INTERCULTURALITY

Pentecostalism in Nigeria has metamorphosed into a consequential religious phenomenon in Nigeria and Africa at large. However, one of its dominant theologies, the prosperity gospel, has faced several criticisms from rational minds. Employing a qualitative socio-theological and critical discourse analysis, this study draws on liberation theology, Max Weber's Protestant Ethic thesis, and Ogbu Kalu's African Pentecostalism framework to examine the socio-theological justification and consequences of the prosperity gospel as it relates specifically to Nigerian Pentecostal Christianity. The study evaluates how prosperity shapes and is shaped by entrenched structures of inequality and clientelism in the country. It frames prosperity theology in Nigeria as a complex ideological formation that forecloses prophetic engagement while simultaneously enabling individual agency to navigate systemic injustice. The study further reveals attempts by newer Pentecostal movements to recover a more socially oriented ethics. Though these remain on the margins, the study argues that these emerging theological insights offer valuable pathways for restructuring the church's engagement with contemporary Nigerian society. The study concludes that while the prosperity gospel is deeply embedded in Nigeria's socio-cultural fabric, its transactional ethos distorts biblical faith by prioritizing individual wealth over communal justice and accommodating corrupt systems. The paper argues that reclaiming a prophetic, socially responsible Pentecostalism is not merely a theological imperative but a vital pathway toward fostering ethical governance, equitable development, and a credible church witness in contemporary Nigeria.

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