AN ANALYSIS OF THE POTENCY OF COMMON GRACE IN THE CONTEXT OF TERRORISM IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Terrorism is growing qualitatively and quantitatively globally with the aid of modern technology. This paper is not intended to unravel the causes of terrorism and how to tackle it. Rather, the purpose of the research is to take an intellectual analysis of the concept of common grace, which is believed by many scholars to be an instrument by which God regulates the excesses of evil in the world. It is assumed that the affairs of mankind could have been far worse but for the regulative principle of God's common grace. The alarming rate of crime growth, especially in Nigeria rather calls into question the nature of the effectuality of this concept of common grace and seeks a better way of understanding how God sovereignly controls the growth of evil in the world. While affirming this principle, this paper also argues that God created social institutions or structures for the purpose of helping people to responsibly evolve into a civic society, which is essential for checking the growth of evil. This is a cultural mandate that Christians and non-Christians must account for as a duty given by God to partner with him in the administration of the world to his glory.