Gods hand from such organization. The greatest cause of intern-tribal relations is leadership incapacity to grow his mind. Bad leadership breads inter-tribal clashes while good leadership breeds peace and unity, thus, if this issue is to be resolved, the leader really needs to play the lead role in relegating power to policies to run the organization. Furthermore, it creates unhealthy competition in the church which sometimes leads to physical battle in the case where the unfavoured is not a matured Christian. It is basically giving audience to a particular tribe and not giving to others based on their appearance, marriage, style, talent, bank account, connection and others. This challenges pushes victims to leave the church and maybe go to an occult to find acceptance. The show of inter-tribalism is the lack of Christ kind of love. It is loving based on what such an individual can bring to the table and not based on what can be done to help such an individual. It is in view of this that the researcher intends to investigate the need of cordial intern-tribal relation in the church today.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The researcher’s primary objective is to investigate, and explore the real reasons that gives rise to Intern-tribal war within churches in Nigeria and present the need for a balance of equal treatment to all individual as unto the Lord. The specific objectives were:
- To find out the problems causing intern-tribal conflicts using Church of the brethren, EYN. LCC Ikeja as a role model to give solutions.
- To enable churches to understand the role of ethnic and national identity in their own lives, in their relationships as churches and in their societies.
- To equip the churches to become an effective prophetic sign of the unity and renewal of a renewed human community.
- To help churches act as agents of reconciliation in local situations of intern-tribal tension and conflict.