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Project

Transformation through Dialogue: Ecumenical and Interreligious Identities in Nigeria

 

SUMMARY OF THE DOCTORAL PROJECT

 

This research argues that the communal identity of a church can be transformed through ecumenical dialogue and sets out to test whether this can have an impact on interreligious dialogue. It traces this transformation of communal identity with insights from the sociological and theological studies. Dynamic identity is thus established as the prerequisite for a more fruitful ecumenical dialogue, and conversely, dialogue must be oriented towards the transformation of communal identity. To apply this hypothesis, the study takes on the ecumenical relationship between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church at the global level, and thereafter contextualizes it with the dialogue between the two in Nigeria. It tries to make the specific contextual areas of transformation fruitful for the encounter of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. On the basis of possible applications of the transformative power of dialogue this research seeks to draw conclusions for interreligious dialogue in general, thus arguing for a ‘relationship model’ that would replace the so far prevailing ‘parallel model’.

Date:15 Feb 2016 →  18 May 2020
Keywords:Communal identity, Dialogue, Transformation
Disciplines:Theology and religious studies
Project type:PhD project