Scholarly Works
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Item Elements of African Traditional Religion in Christ Apostolic Church, Southwestern Nigeria(2012) Ogunrinade, A.O.The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) has a reputation for high spiritualism, but it also has a subtle link with African traditional religion (ATR). Studies on the church have concentrated on the church’s origin, spiritual programmes and legendary personalities but have not addressed the church’s connection with .ATR This study, therefore examined the ATR elements appropriated in CAC in terms of the objects used, the procedures involved in their use and the functions associated with them. Sixty CAC branches were purposively selected in Ibadan, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Ado-Ekiti and Osogbo. Unstructured interviews were conducted with purposively sampled 60 pastors (10 from each city) and 120 laity (20 from each city). A total of 360 copies of a questionnaire were administered to the same number of respondents. A ten-week participant observation monitoring was also conducted. Data were subjected to content analysis and simple descriptive analysis. Four ATR elements were adopted in CAC: spiritualisation of the head, pregnancy conception, photographs/objects and the earth. Across all these elements, water, olive oil and Psalms/songs were utilised, albeit differently. For the head, spiritual washing with water and consecration with olive oil occurred. For conception, consecrated water was drunk and rubbed on the tummy. Water was sprinkled on photographs, handkerchiefs, mantles, land and all forms of property. Barren women, carrying dummy/symbolic babies, sprinkled water or olive oil on their tummies while chanting psalms or songs spiritedly. Pregnant women prayed naked in the mid-night, chanting psalms and songs. Five types of chanting were identified: psalms/songs associated with warfare, imprecations, power, spiritual beings and supremacy of God. The ATR belief in the spiritualisation for destiny fulfilment was slightly modified in the CAC context where the head was believed to be spiritually empowered to accept its fortunes and reverse negative situations. In ATR and CAC, using spiritually treated water and chanting was believed to be capable of bringing about conception. While the spiritualisation of photographs/objects in ATR was done to manipulate situations positively or negatively, it was done in CAC for positive effects. The spiritualisation of the earth in ATR was to manage metaphysical forces, but it was used in CAC to spiritually influence blessings and protection. About seventy percent of the respondents believed that the head could harbour evil or good, and therefore needs to be spiritually treated while 88% believed that sanctified water and oil could cure ill-luck. About eighty percent believed that barrenness transcends medical reasons, and should be spiritually handled, 78.8% believed that praying on photographs/objects had positive effects, and 69.2% believed that evil and good forces are resident in the earth, and could be positively or negatively engaged. The appropriation of some natural and synthetic elements used in ATR in CAC shows a link between the church and the religion. Thus, the concepts of spiritual manipulation and protection enhancement are evident in the procedures of both ATR and CACItem The Contributions of Youth Organisations to the Growth of Christ Apostolic Church in Southwestern Nigeria, 1943-2013(2015) Afolabi, S. O.Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), an African indigenous church, has various youth organisations, which have contributed significantly to the growth of the church. Previous studies on CAC have focused on the contributions of the founding fathers, as well as on men and women‟s associations with little attention paid to those of youth organisations. This study, therefore, examined youth organisations in the history of CAC in Southwestern Nigeria from 1943 to 2013 with a view to assessing their contributions to the growth of the church through church planting, promotion of formal education, leadership and career development. The study adopted Matthew Seebach‟s theory of youth participation. The Light of the World Society (LOWS), CAC Students‟ Association (CACSA) and CAC Youth Fellowship (CACYOF) were purposively selected being the most prominent youth groups in CAC. A questionnaire was used to elicit information from 542 (355 males and 187 females) purposively selected members of CAC in Abeokuta, Ado Ekiti, Akure, Ibadan, Lagos and Osogbo. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 elderly pastors, 25 youth pastors and 12 youth leaders purposively selected from the Church. Church records were also consulted. Data were subjected to historical analysis and descriptive statistics. The LOWS planted 25 churches between 1966 and 1992 thereby increasing membership from 87,077 to 1,059,438. The CACSA planted 70 churches, leading to membership growth from 1,059,438 in 1992 to 4,707,438 in 2013. During the same period, CACYOF established 241 English-speaking assemblies resulting in the membership increase of 941,487 in 2013. Between 1971 and 2013, CACSA established 29 campus fellowship centres while CACYOF established 31 between 1992 and 2013. The CACYOF contributed to leadership development by initiating an annual Leadership Training Programme in 2002. This has produced many leaders for CAC. On career development, CACYOF organised seven empowerment seminars targeted at teaching vocational skills and creating job opportunities for youths in 11 centres between 2010 and 2013. In advancing infrastructural development, CACSA established a primary school, two secondary schools and a theological college in Osogbo between 1999 and 2009 while CACYOF introduced Information Communication Technology to the operations of CAC in Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States from 2003 to 2013. A total of 93.5% respondents agreed that youth organisations contributed to the infrastructural growth of the church. Youth organisations have contributed to the growth of Christ Apostolic Church in southwestern, Nigeria. Therefore, youth organisations should be recognised in the growth and development of the churchItem The Healing Ministry as a Catalyst of the Growth of Christ Apostolic Church in Southwestern Nigeria, 1943-2000(2014) Adedapo, B. A.Divine Healing, which is healing without orthodox medicine, has over the years played a dominant role in the growth of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Southwestern Nigeria. Despite this role, previous studies have focused on its theological significance and changing trends, with little emphasis on its impact on the growth of CAC Therefore, this study examined the healing ministry in CAC Southwestern Nigeria (1943-2000), with a view to assessing its large contributions to the numerical growth of the church in the areas of membership, size of ordained ministers and church branches. The study was premised on Kohlberg’s theory of growth and development. In-depth interviews were conducted with purposively selected 20 ministers, 20 evangelists, 30 faith-home workers, 20 church medical doctors, 30 male and 30 female members in selected healing centres of the church in Lagos, Ibadan, Ikeji-Arakeji, Efon-Alaaye, Ede and Akure, where CAC thrived. Also, 534 copies of a questionnaire were administered to purposively selected 349 members and 185 ministers in the centres. Church records at the General Headquarters in Ibadan were consulted. Data were subjected to historical analysis and percentage scores. Ignorance causing a lingering epidemic between 1925 and 1943 facilitated membership growth in CAC. Records from the church’s headquarters indicated that between 1943 and 1962, membership grew from 62,103 to 82,755 in Lagos, Ijebu-ode and Ibadan centres, due to healing testimonies traced to the survival of the epidemics. Church records, complemented by 58.0% of interview responses, indicated that between 1943 and 1959, over 50.0% of converts to CAC in the Ekiti and Ondo axis were attracted by healing. About 63.8% of the questionnaire respondents agreed that the membership size of 297,482 between 1963 and 1983 was connected to five dead people raised in Ijesaland. Despite this success, the death of 33 persons, compounded by government’s denial of death certificates to their families between 1959 and 1996 caused downward patronage for the CAC healing ministry. However, in 1983, the renewed emphasis on efficacy of water sourced from Ariran Brook at Ikeji-Arakeji which accounted for the healing of 40 persons between 1990 and 1992; the lift of embargo on orthodox medicine by the church authority in 1997; and improved services in the faith-homes, culminated in the membership swell of 500,000 in the year 2000. Increased healing campaigns and establishment of three seminaries in Ede, Lagos and Ile-Ife, facilitated ministerial growth between 1943 and 1962, raising the number of ministers from 24 to 40. Between 1963 and 1982, more healing manifestations increased the number to 402, and their impactful zeal for healing brought the number to 2,504 in year 2000. Church records at the headquarters indicated that healing practices progressively led to branch expansion: 76 (1943), 497 (1962), 1,602 (1982), and 4,682 (2000). The healing ministry in Christ Apostolic has largely contributed to the growth of Christ Apostolic Church in Southwestern Nigeria between 1943 and 2000. Thus, the healing ministry proved to be an indispensible instrument for membership drive, ministerial formation and church growth