ABSTRACT
In Nigeria, particularly in the North, Christian persecution has had a significant impact on Nigerians’ religious, economic, and social lives. Christian persecution is a global problem that is on the rise. This study looked into the experiences of Christians in Northern Nigeria who were persecuted, how they responded, and how those responses affected evangelism and discipleship. In order to be able to offer a reaction to persecution that would have a good effect on evangelism and discipleship, the researcher also looked into how the early church responded to persecution. effectively contrast the responses to Northern Christians’ persecution, Glenn Penner’s concept of Fight, Flight, and Fortitude as responses to persecution were applied to Nigeria and the early church.
Data from fieldwork demonstrated the different levels of persecution faced by Christians in Northern Nigeria, ranging from light to severe. The oppression of ethnic minorities in Northern Nigeria, who are primarily Christians, included discrimination at work, denial of government services, denial of rights, and oppression of Christians. Extreme persecution included massive church building, home, and business damage as well as mass murder by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen.
According to research findings, attacks and retaliation had a negative effect on evangelism and discipleship while Christians in Northern Nigeria unanimously agreed that pacifistic responses had a beneficial influence. Christians and Muslims now live in separate communities in some areas as a result of negative Christian responses to persecution that have fostered animosity, suspicion, and strained relationships. The question of whether Christians should defend the poor and defenseless in the face of mass murder or genocide is one that is now being discussed among Christians.
To serve as an example for Christians in Northern Nigeria and to identify potential traps in their reactions to persecution, the early church’s responses to persecution were also studied. The analysis found that the vast majority of the early Christians were pacifists. Except in the case of the Catholic-Donatist schism, which was an internal crisis within Christianity, there was never a response to fight against the invader. Early Christians who patiently endured hardship and even death had a good effect on evangelism; conversely, those who renounced their faith had a detrimental effect on evangelism and discipleship. In the early church, apologetics, or the presentation of a case for the religion by apologists, was another form of self-defense.
This study comes to the conclusion that pacifism is advised in order to have a beneficial impact on evangelism and discipleship as well as have improved community relations in Northern Nigeria based on the study of early Christians and the responses of Christians in that region. Christians continue to debate self-defense, particularly in light of their need to defend the poor and defenseless.
AN EXAMINATION OF EARLY CHRISTIANS TO PERSECUTION AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA. GET MORE BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGY PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS
