Religious Change in Nigerian Society

RCS 551

Assignment on

Relationship between Religion, Culture and Society

Lecturer:

Dr. Mrs. Okoli

By
Canon Anakwue Chinedu
(Postgraduate Student, Dept. of Religion and Cultural
Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka)

November 2022

Relationship between Religion, Culture and Society

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Introduction

The relationship of religion, society and culture cannot be undermined by any country in the
world. Religion is a societal structure that influences the cultural principles accepted by a certain
portion of the community. Through the spiritual frameworks in religion, adherents of various
religious convictions use the predetermined moral standards to guide their proceedings in
political, cultural, and social facets. Consequently, affiliates of these religious associations
uphold a definite set of behaviors that differentiates them from other members of the community.
The society is a product of the people’s culture and religion. Thus, the people’s responses, either
to welcome or reject any policy is to an extent a reflection of the kind of culture and religion they
practice. There is no country in the world that is not made up of heterogeneity, either in religion,
culture and otherwise. This article exposes the student to an understanding of the influence of
religion on human behavior which affects how the human society is ordered both directly and
indirectly. The religious belief and practice for good or evil is on the other hand is being affected
at any period in history by the tone of the society. Nonetheless, in the modern world, the cultural
transformations of the society have affected the religious component. Several denominations
have conceded or approved on certain issues including elements of sexuality, and their
involvement in political opinions (Armstrong 12). This indicates the connection between the
society, culture, and religion.

CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION

Religion

Intellectuals have greatly attempted to come to a conclusion as to what could stand as an

acceptable definition of religion but this has been an exercise in futility. Scholars have defined
this concept in different dimensions with each according to his perception. In our contemporary
society today, we have numerous religions, with each struggling to dominate the other in terms
of principles and practices. For example we have the Ogboni Confraternity religion, Eckanker
religion, Confraternity of the Sea Dogs religion, Islamic religion and of course the most
prominent which is the Christian religion. All these religious bodies are always at logger-heads
as to which is more righteous or purified in the area of their norms and practices

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However, Finiran (1983), simply defines religion as being concerned with the ultimate values
which are ends-in-themselves and pertain to life as a whole. He further stated that, it is a symbol
of unity, it is an embodiment of human sciences and most essentially, it deals with the
development of human person.

Society

Sharma (2009), defines society as a system of human relations on the basis of which, people are
united. These relations can be of many types. To him, society is a sum of man’s conditions and
the related roles. He went further to say, that it also a functional system in which the various
parts constituting of the society, relates to each other and also to the entire society for their fixed
jobs and roles. Indian Sociology Association (2009) stressed that society is a system in which
people accomplish their jobs and this system lasts for a longtime in individual’s life. This means
that people keep on dying and new ones keep on taking birth but society keeps running
ceaselessly, though the membership of people does change. The above definition points out the
fact that the society is the “opium” of religions as Aristotle said. It involves man’s interactions
between one another.

Culture

Culture in its simplest definition is the people’s way of life. It is the particular methods the
people within a particular race or traditions leave their life. It is often said that despite what one
does, he cannot isolate himself from the culture of the environment where he is born and bred.
Nkom (2008), while writing on culture as an instrument for sustainable development in Nigeria,
broadly defined culture;

“to encompass the world view of the people, the cognitive process which structure the thinking
and mindset of the people, the linguistic forms through which they communicate or express their
ideas, the aesthetic manifestation of their feelings and creativity in art, music, dance and other
aesthetic forms; the behavioral patterns which shape their actions; and the patterns of social
structure which govern their ways interacting with individuals, groups and people both within
and outside their society”.

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The expression however emphasizes the fact that culture in essence is man and man is culture.
Everything man does is usually culture driven.

Relationship between Religion, Culture, and the Society

Historical Elements of Christianity

Christianity is a religion founded on the practices and teachings of Jesus Christ as well as the
beliefs stipulated in various Hebrew Scriptures (Latourette 55). The general framework of
Christianity has numerous similarities with Judaism. The principles promoted by this religion are
in accordance with the events and ideologies regarding the existence, philosophies, death, and
renaissance of Jesus Christ. These philosophies combine the documentations of the old and new
testaments (Chadwick 91). Additionally, the adherents of this religion believe that Jesus Christ is
a sacred and immortal life form sent by God to save humanity from the earthly evils perpetrated
by Satan. Nonetheless, there are certain dissimilarities in the practices promoted by some
denominations within this broad religion. For instance, the followers of the Roman Catholic
Church perceive the Virgin Mary as a major facilitator of salvation while Protestants only view
her as a unifier of God and humanity (Latourette 59).

Historical Elements of Islam

Similar to the values of Christianity, Muslims believe in a supreme being that controls the entire
humanity in addition to guiding human beings away from the manipulations of the earthly forces.
This monotheistic spiritual association began through the crusades of Prophet Muhammad
(Esposito 79). This spiritual leader urged the general population to surrender their lives to Allah
in order to conduct an existence free of earthly worries and consequences of their immoral deeds.
Prophet Muhammad compiled various components revealed to him by Allah. The Quran, a holy
scripture of Islam, governs the social and cultural lives of Muslims. Nonetheless, the Sunni and
Shi’a have dissimilarities in their beliefs regarding the main principles of the Islamic religion
(Esposito 82). Moreover, the religious and social lives of Muslims are similar with both facets
concurring with the commandments stipulated in the Quran. Additionally, some rituals such as
Hajj and Zakat are major events in the Islamic calendar with Prophet Muhammad being a key
advocate of offering assistance to the less privileged in the society (O’Connor 111).

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Theoretical Frameworks of Religion

Despite the differences between Christianity and Islam, various theoretical frameworks connect
both religions. To start with, exported ethnocentrism attempts to define the superiority
exemplified by major religions. According to this speculative structure, the adherents of each
association perceive their religious principles as the ideal way of existence (Olson 44). For
instance, Muslims view Christian women as provocatively dressed for not veiling their heads and
wearing long gowns. Conversely, Christians perceive Islamic principles as faulty by asserting
that Prophet Muhammad did not have a direct connection with God (Arnold 69). Through these
ideologies, the adherents of each religion attempt to convert members of the opposing
association. They persuade individuals to abandon their religious values as a way of improving
their spirituality and conducting an ideal existence.

Cultural relativism is also a crucial theoretical framework that relates to the cultural segment of
Islam and Christianity. This structure justifies cultural principles unique to a certain community.
This framework does not include cultural comparisons. For example, the ideology of marriage is
different between the two religious categories. According to Islamic beliefs, parents are
responsible for identifying the right suitor for their daughters. Additionally, the girl under
consideration has to approve of her parents’ decision. In contrast, Christians encourage their
adherents to marry individuals based on their emotional connection. Parents usually accept the
partner chosen by their children because of the ideology that love is the main foundation in a
marriage.

Cultural diffusion is also a theoretical framework that indicates the interaction between religion,
culture, and the society. This hypothesis involves the extension of a cultural component into a
larger portion of the societal aspect. For instance, in the ancient periods, the Islam religion
discouraged women from actively participating in political affairs (Olson 88). However, the
impact of modernity has transformed this situation with a substantial number of Islamic women
attaining significant positions in the political, commercial, or social elements of the community.
Furthermore, various denominations within Christianity have adopted polygamy in the society.
This is because of the transformations in the setting of a typical family unit. Since religion and

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the society have a concrete connection, the change in one entity causes the alteration of major
proceedings in the other social association.

The element of global diffusion has also affected the religious operations in Christianity and
Islam. This is because of the intertwinement between various social groupings in the community
and the impact of various forces on the culture of a society. For instance, in the modern world,
the element of sexuality has transformed certain components in the religious, social, and cultural
settings of the global community. A large number of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and members of
the transgender category have publicized their sexual orientations. This has altered the moral
standards stipulated by religious convictions and the entire society. For instance, some
Protestants in such countries as the United States and other states in the European region have
modified their religious principles in order to accommodate such individuals.

