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Thesis Reference Thesis The witness of nonviolence of the church of the Brethren in Nigeria in a violent world: Towards Ecumenical Collaboration MBAYA, Daniel Yusufu Abstract This thesis focused on the life and witness of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria otherwise known in Hausa language “Ekklesiyar Yanuwa a Nigeria” as a historic peace church in confrontation with rampant and extremist violence, particularly in the northern part of Nigeria. The research contributes to building knowledge in one of the most challenging contemporary ethical fields. The researcher shows how the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria has remained faithful to its tenet of nonviolence despite a societal environment with increasingly high levels of violence, also from terrorist groups like the Boko Haram (Ahli Sunna lidda wati wal jihad). The Church contributes to the development of a climate in which churches support each other in their commitment to re-establish peace. In developing an ethics and culture of peace and nonviolence, it should not be the responsibility of a single denomination. It should be the collective responsibility of the entire body of Christ in the Nigerian context…. Reference MBAYA, Daniel Yusufu. The witness of nonviolence of the church of the Brethren in Nigeria in a violent world: Towards Ecumenical Collaboration. Thèse de doctorat : Univ. Genève, 2017, no. Théol. 616 DOI : 10.13097/archive-ouverte/unige:106827 URN : urn:nbn:ch:unige-1068279 Available at: http://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:106827 Disclaimer: layout of this document may differ from the published version. 1 / 1 Université de Genève Faculté autonome de théologie protestante Institut Oecuménique de Bossey The Witness of Nonviolence of the church of the Brethren in Nigeria in a violent world: Towards Ecumenical Collaboration By/par MBAYA, Daniel Yusufu C. Thesis presented as part of the requirements for the Doctorate in Theology Mention Ecumenical Studies Thèse présentée en accomplissement partiel des exigences pour l’obtention du grade de docteur en théologie, mention sciences oecumeniques Directeurs de thèse: Prof. Dr Ghislain Waterlot Prof. Dr Amélé Adamavi-Aho Ekué i TABLE OF CONTENT Cover Page - - - - - - - - - - i Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - ii List of Abbreviations - - - - - - - - - vi Introduction - - - - - - - - - - viii Abstract - - - - - - - - - - x Motivation - - - - - - - - - - xii Scope and limitation of Study - - - - - - - - xv Research Methodology - - - - - - - - - xv Key Definitions - - - - - - - - - xvi CHAPTER ONE 1.0 The Church of the Brethren in Nigeria and its witness of nonviolence - 1 1.1 Church of the Brethren in Nigeria - - - - - - - 3 1.2 Nigerian Brethren and Pacifism - - - - - - 3 1.3 Nigerian Brethren and Reconciliation - - - - - - 35 1.4 Nigerian Brethren and Nonviolence - - - - - - 41 CHAPTER TWO 2.0 The Nonviolent Ecclesial Self-understanding of the Historic Peace Churches - - - - - - - - - - 53 2.1 The Mennonites - - - - - - - - - 56 2.1.1 Swiss Brethren - - - - - - - - - 62 2.1.2 The Obbenites - - - - - - - - - 63 2.1.3 Menno Simons and the name Mennonites - - - - - 65 2.1.4 Conversion Experience - - - - - - - - 65 2.2 The Society of Friends Quakers - - - - - - 67 2.3 The Church of the Brethren - - - - - - - 71 2.4 Some Beliefs and Practices of the Historic Peace Churches - - 85 2.5 Significance of Nonviolence in the Historic Peace Churches - - 89 CHAPTER THREE ii 3.0 An Overview on the Interdisciplinary Research on Violence - - 95 3.1 Concept of Non-violence and Overcoming Violence - - - - 101 3.2 The Term and Origin of Nonviolence - - - - - - 104 3.2.1 Principles of Nonviolence - - - - - - - - 113 3.2.2 Nonviolence Practices - - - - - - - - 117 3.2.3 Criticisms against Nonviolence Literal Bible Interpretation - - 119 3.3 Conscientious Objection - - - - - - - 125 3.3.1 Motivation for Conscientious Objectors - - - - - 126 3.3.2 Criticisms against Conscientious Objection - - - - - 131 3.4 Term and Origin of Pacifism - - - - - - - 132 3.4.1 Theoretical Arguments against Christian Pacifism - - - - 135 3.4.2 Pacifist Response to the Above Criticisms - - - - - 143 3.5 The Just War Theory - - - - - - - - 146 3.5.1 Scriptural Basis of Just War - - - - - - - 151 3.5.2 Arguments against Just War - - - - - - - 154 3.6 The Just Armed Struggle - - - - - - - 156 3.8 The Just Peace - - - - - - - - - 157 3.8.1 The Term and Origin of the Concept of Just Peace - - - 159 3.8.2 Just Peace Practices - - - - - - - - 163 3.9 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 168 CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 Nigeria and the context of violence - - - - - - - 169 4.1 Brief history of Nigeria - - - - - - - - 169 4.2 Survey of violence and conflicts in Nigeria - - - - - 182 4.3 Causes of violence in Nigeria - - - - - - - 196 4.4 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 206 CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 Towards Ecumenical Collaboration for an Ethics and Culture of Peace and Nonviolence - - - - - - - - - 208 5.1 Ethics and Culture of Peace and Nonviolence - - - - - 209 5.1.1 Ethics - - - - - - - - - - 209 5.1.2 Culture - - - - - - - - - - 210 iii 5.1.3 Ethics and Culture Peace and Nonviolence - - - - - 211 5.2 Christian-Muslim Dialogue as Instrument of Peace and Nonviolence - 214 5.2.1 Criticism Against Christian-Muslim Dialogue by Christians - - - 216 5.2.2 Criticism Against Christian-Muslim Dialogue by Muslims - - - 217 5.2.3 Christians-Muslim Dialogue as Instrument of Peace and Nonviolence - 218 5.3 Nigerian State and Societal Integration - - - - - - 245 5.3.1 Constitution within Constitution a Threat to Societal Integration - - 246 5.3.2 Land Matters as Challenges to Societal Integration - - - - 250 5.3.3 Constitution as Instrument of Societal Integration - - - 250 5.4 Civil Society Actors as Agents of Peace and Nonviolence - - - 251 5.4.1 Civil Society as Watchdogs - - - - - - - 252 5.4.2 Civil Society International Laws in Conflict with Local Laws - - 257 5.4.3 Civil Society and Partisan Politics a Hindrance to Peace and Nonviolence - - - - - - - - - 258 5.5 Church of the Brethren in Nigeria and Challenges of Nonviolent Practice - 259 5.5.1 Church of the Brethren in Nigerian and Faith and Praxis - - - 260 5.5.2 Church of the Brethren in Nigeria and a Failed State - - - 262 5.5.3 Church of the Brethren in Nigeria and Her Practice of Nonviolence a Gift to the Nation - - - - - - - 264 5.6 Christian Association of Nigeria: A Critique - - - - - 266 5.6.1 Formation of the Christian Association of Nigeria - - - - 267 5.6.2 Christian Association of Nigeria and Denominational Differences - - 273 5.6.3 Christian Association of Nigeria and Grassroots Distance: A Disconnection - - - - - - - - - 275 5.7 Towards Ecumenical Collaboration for an Ethics and Culture of Peace and Nonviolence - - - - - - - - - 276 CHAPTER SIX 6.0 Summary - - - - - - - - - 279 6.1 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - - 280 Bibliography - - - - - - - - - 282 Articles - - - - - - - - - - 298 iv Church Publications - - - - - - - - 299 Reports and Conference Papers- - - - - - - 300 Interviews - - - - - - - - - 300 Websites - - - - - - - - - 300 v List of Abbreviations ABU Ahmadu Bello University BSC Brethren Service Centre BVS Brethren Volunteer Service CAMPI Christian And Muslim Peace building Initiative CAN Christian Association of Nigeria CBM Church of the Brethren Mission CCEPI Centre for Caring, Empowerment and Peace Initiative CCN Christian Council of Nigeria CEPAC Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies CEPAN Center for Peace Advancement in Nigeria COCIN Church of Christ In Nations CPFN Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria CPS Civilian Public Service CRC Civil Rights Commission CSJ Centre for Social Justice EYN Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria FCT Federal Capital Territory FEC Federal Executive Council GCCA Gwoza Christian Community Association IAP Islam in Africa Project IPCR Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution JPIC Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation KBC Kulp Bible College MCC Mennonite Central Committee NAPTIP National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons NIREC Nigeria Inter Religious Council NSCIA Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs OAIC Organization of African Independent Churches PROCMURA Project for Christian Muslim Relations in Africa SURE-P Subsidy Re-Investment Programme TCNN Theological College of Northern Nigeria TEE Theological Education by Extension vi TEKAN Tarayyar Ekklesiyoyin Kristi A Nigeria UCC United Church of Christ WCC World Council of Churches WRAPA Women Rights Advocacy Protection Agency vii Introduction One significant question which needs to be answered today is this: Are we to maintain the historic doctrines of the church, or, does God have a new Word for every age which then makes the past Word irrelevant? It is the conviction of the Brethren Revival Fellowship that to study and embrace the historic beliefs and practices of the Brethren is not an outdated exercise, but that such a study contains a major potential for renewal in the church. Our Brethren forefathers had a full understanding of the central doctrines of the Christian faith. They were open to newer understandings of thought and fuller illumination of God’s Word, but they were not about to cast aside basic truths. The Brethren searched out the beliefs and practices of the First Century Christians and rediscovered a number of biblical distinctives. 1 The doctrine of non-violence in the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria and all other Historic Peace Churches to which this project attempts to look at was a product of the Brethren forefathers search and rediscovery of this biblical distinctive of non-violence and keeping strict
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