The term Neo-Christianity was first used in The positive evolution of religion, its moral and social reaction, the writing of Frederic Harrison. Frederic talked about a new movement which began by some priests of the Church of England who “were unable to endure the stereotyped dogmas and the literal inspiration of scriptures current in all sections of the orthodox Christian world.” The essence of Frederic’s writing is centred on the positive evolution in the church and that one can still be a christian without believing anything in the old way.
The new movement was termed Neo-Christianity which to him was “an attempt to construct a totally new version of the Christian religion and a view of the Bible as a most interesting and edifying body of antique writings, having no special claim to be regarded as inspired or even as unique.”
To further explain, Frederic stated that the Neo-Christianity “purpose is to magnify all that is beautiful in the Bible and minimise its authority as an inspired book and authentic history…seek to magnify the humanity of Jesus”. He declared, “this new view of the Christian religion was really a far greater change than was the Protestant from the Catholic faith…” Frederic was an advocate of positivism.
Even though Frederic wrote during the Victorian era, the new movement he talked about which may no longer be within his intended philosophies, the new views far greater than Protestantism to my opinion is Pentecostalism.
Pentecostalism, Vinson Synan wrote, began in 1901 in Topeka, Kansas, United States in a Bible class conducted by Charles Fox Parham. Agnes Ozman, one of Parham’s Bible class students, was the first person to be baptized in the Holy Spirit accompanied by speaking in tongues. Agnes spoke in tongues on the very first day of the new century, January 1, 1901. As a result of this Topeka Pentecost, Parham formulated the doctrine that tongues was the “Bible evidence” of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Pentecostalism, Vinson Synan continued, “achieved worldwide attention through the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles led by the African-American preacher William Joseph Seymour. From Azusa Street Pentecostalism spread rapidly around the world and began its advance toward becoming a major force in Christendom.”
Nigeria’s Pentecostalism as published by Harvard emerged in the 1970s.”The oil boom of the 1970s transformed the Nigerian landscape, particularly in the south, where a well-connected elite profited and conspicuous consumption blossomed. On the one hand, this made life more difficult for the vast majority of people who increasingly turned to religious organizations to provide for their basic needs. Pentecostal leaders reflected this in their condemnations of wealth. In years that followed, some Pentecostal leaders became wealthy themselves as they directed their services to the wealthy, emphasizing a prosperity gospel which holds that faith is the key to prosperity in this world. In so doing these pastors contextualized the privilege of Nigeria’s Christian elite, and attracted hundreds of thousands of poor and middle class Nigerians aspiring to greater wealth.”
According to Pew Research, quoting World Christian Database, Nigeria has about 41 million Pentecostals. One may wonder why as the Pentecostals grow, who within their belief system, should have personal contact with the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ, crime continues to grow. Harvard asserted that,”Nigerian Pentecostal Christians are partly responsible for rising interreligious violence between Muslims and Christians in northern Nigeria.”
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While I may not totally agree to that assertion, the Pentecostalism movement should be looked at in another way. In the wake of emphasis on prosperity as the central-point of the preaching, they may have concentrated least in the spiritual growth of the individual, despite the growth of cell groups which in essence could be the breeding grounds for new church members.
The words in the Bible form the centrality of their message but the core message often centres on tithes, speaking in tongues and how the congregants should empty their pockets to them in order to be successful in life. These have now progressed to monetising prayers, relinquishing one’s first income of the year, sowing seeds of money and keeping records of those that pay and cajoling those yet to pay. It calls to wonder how all these are done with money being deposited to the church than concentrating more on charity, humanity and salvation.
Cardinal Peter Okpaleke said, “Neo-Christianity is the other side of Pentecostalism, most especially, the prosperity version of it, {and} is based on power and acquisition of spiritual powers.” He continued, “Some men and women of God are rumoured to obtain powers to mesmerise people and pull crowds through deities which are recognised in traditional religion.The name of Christ is shouted using occultic powers.”
It seems a weaponization of poverty and the utilisation and commercialisation of Christ’s name to manipulate the vulnerable poor to constantly feed the rich preachers in exchange for a hope for success and breakthrough.
To get to the minds of the people, there are many entertaining and mesmerising show of miracle and manipulative, seductive use of words designed to hoodwink the congregants to give without let even when those who give see that as an act of faith – an act that demonstrates the strength of a personal sacrifice. People go as far as giving out their homes, cars and wealth and many more, not to the needy but to the preachers.
These have led to the scrambling for more congregants which could translate to more tithes and or income. Few years ago, a nation-wide argument erupted over the way and manner Nigerian preachers concentrate on tithes. Preachers rose against such inquisition as some hurled ‘curses’.
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In addition to that, many preachers have assumed the position of god where they ascribe to themselves powers to heal and command God’s blessings and miracles while ultimately attracted to the pockets of their followers. In recent times, prophetic messages where vulnerability and narratives of people are exploited is known as arrangee prophecy. While many of these preachers lack basic theology education, they assume authority of the knowledge of the Bible simply by mere memorising of Bible passages, oratorical and advertorial skills.
It is a competition for the unsuspecting churchgoers which explains why family members are the heirs and heiresses of the churches. “The biggest fraud is no longer carried out by Yahoo boys, the biggest fraud is what has become of the PENTECOSTAL Prophetic church movement.” Charles Awuzie wrote on Facebook.
Christianity by the standard of Pentecostalism is no longer more about spirituality of the people, it is more of materialism and business enterprise and this is why many who hitherto are believers, are becoming disillusioned.
John Gresham Machen wrote, “Christianity is being attacked from within by a movement which is anti-Christian to the core.” The emergence of the Neo-christian Pentecostal movement could contribute to the losing of Christianity as many begin to seek spirituality among other religions or no religion at all