06/12/2025
OFFA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
4th Quarterly Meeting
Held at Victory Baptist Church, Atari, Offa
Today, 6th December, 2025
Title: INVOLVING IN ECUMENICAL AND INTERFAITH RELATIONSHIP
Text: John 17: 20-23
INTRODUCTION
Ecumenism is the principle or movement that promotes unity, cooperation, and better understanding among different Christian churches and denominations.
Goal: To overcome historical divisions and achieve greater visible unity among Christians, often through dialogue, shared prayer, and collaborative action.
Context: It most commonly refers to the movement toward Christian unity.
An interfaith relationship is an interaction, connection, or intimate union between people who adhere to different religious or spiritual traditions. Interfaith relationships often happen in marital relationship and other social involvements like co-worker, community development and academic arena. For example a Christian brother marrying a Muslim lady etc.
I. IDENTIFYING ECUMENICAL GROUPS
The three most prominent and influential ecumenical groups among Nigerian churches are the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN)
A. Christian Association of Nigeria ()
CAN is the largest and most recognizable umbrella organization for Christian denominations in Nigeria. It was founded in 1976 to unite Christians, promote understanding, peace, and act as a liaison committee for common statements and action.
CAN's FIVE BLOCS
CAN is composed of five distinct Christian blocs, which together represent the diversity of Nigerian Christianity:
1. Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN): This bloc represents the historic mainline Protestant churches (see below).
2. Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN): Represents the Roman Catholic Church, under the authority of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
3. Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN): Represents the fast-growing Pentecostal and charismatic churches.
4. Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC): Represents the African-Initiated Churches (AIC), sometimes called Aladura churches.
5. Evangelical Church Winning All/Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (ECWA/TEKAN): Represents a large group of Evangelical and generally conservative Protestant churches.
B. Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN)
The CCN is the pioneer ecumenical body in Nigeria, tracing its origins back to 1929.
Focus and Membership
Mission: CCN focuses on fostering unity, promoting social justice, and upholding Christian values. It is a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and is committed to shared Christian witness.
Core Membership: It primarily comprises the mainline Protestant churches in Nigeria, including:
The list of member churches typically includes, but is not limited to:
1. Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
2. Methodist Church Nigeria
3. Nigerian Baptist Convention
4. The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
5. The African Church
6. United Evangelical Church (Founded as Qua Iboe Church)
7. The Salvation Army
8. The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
9. The Church of The Lord (Aladura) Worldwide
10. The First African Church Mission
11. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
12. The African Episcopal Church Nigeria
13. The Orthodox Church of Nigeria
14. United African Methodist Church Organization
Historical Role
The CCN initially began as the United Missionary Council for Education, formed by missionaries to address colonial educational laws. This successful collaboration led to the establishment of the Christian Council of Nigeria, making it the precursor to the broader ecumenical movement in the country.
C. Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN)
BSN is a non-profit, interdenominational Christian organization in Nigeria.
It was formally established on 8 February 1966, after earlier Bible-distribution work in Nigeria by foreign Bible societies.
The headquarters is in Apapa, Lagos State; BSN also has offices/depot locations across many cities in Nigeria (e.g. Lagos, Abuja, Aba, Jos, Ibadan).
Mission & Vision
BSN’s mission and vision reflect its commitment to making the Bible accessible to all Nigerians:
Mission: “Making the Holy Bible available and affordable to Nigerians in their preferred languages and formats, helping them engage with the Word of God through life-transforming programmes.”
Vision: “To grow a community of Nigerian Christians empowered by the Holy Bible to make positive global impact.”
Their core values include Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Commitment, Excellence, Service, Resilience.
What BSN Does — Main Activities
BSN pursues its mission through a combination of strategies. Key ones:
1. Translation — translating the Bible into Nigerian languages. So far, BSN has produced the full Bible in 27 Nigerian languages; the New Testament in many more languages; and various books in over 100 languages. Work continues in many other languages.
2. Publishing & Distribution — producing and distributing Bibles widely across Nigeria, ensuring they are affordable or even free for the poor, needy, persons with disabilities (blind, deaf), prisoners, orphans, etc.
3. Engagement Programmes — beyond just providing physical Bibles, BSN runs programmes to help people engage with Scripture: e.g. public Bible-reading marathons, competitions (for schools and youths), sign-language Bibles and Bible quizzes for the deaf/blind, trauma-healing initiatives, outreach to IDP camps, prison ministry, and more.
4. Advocacy & Social Outreach — BSN has also been involved in relief work: for example, donating Bibles and relief materials to disadvantaged communities — e.g. a recent donation to communities in Makoko (Lagos) under its “Macedonian Call” outreach project.
5. Fundraising and Partnerships — Because translation and distribution are expensive (e.g. a single full translation project can cost many millions of Naira), BSN relies on donations and partnerships (with churches, global Bible-society networks, etc.) to be able to deliver its work.
Impact & Reach
BSN has enabled many Nigerians to access the Bible in their native languages — making Scripture more accessible to people who do not read English or prefer their mother tongue.
Through its programmes — quizzes, competitions, reading marathons, sign-language Bibles — BSN fosters deeper engagement with Scripture, not just distribution of texts.
Its outreach and charity efforts — for marginalized groups, slum or IDP-camp dwellers, people with disabilities — show that BSN integrates social care with spiritual mission.
