Oracle of Wisdom Journal of Philosophy and Public Affairs

Widowhood has been a practice that is as old as the soil. It is observed that in virtually every culture, widows are victimized, subjugated and maltreated without much concern from the society. This paper examined the early Christian Church response to the plight of widows in Acts 6:1- 5 where the Grecian widows were neglected in the daily distribution of food in favour of the Hebrew widows. This is not different with what is seen in our Christian churches today in Nigeria, where there is apparent neglect and unjust treatment of widows. In spite of the Christian teachings that emphasize love and caring especially towards the grieving and vulnerable widows, we still see disrespect and humiliation of women when death knocks at the door of their husbands. This disproportionate injustice against widows, cut across cultures as a form of gender-based violence against women and this forms the thrust of this research. Furthermore, considering the traditional socialization that entrench dependence and passivity for women, the question is, how can the Church overcome the sentiments of cultural differences and assist widows in their plight to ameliorate their sufferings? This paper used secondary data to explore the issues raised in this narrative and argues that the early Christian model of concerns for the needy provides an exemplary model for the Christian Church today in addressing the concerns of minority voices in the congregation. The paper therefore concludes that it is the expectation from the church and society to have special regard and privileges for the widows which will help in reducing their burden. It therefore recommends that there is the need for the church and other well-meaning religious organizations in Nigeria to champion the cause of protecting widows and orphans in our society. More so, it is expected of the Church to enlighten the populace on the estate of widowhood and the special care they deserve in living normal lives even after the demise of their spouses. In doing this, the Church should de-emphasize the power of customs and tradition. Finally, it presents the need for sustaining educational awareness and women empowerment which are seen as panacea for widow's neglect.

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