LEARNING NEW TESTAMENT GREEK: EVALUATING CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Behind every research, is a mind and result arrived at for practical application. A research on biblical languages and the articulation of a position paper on understanding the impediments encountered in the teaching and learning of New Testament Greek, with prospects toward solution are paramount among investigations meant to foster intellectual, spiritual and moral exercise. The study is based on the primary hypotheses that: (i) Dearth of information, human and material resources, learning facilities, poor planning of study curriculum, limited study periods encapsulated in short semesters, and absence of motivation have given rise to low interest and growing difficulty in studying biblical Greek language in Nigerian Universities, Colleges of Education and Seminaries; (ii) A redesign of the curriculum and the establishment of well-equipped Biblical Language Centre would enhance scientific and spiritual knowledge, scriptural interpretation and promote salvation theorem; (iii) a good knowledge of the English grammar and syntactic skills are adequate to develop sufficient level of translation from Greek to English and vice-versa. The essence of this study is to examine the relationship between biblical students’ level of understanding and interest in Biblical Greek as resource for intellectual and spiritual exercises. The research therefore investigates the hitches relating to the study of the koine Greek and the production ofa document that would aid its study. The significance of the exercise is to benefit categories of stakeholders to master the English and Greek language so as to avoid ambiguity, misinterpreting spiritual messages and tackle the high propensity for untrained minds prone to poor hermeneutical method(s) that would metamorphose into potential social chaos, conflicting ideologies, misguided doctrines and unhealthy competitions among preachers and recipients of God’s sacred word.