TEXTUALITY IN SELECT NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN HOMILIES: A STRUCTURAL APPROACH
Authors:
IDOWU Olubunmi
Publication Type: Journal article
Journal:
ISSN Number:
0
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Abstract
The language of sermons has been studied mainly from the stylistic and
semantic perspectives by scholars in linguistics. However, little attention has
been paid to the text discourse. This study therefore explored the structural
components in selected Nigerian Christian homilies. The churches were
categorized into the Mission, the Ethiopian, the African Indigenous and
Pentecostal churches. Two sermons were randomly selected from each of these
groups. Data were analyzed using the Systemic Functional approach. Findings
reveal that the distribution patterns of the thematic and information structures
were similar in the various church groups. However, more instances of the
varied patterns located in the Pentecostal and Mission churches reflect their
less prescriptive worship styles and more aggressive evangelical nature than
their Ethiopian African and African Indigenous counterparts. Thus, structural
resources and strategies are central to the effective delivery and understanding
of messages presented in Christian sermons. The study concluded that since the
potency of the language of sermons to inspire and mobilize the laity is not in
question, such language can be adopted outside the traditional confines of the
church in teaching in the classroom and packaging mass mobilization
programs, and thus define homilies as a diatype of Nigerian English.