INTERCULTURAL HERMENEUTICS AND AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION: IMPLICATIONS FOR PENTECOSTAL THEOLOGY AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN SOCIETY

Abstract

This article examines the intersection of intercultural hermeneutics and African Traditional Religion (ATR) and their implications for Pentecostal theology and Christian education in contemporary Nigerian society. It argues that hermeneutical approaches that integrate African cultural worldviews enrich Pentecostal theology and enhance the relevance of Christian education. The study highlights the need for contextual interpretation of Scripture that acknowledges indigenous cosmologies, ritual practices, and moral values while critically engaging them from a biblical standpoint. The article concludes that intercultural hermeneutics provides a dialogical framework that strengthens theological reflection, fosters contextual pedagogy, and empowers the Nigerian church to respond to the challenges of pluralism, syncretism, and secularism.