Women and Religion

For a long time, various religions have depicted women as people who ought to follow the
ideologies presented by their male counterparts without raising any concerns. An analysis of the
Islamic and Christianity principles indicates a male-dominated setting in this social aspect. To
start with, Christianity puts emphasis on the need for women to be submissive to their husbands.
Adherents of this religious category have used this term to justify the oppression of women in the
society. Christianity tends to discourage women from holding crucial positions in various
professional fields. This is because the community views such females as irresponsible in the
family setting. The proceedings in the Old Testament are the origin of this anti-feminist ideology
(ulé 55). In the ancient periods, women could not access the front segments of the church.
Additionally, they could not engage in important conversations in the family unit or social
gatherings.

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Furthermore, as part of the history of Christianity, the society viewed women as unclean beings
during their monthly biological cycle or after conceiving. These principles have led to the male
chauvinism experienced in various denominations within this religious conviction. For instance,
in the modern Roman Catholic Church, priests comprise of men. This is evident in the social
order of this denomination. The main administration of the Roman Catholic Church only
considers priests for the position of the pope with nuns supporting the church at the community
level. These male religious leaders are responsible for conducting major ceremonies and rituals
within the church calendar. In contrast, women who attain religious education regarding
priesthood only assist in managing social facilities such as schools and sanatoriums.

This state of affairs is similar in the Islamic religion. The principles of this religious conviction
have been suppressing women with the opinions of these females having minimal relevance in
the community. For instance, in the mosques, females cannot visit certain regions considered by
Muslims as holy grounds. Additionally, women are not part of crucial ceremonies in the
community including the negotiations of bride price. These religious principles have affected the
social and cultural components of the community. Islamic communities hardly support women
who seek crucial political posts in the society. Since the religious and cultural facets have a
strong connection, a large percentage of women from the Islamic religion focus on attending to
various household chores (ulé 71).

Nonetheless, in the recent past, this societal setting has commenced its transformations. A large
percentage of females have been campaigning for major posts in professional fields such as
politics and headship of religious convictions. For instance, several protestant churches in
various geological zones of the world govern the operations of the churches as the main priests
of these structures. These vocal individuals have facilitated the transformation of religion with
reference to the social structure and cultural values. These modifications illustrate the interaction
between culture, religion, and the society. These elements are influential forces in the community
and affect the way of life of a societal group. However, male chauvinism is still evident in the
practices and beliefs of major religions such as Christianity and Islam.

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Religion and Economy

These religious institutions have also shaped the economy at the regional, national, and
international levels. Although the values of these components are contradictory, religious
institutions in the modern world have been active participants of the economy through lucrative
business activities. Over the years, major religious convictions such as Christianity and Islam
have worked closely with other stakeholders of the national economy including the government.
This is through the numerous commercial activities facilitated by these denominations. Several
theoretical approaches are relevant in evaluating the relationship between religion and the
economy. For instance, the secularization concept asserts that the economy of a country affects
independent institutions in the society depending on the level of growth in the regional and
national financial systems (Spilka and Daniel 112). This concept is more apparent in the
developing countries since their commercial activities are still in the stabilization process.

The main ideology of this speculative concept is the role of the centralized government in
elevating the living standards of its citizens by offering support to its main markets. According to
the secularization supposition, the improvement of a national financial system leads to the
decline of religiosity in a community. People tend to attend religious institutions less often while
increasing their participation in commercial activities (Clarke 166). For example, in the United
States, some analysts relate the decrease in church attendance of its inhabitants to the stable
nature of the economy. This is because people tend to adopt lucrative activities at the expense of
their spirituality.

The religion market theory is also an appropriate supposition that attempts to analyze the
relationship between the economy and religion. This hypothesis asserts that the government
influences the deeds and beliefs of religious institutions. The regulation of the regional, national,
and international markets facilitates the development of certain denominations while
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disadvantaging other religious convictions (Susin and Erik 45). For instance, the centralized
government in a region predominantly served by the Roman Catholic Church may offer funds for
the physical expansion of the worship center in order to acquire political support from the
adherents. This monopoly and institutional interactions are common in regimes that support
communism. This unique relationship may affect the moral values promoted by the religious
institution. This is because the leaders of these churches tend to promote ethical principles that
are in accordance with the ideologies of the government.

Developments in Religion

Over the years, the moral values and proceedings of various religious institutions have
transformed based on other influential factor in the community. For instance, the element of
sexuality is no longer a taboo topic of discussion in major religions such as Islam and
Christianity. As opposed to the ancient periods when individuals with unique sexual orientations
had to live a hypocritical existence, some religious convictions have shown their support to such
individuals. This has altered the beliefs of most denominations especially those adhering to the
principles of Christianity. Nonetheless, some religions are still rebellious of this social
transformation. For instance, Muslims strongly opposed same-sex marriages and sexual
relationships between members of the same gender. These differences in principles and beliefs
have resulted in conflicts. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has condemned the actions
of certain protestant churches that support same-sex marriages or sexual relationships (Susin and
Erik 91)

Additionally, some adherents of the Islamic religion have lowered their religious principles
regarding the involvement of parents and other elderly individuals in the identification of a
suitable marriage partner for their children. Due to the interactions between culture, religion, and
the society, modernization has affected the social norms as well as religious values upheld in
various groups in the community (Atherton, Elaine and Ian 134). Most Muslims in the modern

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world choose their marriage partners although parents are still involved in the entire process.
Moreover, most religious institutions are active participants of political affairs at a regional,
national, and global level. Unlike the ancient periods, religious institutions publicly state their
opinions regarding certain political issues. In conclusion, religion is not only a societal institution
that promotes spirituality of an individual but it is also an influential force in the cultural,
economic, political, and social aspects of a community. Modernization has also affected certain
moral values promoted by these institutions. Owing to the relationship between the society and
religion, other elements of the community influence the religiosity of the public as well as the
values emphasized by their religious leaders. Nonetheless, these differences in opinions have
resulted in conflicts between certain religions.

Recommendations

The religious bodies should do more to continuing their good works towards ensuring that the
good attitudes are being taught. The Christian religion, Islamic religion and the confraternities in
their entirety should encourage their members to doing the right thing. The area of the social
networks, they should advance towards that direction so as to ensure that youths are taught the
proper virtues. The government on their own should work towards curbing the incidence of
corruption that has eaten deep into the fabrics of Nigeria; Culturally bound avenues must be
explored and all hands must be on deck to promote and enforce culture of probity or morality
and accountability in public life. The government should initiate a robust funding for a research
into the various cultures within the heterogeneous cycles in Nigeria with the view to identifying
areas of importance.

Conclusion

Religion, society and culture are amongst the most invaluable variables in a developing nation
such as Nigeria. The relationship between the variables is such that any attempt to divorce them
from the process of our developing nation is an exercise in futility. It follows that every strategy
in our ongoing development should involve clearly defined religious, societal and cultural
components. In Nigeria, we should not underrate or undervalue the place religion, society and
culture. We should not over-emphasize the religious and cultural differences among the people at
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the expense of those shared historical and cultural elements which Nigerians have in common
that would better put Nigeria on the right path of development.

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Works Cited

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Arnold, Thomas W. The Preaching of Islam: A History of the Propagation of the Muslim Faith.
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Atherton, John R, Elaine L. Graham, and Ian Steedman. The Practices of Happiness: Political
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Chadwick, Owen. A History of Christianity. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2005. Print.

Clarke, Peter B. The Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of Religion. Oxford: Oxford University
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Esposito, John L. The Oxford History of Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.

Latourette, Kenneth S. A History of Christianity. New York: HarperOne, 2000. Print.

O’Connor, Frances. History of Islam. New York: Rosen Pub, 2009. Print.

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Olson, Carl. Theory and Method in the Study of Religion: A Selection of Critical Readings.
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Spilka, Bernard, and Daniel N. McIntosh. The Psychology of Religion: Theoretical Approaches.
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Susin, Luiz C, and Erik Borgman. The Economy and Religion. London: SCM Press, 2011. Print.

ulé, Allyson. Gender and the Language of Religion. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Print.

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