Clerics tasked on theological education

By Usman Shuaibu

The Head, Department of Religious studies at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olubiyi Adeniyi Adewale, has urged the authorities of Nigerian churches to deem it necessary to send the pastors to theological colleges.
Adewale, who stated this while presenting the 12th Inaugural lecture of the University with the theme “Africanization of Biblical Hermeneutics: An Excursus into Jesus’ Parabolic Discourse” which took place at the Headquarters of NOUN in Abuja on Thursday.
His words: “There is the need to have pastors who are theologically sound. Churches must take the bold step to get pastors educated not only in faith colleges, but also in theological college so that the faith can be balanced with theological education”.
He further added: “Every pastor during their faith/theological training should be made to acquire a working knowledge of the biblical languages, that is, Hebrew and Greek so that they could be able to do their translations without recourse to English versions of the Bible.
This would make them overcome translation problems”.
He also urged the Christians against over dependence on western Bible commentaries as well study Bibles, adding that Christians should also stop the overuse of allegorical method of interpretation in the churches.
Adewale, however, challenged the Bible Society of Nigeria, to as a matter of urgency to publish the African study Bible that some of them participated in writing.
This, according to Professor, this kind of study Bible written by Nigerian scholars of the Bible would be of help to our people in giving the correct cultural perspective to the business hermeneutics.
Meanwhile, the inaugural lecture was attended by the Vice-chancellor of NOUN, the principal staff of the university as well as government functionaries.