Religiosity and Morality in Contemporary Churches in Nigeria: Critical Points of Disconnec-tions Between Faith and Praxis.

This paper discusses the critical disconnect between displays of religiosity and morality in contemporary churches in Nigeria. The paper examines whether religiosity has enhanced the spiritual and moral formation of Christian adherents in terms of curbing corruption as a major moral cancer that affects all aspects of human life. The writer subsumes all the moral issues under corruption. Some Nigerian churches are bedevilled by corrupt practices such as greed, fraud, adultery, fornication, and other moral vices against which they preach. Pastors embezzle church funds, engage in financial fraud, and engage in all forms of sexual immorality and abuse. The authors used books, journals, bulletins, and internet articles relevant to the study. The findings of the study revealed five major indicators or barometers of spirituality through which adherents of the Christian religion in Nigeria display religiosity: pilgrimage, worship, regular attendance, fasting, and media production. This paper argues that these displays of religiosity have not been translated into the spiritual and moral formations of Christian religious adherents. The paper concludes by recommending to all Christians and churches in Nigeria the need to return to the practice of ethical and moral codes contained in the Bible, the theopneustic book of Christians.