TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 8 Abbreviations 10 Chapter One Introduction 11 1.0 Objective of Study 11 1.1 Christology in Churches in Nigeria 13 1.2 Taxonomy of Nigerian Churches 16 1.3 Some features of African Indigenous Churches 20 1.4 Research Question 24 1.5 Research Methodology 24 1.6 Importance of this Study 27 1.7 The steps of the argument 28 Chapter Two Review of Relevant Literature 2.0 Introduction 29 2.1 The concept and worship of the deity in African Traditional Religions 29 2.2 The quest for African Christology 33 2.3 Content of African Christologies 35 2.4 Christ as Divine and human in the African Context 37 2.5 Sources of Afro-Christology 38 2.6 Contemporary Christologies in Africa 40 2.6.1 Jesus as Ancestor 40 2.6.2 Jesus as Healer 43 2.6.3 Christus Victor 44 2.6.4 Jesus as Chief 45 2.6.5 Jesus as Elder Brother 45
2.6.6 Jesus as Liberator 46 2.7 Christology in the contemporary Nigerian Churches 48 2.8 Focus of this Study 52 Chapter Three An Overview of the Historical Development of the Churches in Nigeria from Pre-colonial period to Present day 3:0 Introduction 58 3.1 The Nigerian Religious terrain 58 3.2 History of Christianity in Nigeria - First Phase (1515-1841) 62 3.3 Second Phase (1841-1914) 66 3.4 The Missionary Enterprise of the 19 th Century 68 3.5 Third Phase 1914-1960- The emergence of African Indigenous Churches 74 3.5.1 Praying and Healing Churches 76 3.5.2 Advent of Pentecostalism in Nigeria 77 3.6 Fourth Phase: 1960 to Present day 80 3.7 Conclusion 81 Chapter Four History, Structures, Practices and Theology of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church 4.1 History 82 4.2 Structure 88 4.3 Theology 88 4.3.1 Vision and Mission Statement 88 4.3.2 Theology of Healing and Deliverance 92 4.3.3 Statement of Belief 96 4.4 Practises: Spiritual warfare and Imprecatory Prayer 97 4.5 Evaluation 103
Chapter Five Healing Practices in African Indigenous Churches of Nigeria 5.0 Introduction 106 5.1 Healing in African Traditional Society 108 5.2 The Medicine-man 117 5.3 The Nigerian Economy and Health Sector 120 5.4 AICs and Healing Emphasis 123 5.4.1 Early Missionary Thrust and the Quest for Healing 125 5.4.2 Ethiopianism and Healing Practices 133 5.4.3 Prophet-Healing Movement 134 5.4.4 The 1918 Worldwide Influenza and its Effects on African Indigenous Churches 135 5.4.5 Pentecostalism and Quest for Divine Healing in Nigeria 140 5.5 Summary 145 Chapter Six Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church Practices as a Reflection of Christological concerns in Nigerian Churches 6.0 Introduction 149 6. 1 Christology of the African Indigenous Churches 150 6.2 Jesus Christ the Healer in the AICs 156 6.3 Some Images of Jesus Christ in the AIC Churches 158 6.3.1 Jesus as King 158 6.3.2 Jesus Christ as a Priest 160 6.3.3 Jesus as a Prophet 163 6.3.4 Jesus Christ s Human and Divine Natures in the AICs 164 6.4 Christology of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church 165 6.5 Christology of the Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria 171 6.6 Summary 177 Chapter Seven Conclusion 181 7.0 Summary of previous chapters 181
7.1 Observations 182 7.1.1 A Transcendent Perspective 183 7.1.2 A socio-economic perspective 185 7.1.3 Possible contribution of the Christology of the MFM Church to the Mission churches. 188 7.2 Weaknesses of the Christology of the MFM Church 188 7.3 Christologies of the churches 192 7.4 Concluding Remarks 195 Bibliography 197 Summary 206 Samenvatting 209 Curriculum Vitae 212
