Thessalonians 4
13 And grief management in Nigerian churches
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21609673 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Solomon Olusola Ademiluka (0000-0001-9390-2510, University of South Africa) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1018-6441 • E-ISSN: 2305-0853 |
| Publisher | AOSIS (PUBLISHER • ZA) |
| DOI | 10.4102/ids.v59i1.3123 |
| OpenAlex | W4406938389 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 29 |
1 Thessalonians 4:13 indicates that the Thessalonian Christians were deeply grieved about the death of their loved ones because they were not sure of the status of the deceased in the supposedly imminent parousia. Paul admonishes them not to grieve like those who have no hope, a caution which is highly relevant in Nigeria where death causes harrowing grief for those bereaved. This article interrogated the extent to which the application of this text relieves grief for Nigerian Christians, as well as its attendant impact on the people’s culture. The article employs the historical-critical exegesis and the phenomenological approach. It found that in the traditional African setting, the grieving process involved the performance of certain rituals which Christianity has condemned as heathen, as they contradict the injunction in 1 Thessalonians 4:13. Such mourning practices have been substituted with Christian models. Still, unfortunately, apart from being ineffective in addressing grief, this pastoral approach has impacted negatively on the cultural heritage and identity of Nigerian Christians. Therefore, for Christian burial in Nigeria to be desirable and effective in addressing mourners’ grief, there is a need for it to accommodate traditional practices as much as possible. Contribution: The article contributes to the interaction of Christianity with African culture. It argues that, for a Christian burial to be effective in addressing grief in Nigeria, there is a need for interaction with traditional mourning practices
Christianity · Exegesis · Grief · Psychoanalysis · Psychotherapist · Sociology · Theology · Traumatic grief · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Contemporary Christian Leadership and Education · History · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Philosophy · Psychology · Religious studies
Qualitative and descriptive research
Reception of Paul’s eschatological teaching in Ghana
Paul’s Rhetorical Efforts to Establish Good Will in First Thessalonians
Is There Imminent Expectation in 1 Thess 4
Bereavement and the role of religious and cultural factors
Syncretism and Cultural Resilience
The Jesus Tradition in 1 Thess 4.13–5.11
Is First Thessalonians a Letter of Consolation
“Women … Mourn and Men Carry On”
Are Methodist Church bereavement ritual’s sufficient for its black African members
Liturgical aspects of funeral services in Reformed Churches of African origin
Grieving during a pandemic
Bereavement rituals and their related psychosocial functions in a Northern Sotho community of South Africa
A Critical Evaluation of the Impact of Religious Belief (Christianity) within Post-Colonial African Burial Rites
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |