Don Tasks FG On Establishment Of Ministry Of Religious Affairs
To check the menace of religious crisis that has bedeviled the country, a professor of Biblical Studies and African Christian Hermeneutics has called for the establishment of Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Delivering the 5th in the series of Redeemer’s University, Ede inaugural lecture, Prof. Afolorunsho Dairo noted that the establishment of the ministry at federal level would assist in settling issues that could degenerate to religious crisis in the country.
Dairo who spoke on the theme’ Postmodernism and Contemporary Understanding of Biblical Interpretation: A reflection on African Biblical Hermeneutics said, State and Local Governments should also work towards establishing the same Ministry so as to put an end to religious crisis in their domain.
His words: “Instead of spending so much in settling religious crisis which is a fire brigade approach, the Federal Government must establish a ministry of Religious Affairs and put people of integrity in charge.
“Not those who would be there to favour a particular group of people or religion or serve the interest of those who put them there.
“This will help in settling religious crisis in the country”.
Speaking on the post modernism interpretation of the scriptures, Dairo said it was painful that many pastors were misinterpreting the bible for selfish reasons.
“Most members in the church rely mainly on pastors’ interpretation of the scriptures.
“But unfortunately many of the pastors lack theological education and claim reliance on the spirit of God which they don’t have.
“In most cases one is left to wonder whether the Bible used in those days is still the same bible being used today.
“What makes the difference is the interpretation and the watering down of the massage of the scripture which can hardly be detached from struggle for power, leadership position and to become proprietors or proprietresses of churches”.
Dairo said as a result of contemporary biblical interpretation, the spiritual value of Christianity had been lost.
“In the old, sinners go home weeping or sober but today sinners go home rejoicing.
” The ancient go to church with their body covered and focused on inner beauty but modern wear mini skirt show their nakedness and infact, everything on her is artificial.
“All these boil down to post modernism interpretation of the scriptures”, Dairo said.