Contact & How to Reach BSN (useful if you want to get involved or buy a Bible)
Some contact details:
Headquarters: 18, Wharf Road, Apapa, Lagos
Another Lagos office: 150, Ikorodu Road, Onipanu
BSN also has offices in Abuja, Ibadan, Jos, Aba, and across other states.
They have an online store where Bibles are sold/promoted.
II. ADVANTAGES OF INVOLVING IN ECUMENISM
1. Promotes Christian Unity
Helps the church obey Christ�s prayer �that they may be one� (John 17:21).
Reduces rivalry, suspicion, and denominational hostility.
2. Shared Resources and Strengths
Churches can collaborate in missions, evangelism, and community projects.
Saves cost by pooling human and material resources for larger impact.
3. Stronger Christian Witness to Society
A united Christian voice has more influence on moral, social, and political matters.
Enhances credibility and strengthens the church�s public testimony.
4. Learning and Mutual Enrichment
Exposure to other Christian traditions broadens understanding.
Encourages doctrinal clarity and spiritual growth through healthy dialogue.
5. Conflict Reduction
Builds bridges and peaceful coexistence between denominations.
Prevents unnecessary competition over members.
6. Cooperation in Social Action
Churches can more effectively address poverty, injustice, corruption, peacebuilding, and community development.
III. THREATS TO ECUMENICAL RELATIONSHIP
Weaknesses (Internal, Harmful)
A. Doctrinal Divergence: Deep, unresolved differences remain, particularly concerning the nature of sacraments (e.g., the Eucharist/Communion), the role of ecclesiastical authority (e.g., papal primacy vs. congregational autonomy), and the interpretation of Scripture.
B. Historical Baggage: Centuries of schisms, conflicts, and mutual suspicion are difficult to overcome and can fuel resistance to dialogue. |
C. Lack of Grassroots Support: Ecumenism can sometimes be perceived as an elite or academic endeavor, with little enthusiasm or understanding among local congregations.
D. Differing Worship Styles and Traditions: Diverse liturgical, spiritual, and cultural practices can act as barriers to full communion. |
IV. ADVANTAGES OF INTERFAITH RELATIONSHIP
Interfaith relationships, particularly on a broader societal level through dialogue and cooperation, are crucial for promoting understanding and harmony in a diverse world.
(Relationship between Christianity and other religions�Islam, Traditional Religion, etc.)
1. Promotes Peaceful Co-existence
Reduces tension, violence, and misunderstanding in religiously mixed communities.
Builds respect, tolerance, and harmonious living.
2. Encourages Dialogue Instead of Conflict
Provides a platform to correct misconceptions about Christianity.
Helps Christians understand the beliefs and practices of neighbours.
3. Enhances Evangelistic Opportunities
With respect and friendship, hearts open more easily to the gospel.
Christians can demonstrate Christlike love beyond barriers.
4. Joint Community Development Projects
Interfaith cooperation strengthens efforts in education, health, and humanitarian work.
Attracts government and NGO support for local initiatives.
5. Early Conflict Detection and Prevention
Trusted communication with other faith leaders enables early resolution before crises escalate.
6. Builds the Church�s Reputation
The church becomes known as a peace-loving, community-focused, responsible institution.
Increases trust among non-Christians and civic authorities.
7. Strengthens Civic Influence
Interfaith alliances give the church a seat at decision-making tables on matters that affect society.
8. Reflects Christ�s Love to All People
Shows that the church follows Jesus� command to love neighbours�Christians and non-Christians alike.
9. Demonstrates Maturity and Wisdom
Only spiritually mature churches engage others without fear or compromise of faith.
Builds discernment and confidence in the Christian identity.
10. Opens Doors for Social Evangelism
Through kindness, service, dialogue, and friendship, many hearts are drawn to Christ.
CONCLUSION
The ecumenical movement has made significant historical strides, especially in areas of social action and theological consensus on key issues. However, the internal obstacles of doctrinal authority (who speaks for the Church) and the sacraments (how Christ is present in worship) remain the most significant challenges to achieving the ultimate goal of full, visible unity and eucharistic sharing. The future of ecumenism is tied to its ability to leverage its global opportunities for common mission while mitigating the threats posed by internal dogmatism and external societal polarization.
REFERENCES
- Deji Okegbile�s Blog � Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) @90: Towards a Single Theological-voice. dejiokegbile.com
- MDPI � Ecumenical Footprints in Nigeria: Pathways and Detours in Search of Christian Unity � www.mdpi.com
- World Council of Churches: Nigerian Churches in ecumenical and multi-faith effort violence against. www.oikoumene,org
- World Council of Churches: Nigerian World Council of Churches. www.oikoumene,org
- Methodist Churches Nigeria: Ecumenism & Inter-faith Relations-Methodist Church Nigeria. www.methodistnigeria.org
- Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) � Unity, Faith & Advocacy. ccnnigeria.org.ng
- Christian Association of Nigeria � Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org
- Methodist Churches Nigeria: Ecumenism & Inter-faith Relations-Methodist Church Nigeria. www.methodistnigeria.org
- Christian Association of Nigeria/ The Christian Association of Nigeria is a non-d�.. � christianassociationofnigeria.org
- OpenEdition Books: The Organization, Structure, and Politics of the Christian Association of Nigeria � O�. books.openedition.org
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