SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST YOUTHS AND POLITICAL APATHY IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL SURVEY

Olugbenga Efuntade (DTh)

Abstract


The effect of certain theological worldviews on political engagement is empirically investigated in this paper. Focus is beamed on young people in tertiary institutions in south-western zone of Nigeria universities who were members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Although, a decline is noted among youths in many countries around the world, this research notes that religion is one factor that affects the attitudes of some youths to issues of politics and how they are governed in south-west zone of Nigeria. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has at the core of its theology the importance of keeping holy the seventh day of the week as Sabbath which it believed is Saturday. It also believes the imminent, pre-millennial Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Its beliefs indicate a low expectation of the ability of secular political structure to cause enduring just, equitable and prosperous human society. Only the Second Advent willachieve that. The denomination is also suspicious of the unity of church and state and campaigns against any semblance of such a unity. This theological position affects the political worldview of its young members who are in tertiary institutions. The apolitical posture of the young members of the denomination is steeperthan that of their contemporaries in other faith groups.

Keywords


Political engagement, religion, governance, youth participation, democracy.

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