A Keynote Address at a Memorial Lecture on
The Role of Philosophical and Theological Reflection
in the birth of a Civilized Society
 
St Pope John Paul II Major Seminary, Okpuno Awka
19 April 2016

The Rector, Very Rev. Fr Dr Benjamin Ewelu,
The Deans,
The Professors and the Lecturers,
The Seminarians/Students of Pope John Paul II Major Seminary
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
 
1. Thanks for the invitation
          When the Dean of Philosophy faculty, Very Rev. Fr Dr Linus Okika, told me orally that he was thinking of inviting me to this annual memorial lecture, I accepted to come without any hesitation. Truly, I love the seminary and, more, I love the students: you who are working very hard today and who will shape this world, our society, in the future.
Eventually I received a formal letter of invitation from the same Dean of Philosophy faculty. I am grateful for this invitation. Here I am. I thank the organisers: the Rector, the Dean himself, and all who are associated with this invitation extended to me. I thank all of you here present.
 
2. Progress appreciated
          Permit me to appreciate the progress which this great institution, St Pope John Paul II Major Seminary Okpuno Awka, has made over the years. This desert place of the past has been transformed to the beautiful complex before us here. I praise the vision of Archbishop Albert Kanene Obiefuna. I thank all the staff members both past and present for the sacrifices involved in running the institution. I congratulate the past and the present students. Let it be known that I am one of your great fans.
 
3. Our topic for reflection
          In fide et sapientia, faith and wisdom are two important guiding instruments of this great institution, St Pope John Paul II Major Seminary affiliated to both Pontifical Urban University Rome and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. I believe that it is these guiding instruments that have inspired the theme of this year’s memorial lecture: The role of philosophical and theological reflection in the birth of a civilized society. Thinking about this theme, two affirmations seem to emerge: firstly, there is civilized society/societies and, secondly, both philosophy and theology have a role to play in its birth and growth. We take it for granted that we have passed the stage of talking about “birth”. I presume that we can go ahead and consider the role of philosophical and theological reflections in the growth of a civilised society.
 
4. “Civilized”, a relative term         
          I have tried to understand the meaning of a civilized society. Many old books we read in sociology or history refer to some people as primitive and others as civilized. Some groups of people live in a developed world and others are considered as underdeveloped. Today we hear of developing world. These are all relative terms. After all, the other day, I met a young man in Cameroon whose dream was to gain admission into University of Nigeria Nsukka. He indeed requested that I help him realise his dream of studying in a “developed country called Nigeria”. I was silent for a while. He did not know what was going on in mind…, How many Nigerians have died in Sahara desert trying to escape from “underdeveloped” Nigeria to go and study in universities of North Africa, Middle East, Europe, considered by them as developed world!
          Social scientists here can define and explain the origin and meaning of human society. For the purpose of this conference, we take as given that human society/societies exist. Philosophers can tell us how these societies have come together and are functioning. How different philosophical thoughts have helped to shape the organisation of different units of this society, I am sure that there are plenty of experts to offer us credible explanations. I do not wish to venture into that territory. Theologians can tell us about the origin of the world. Yes, God created the world. God sustains the world.
          When people come together, by whatever means, and live together and share some common interests, they gradually form a community, a society. Gradually they establish the ethos and the mores that govern their behaviour in the community. Each new member of the society is gradually introduced into this group and is taught how to face various challenges encountered in the course of life. Each new member is equipped with the “instruments” to interpret and live in the society. Was it not Immanuel Kant who talked about “categories of thought”? There are other ways philosophers have explained “man in society”.
          Let us still keep our minds focused on “a civilised society”. When I was looking for a definition of civilised society I came up with this description from online article: such a society should have a well-developed ​system of ​government, ​culture, and way of ​life, One Sara Ipatenco in an online presentation gave seven characteristics of a civilised society. These characteristics keep the society “running smoothly and make it a place people continue to live in”:

1. Authority – there must a kind of governance. How this authority is established varies from place to place.
2. Food, Water and Agriculture – access to food and water are essential. To produce food, agriculture is essential.
3. Safety and protection – there must be a way the security of members, whether individually or collectively, is established.
4. Education – formal and informal
5. Trade and availability of goods
6. Defined societal roles
7. Basic freedoms

 
One can argue that the interpretation of these characteristics varies from place to place. There are many experts in this room to handle such discussion.      
 
5. The changing times and call for reflection
            Since I am invited to give keynote address, to raise some issues that could be discussed at this conference or later occasions, permit me to lead you to some of the points that could become topics/themes for reflection, whether philosophically or theologically.
          I find the world in which I was ordained Priest in some ways different from what I now experience as a Bishop.
Just thirty years ago, Nigerians were more united than what we see today. The fragmentation has been gradual along ethnic, political, religious, etc. lines. Violence has increased. We have not fought another civil war since the late sixties but we are under constant threat of disintegration of Nigeria. Those who assume power to provide good governance are handicapped by internal squabbles of political parties. Nearer home, Igbo people have become increasingly in disunity. Ohaneze is no longer able to provide an umbrella of unity. Despite the introduction of “Igbo izugbe”, difference of dialects is now emphasized.
          What formulae can philosophical reflection offer us for harmony, integration, collaboration among different groups?
          With reference to the expression of our Catholic faith, in the last thirty years, there have been many changes, some minor and others major. Pentecostalism has invaded the Catholic Church in Nigeria. Let me give some actual examples.
We know about the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles on Pentecost day. St Luke in the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 2) describes the physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit as “tongues of fire” on the Apostles. When the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, as Christ promised them, they began to remember the things which Christ taught them. The Spirit in form of tongues of fire gave the Apostles courage. They left their hiding places and they began to announce the Good News openly and without fear. What do we hear in Nigeria today? “Holy Ghost fire” Could it be that I got it wrong? I hear it used as a curse on opponents and adversaries. The visible manifestation of divine presence, the external show of God’s great gift to the Apostles – the gift of courage to announce the Gospel, – is used as a curse in Nigeria. Instead of using “Holy Ghost fire” to pray that somebody may be infused with courage, we use it as invocation for destruction. We have heard this for a long time. Let it be known that something is wrong with that use. Let theological reflection lead us to a better understanding of what we say.
          Last month (March 2016) I was in Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu for the Convocation ceremony of the graduating B.Phil. and B.D. degrees students. There were some who scored summa cum laude in Theology. These graduates, as Catholic Priests, are now in parishes and Church institutions. It will not take long before we start hearing about “adoration ministry” of some of them. Soon we start getting reports about their exploits as preachers and healers. They become millionaires overnight, richer than their dioceses, appearing in magazines and newspapers on the list of richest men of God, powerful preachers, etc. In their centres, miracles will soon start dropping like heavy rain, some real and most fake. I am informed that when some serious students are taking notes in theology classes, these “powerful” would-be-preachers spend long hours listening to DVD recording of Pentecostal ministers. Their single aim is to copy the method and contents of the Pentecostal preaching.
          We have a line-up of billboards and posters of various adoration ministries: “One last stand with the devil”, “Final bus stop”, etc. On each billboard is an invitation to “rain of miracles”. We witness endless night vigils.
This is a new era of prosperity Gospel. How can we understand the Cross and suffering in the life of a true Christian when Catholic theologians join those promoting prosperity Gospel of unending joy, life of plenty without suffering, promotion without working for it? We lose the important message of the cup of suffering which the Father did not remove from the Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Yes, Christ has paid our debt but he teaches us that true disciples must carry their cross daily and follow him.
          How is it that a seminarian spends four years of hard learning of Catholic theology, bagging excellent score in BD examination only to abandon it altogether, watch closely the DVD tapes of clever preachers who do not have any theological formation? What is the point spending many years in the seminary only to go and understudy cheap methods of preaching recorded on DVD by primary school eloquent speakers who ordain themselves men of God, and, overnight, make themselves Bishops and Cardinals? When somebody criticizes these cheap preachers, those around them say that that person is jealous. For this reason, many people keep silent.
          How can our graduates of theology, all Catholic Priests, use what they learn to help our people understand our true faith? Let our reflection today encourage us to reject the shallow theology that we now see everywhere we look. Let it help us to identify and form solid teachers of the true faith.
 
6. Let us reflect
          Yes, let this year’s Memorial lecture help us to reflect on how to bring harmony to our civilized Nigerian society. Let it help us to return to authentic expression of our Christian faith.