By Fr. OKHUELEIGBE OSEMHANTIE AMOS

In a stunning display of intellectual firepower and theological depth, Rev. Fr. Dr. Idahosa Amadasun electrified the plenary hall of the Catholic Theological Association of Nigeria (CATHAN) Conference yesterday (April 23), leaving an audience of seasoned theologians, scholars, and doctoral students spellbound with what many have now dubbed “an oratorical and theological tour de force.”

Speaking on the topic “Theological Study of Religion in Nigeria as a Remedy for Irresponsible Religious Practice” at the conference holding in Benin City, he warned that the absence of theological depth in religious education is fostering superstition, syncretism, violence, and commercialisation of faith.

The paper notes that Nigeria, though deeply religious, is marked by a disconnect between faith and life. Examples cited include political actors giving thanks to God after fraudulent electoral victories and youths combining cybercrimes with ritualistic practices under the guise of spiritual fortification. These behaviours, the scholar argues, stem from a lack of reflective religious education rooted in theology.

Drawing from the works of Prof. Anthony Akinwale, the paper distinguishes among phenomenological, comparative, and theological approaches to religion. While the first two dominate religious studies in Nigerian universities, the third — theology — is glaringly absent. Unlike other disciplines that treat religion as a phenomenon, theology begins with faith and seeks understanding, fostering a rational and ethical commitment to a religious tradition.

Citing St. Anselm and St. Thomas Aquinas, the scholar emphasised theology as “faith seeking understanding,” asserting that divine revelation, not mere observation, is the foundation of authentic religious knowledge. Without this theological grounding, religious practices risk becoming irrational and self-serving.

According to the paper, a theological approach to religion compels adherents to interrogate their beliefs and practices in light of divine revelation, reason, and love. It trains minds to connect worship with ethical living. The absence of theology in Nigerian academic and religious formation, therefore, results in a populace that is religiously active but morally disoriented.

The scholar further traced Christianity’s heritage to a Greco-Roman synthesis of faith, reason, and charity, recalling how early Christians were charged as atheists by the Roman state for rejecting cultic gods in favour of a rational, philosophical deity. Referencing St. Augustine’s dialogue with Marcus Varro, the paper distinguishes between mythical, civil, and natural theology, arguing that Christian theology has always stood as a critical alternative — demanding truth, ethics, and intelligent devotion.

The commercialisation of Christian prayer and the misrepresentation of spiritual offering — such as “seed sowing” turned into a barter system for material prosperity — was condemned as a distortion. Rather than promote self-offering, such practices, the paper laments, encourage an entitlement mentality foreign to the Gospel of love and self-denial.

The paper concludes with a strong plea: for Nigeria to experience moral and spiritual renewal, theology must find its place in university curricula, policy frameworks, and pastoral formation. It is only through the marriage of faith, reason, and love that religion can serve as a force for good and not a cloak for evil.

• Fr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Amos, PhD, is of the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, Nigeria.