Original Research - Special Collection: Africa Platform for NT Scholars

That they may be one (Jn 17:11): Mending the seamless coat of Christ in Assemblies of God Nigeria

Ezichi A. Ituma, Kalu O. Ogbu, Prince E. Peters
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 79, No 4 | a8285 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v79i4.8285 | © 2023 Ezichi A. Ituma, Kalu O. Ogbu, Prince E. Peters | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 11 November 2022 | Published: 10 August 2023

About the author(s)

Ezichi A. Ituma, Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; and, Department of New Testament and Related Literature, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Kalu O. Ogbu, Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; and, Department of New Testament and Related Literature, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Prince E. Peters, Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; and, Department of New Testament and Related Literature, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Assemblies of God church in Nigeria, which has for over 40 years now, experienced various crises that have led to sucession and factionalism in that church. The once giant of spirituality and the mother of Pentecostalism has grappled with the problem of administration, leadership tussle and bigotry. This study is a review of previous and current crises that AG Nigeria has gone through at the General Council level in a bid to mend what seems to have torn asunder the seamless coat of Christ in line with the prayer of Jesus, ‘that they may be one’. The study uses historical-critical method and phenomenological design to analyse the depth of the crack in the church in order to predict the future of Pentecostalism in Nigeria.

Contribution: To chronicle the crises in Assemblies of God Nigeria through a study of current and past patterns of events with a view to recommending possible solutions.


Keywords

Assemblies of God; John; Pentecostalism; leadership crisis; bigotry; Nigeria

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

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