Acknowledgements The inspiration to undertake this research work arose out of the context of an international conference which held at Houton in the Netherlands between 3-5 October, 2007, hosted by the Moluccan Theological Council, the International Reformed Theological Institute (IRTI) of the Vrije Universitiet, Amsterdam, the Centre for Public Theology, Stellenbosch University South Africa and the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. The conference theme was Jesus in Context, Lost in Translation?, provided a breeding ground for this research work, especially as it relates to the African cultural context. I left the conference with a notion that there seems to be a disparity between the propositional Christology of African Christian intellectuals and what obtains at grass root or popular theology, especially as regards the experiences of the African Indigenous Churches. This informed my interest in undertaking this research work. I am very grateful to my supervisor, Prof.(Dr.) Martien E. Brinkman, Professor of Ecumenical/Intercultural Theology and Director of the interdisciplinary VU Research Institute for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society (VISOR), who literarily took my thoughts in a raw form and transformed them into what we have in this research work. He took interest and accepted to accompany me as my supervisor. At critical stages of the work when the next step looked hazy, he shed light on my thoughts and urged me forward by constantly encouraging me. I thank him for guiding me through the research work to conform to acceptable theological form. I also acknowledge the significant help of Prof.(Dr.)Eddy Van de Borght, my alternate supervisor for his encouragements and critical comments at each stage of the work. I am thankful to the faculty of theology for providing scholarship that enabled me to enrol in the Masters in Contextual and Cross-cultural Studies (2005); the Research Masters programme in Reformed Theology (2007) and subsequently the PhD programme, all at the Faculty of Theology at the VU University Amsterdam. These academic programmes have been most rewarding for me as an individual.
I am equally thankful to my professors, Prof. (Dr.)Henk Vroom. Prof. (Dr.) Hans De Wit who supervised my Master s thesis. They were most helpful, kind and generous. I will not fail to mention Dr. Annette Mosher, Luzan Werts and Nienke Eikelboom who were equally wonderful and assisted at the administrative level. I appreciate the friendship of my colleagues in the academic pilgrimage that began in 2005 in Amsterdam. I remember Paul Williams (India), Nelson B. Frimpong (Ghana), Emmanuel Teryila Atsor (Nigeria), Oane Reitsma (Netherlands), Emmanuel Ayedzi (Canada) and a host of others who provided friendship and support at critical points during my sojourn in the Netherlands. At the home front in Nigeria, I wish to acknowledge the invaluable support of friends and senior colleagues like Rev.(Dr.) Kehinde Olabimtan, Rev. (Prof.) Deji Ayegboyin, Rev.(Dr,) E. Ayandokun, Miss Toluwalase Lawal, Miss Kehinde Olayiwola and Mrs. Adebiyi who at one time or the other made useful contributions or read through the manuscripts. I am indebted to my uncle, Prof. Richard Masagbor of the English language department of Benson Idahosa, University of Benin City who read through the manuscripts. I am also indebted to Mr. Ajibade Peters, the Director General of Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry, who availed me the opportunity to use the institution s facilities to work on my thesis. I am equally grateful to Mrs. Florence Onabanjo for equally assisting in this regards. I thank my wife, Pastor (Mrs) Betty Aigbadumah, and my children, Aamanesi, Ejiro and Esikogie who accepted that I be away from them while undertaking this academic pursuit. I thank my late parents, Pa Ayo and Mrs. Regina Aigbadumah for their great love for me and sacrifice at critical stages of my education. Above all, I am thankful to God, the giver of life and opportunities to explore the world He has created and to grasp knowledge and wisdom that are prerequisites for the continuous existence of man and society.
Abbreviations AIC CAC CAN CLA CCC CRM C & S EFAC FGBMFI MFM NABIS PFN African Indigenous (or Independent Church) Christ Apostolic Church Christian Association of Nigeria Church of the Lord, Aladura Celestial Church of Christ Christian Religious Movement Cherubim and Seraphim Church Evangelical Fellowship of the Anglican Communion Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church National Association for Biblical Studies Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria