International Council for Education, Research and Training

Prophetic Message Of Amos And Its Relevance To The African Society

Opade, Ochenia Faith 

Department of Biblical Studies, Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso

 

Abstract

This paper examines Amos’s prophetic witness and its relevant for today’s church in African countries for promoting social justice. There are three basic concerns that motivate this paper: First, there is growing corruption in African societies; second, there are glaring weaknesses of the church’s prophetic witness in African societies today; and third, there is a great need for the church in Africa to speak out against social injustices. Thus, the writer seeks an appropriate biblical response that could serves as viable response for the church in curtailing social injustices in African society. To achieve this, the writer investigated scholarly opinions on the prophetic roles of the church in promoting social justice while considering the argument for and against. Furthermore, the prophetic witness of Amos was examined and its relevance to the African church. It is therefore recommended based on the prophetic message of Amos, that the church should: (a) support those believers who speak out against the evils in our time: crimes and injustices within the socio-economic and political climate of our time; (b) address issues, such as substance abuse, eating disorders, sexual misconduct and AIDS from a Biblical stance; (c) make people aware of the needs of our time; (d) motivate people to get involved in the sustainable development of their environment, and in addressing issues such as unemployment and poor education; and (e) support those people who are still oppressed, maltreated, abused and belittled.

 

Keywords: African Society, Prophetic, Social Justice, Corruption

Impact statement

The prophetic message of Amos holds immense relevance and significance for African society, resonating deeply with its social, economic, and political realities. Amos, an ancient Prophet whose words continue to echo through the ages, spoke out against injustice, corruption, and the mistreatment of the marginalized. His message serves as a powerful call to action, urging African societies to address systemic inequities and strive for a more just and compassionate world.

One of the central themes in Amos’s message is the condemnation of economic exploitation and the abuse of power. In many African countries, wealth disparities, corruption, and the mismanagement of resources remain persistent challenges. Amos’s message challenges African societies to confront these issues head-on, advocating for equitable distribution of wealth, transparency in governance, and accountability in leadership. By heeding Amos’s prophetic voice, African societies can work towards eradicating poverty, fostering economic empowerment, and ensuring that the benefits of development reach all members of society.

About The Author

My name is Ochenia Faith Opade, I am married, and the marriage is blessed with a son named Melech. I hold H.N.D in Marketing from Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos; a Master of Divinity in Theology; a Master of Theology as well as Doctor of Philosophy in Old Testament Language and Literature from the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso where I am serving as the first and only female Lecturer in the Department of Biblical Studies, and currently serving as the Head of the Department. I am a member of Nigerian Association for Biblical Studies (NABIS), a member of National Association for the Studies of Religion and Education (NASRED), a member of Sacred Earth Ministry, a member of Pragmatics Association of Nideria, a member of European Centre for Research Training and Development UK and a member of International Council for Education, Research and Training. Before my call into full-time ministry, I served as anti-abortion Coordinator and HIV AIDS Counselor with Chargmane Foundation, an NGO based in Lagos. I also served as Prison Ministry Director for the Lord’s Royal Servants, a Church-Based Non-Profit Organization. Ochenia Faith has a special interest in Biblical languages, and my passion for bridging the gap between Egalitarian and Complementarian perspectives to gender issues spurred my interest in women studies. She has articles in Journals, chapter in books, and my book publication is titled; Sexism Discourse in Judges 4 and Its Implications for Women in Leadership. 

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