Veritatis Gaudium: Multidisciplinary Journal of Postgraduate Studies

This study was conducted among Christian prayer groups in Garki International Market (in Garki District) and Wuse Market (in Wuse District), all located within Abuja Municipal Area Council in the Abuja metropolis; the research explored how informal or non-creedal understanding of the personality and work of Jesus Christ (i.e., Christologies) is expressed by members of these Christian prayer groups. Grassroots Christologies offer robust insights into theology based on people’s everyday experiences. The aim of the research is to investigate and understand dominant Christological beliefs and practices common among members of Christian prayer groups in Garki and Wuse markets. A qualitative research approach was adopted as a method, through which data were collected through participant observation, interviews, and administration of questionnaires across the aforementioned markets. Findings revealed that grassroots Christologies are shaped based on everyday experience. Jesus is understood as the source of material blessings and that he rewards only those who are faithful. He is also perceived as the warrior who empowers Christians with power to fight demonic powers and enemies. Evidently, these Christian prayer groups in the market have striking differences with mainstream denominations; while prayer groups emphasise quick or immediate supernatural intervention in daily life, mainstream denominations, on the other hand, advocate for patience in anticipating answers to prayers. It was also established that Christological beliefs and practices of these prayer groups engender unity and shared identity, which leads to building a network of support for one another. The study concludes that grassroots Christologies express a theology that is practical, based on people’s everyday experience.

Open Full Text (PDF)