Varsity Don advocates inclusion of religious studies in faith-based universities

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

A University Don, Professor Babatunde Aderemi, has enjoined faith-based universities in Nigeria to include religious studies in their curriculum to enable students to have both western and religious knowledge.

Aderemi, a Professor of Church History and Missiology, stated this while delivering his inaugural lecture at the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, on Thursday.

Speaking on “Mission out of Africa: The Changing Faces of African Christianity,” Aderemi stated that the lavish lifestyle and preconceived notion of a privileged class as a minister or missionary by some African missionaries in the West is pseudo-Christianity.

He said, “inadequate missiological training is a panacea for abysmal performance in the mission field. Hence, missionaries should adopt continuous personal development to acquaint themselves with the changing dynamics in mission strategies. Missionaries who have obtained their first degree in another discipline should be compelled by the sending churches to focus on developing themselves in missiological studies and not postgraduate degrees in other fields of study.

“Missionaries should endeavour to initiate and sustain discipleship programmes to develop indigenous missionaries in the mission field to facilitate easy access and identification with policymaker enterprise.

According to the university Don, ‘politics of religious’ education inich has seen the introduction of Islamic courses in Chra istian Relthe igious Studies as good, saying this gives students a broad knowledge of other religions. However, this development is one-sided as many Islamic Studies in Nigerian Universities do not offer any Christian Religious Studies courses. This imbalance should be corrected if graduates of religious s studies (Christian and Islamic options) will appreciate the interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance in a multi-ethnic and pluralistic society like Nigeria.

“Likewise, lack of integration of Christian mission courant in Christian Religious Studies in most Universities offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in various fields on Christian Religious Studies is a grave oversight by policymakers and curriculum developers on religious education in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.”

“There is an urthe gent need for a review of the curriculum of Religious Studies in Nigeria, as some of the courses being offered are not reflective of the global migration trends which are characterized by fluidity of socio-cultural and religious ideals due to the forces of globalisation and technological advancements. Although the introduction of the new Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) is plausible, there should be more flexibility to introduce new courses relevant to the needs of employers such as churches and mission agencies.

“There is an urgent need for Christian -owned universities to initiate undergraduate and postgraduate programmes on a mission or intercultural studies that will contribute significantly to the missional aspirations of their proprietors.

“Although this might be quite demanding with statutory procedures of the National Universities Commission, it will be supported by their proprietor(s) once the benefits that will accrue to churches are well articulated to the proprietors. Some of these programmes include Doctor of Ministry, Missiology, Intercultural Studies and a host of others.”