Abstract

With approximately 10 million registered members, the Nigeria-based Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest Pentecostal church and is one of the world’s most influential religious organisations. In 2018, the RCCG introduced a new Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) programme in an effort to streamline and professionalise its vast and diverse portfolio of Nigerian development activities. In order to justify the launching of CSR , the RCCG has employed a number of Bible-based theological arguments to defend its commitment to investing several millions of dollars into developing Nigeria. This lecture will provide an overview of the main theological tensions underpinning CSR ’s theological model and will offer germane insights into how one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s key religious players is using biblical theologies as an instrument to help compensate for the Nigerian state’s development failings.

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