The philosophy and method of integrative humanism and religious crises in Nigeria: Picking only the essentials

Abstract

This paper titled “Philosophy and Method of Integrative Humanism and Religious Crises in Nigeria: Picking the Essentials”, acknowledges the damaging effects of religious bigotry, fanaticism and creed differences on the social, political and economic development of the country. The need for the cessation of religious hostilities in Nigeria is seen as “dire” and this means employing all resources at our disposal to tackle the menace. Alarmingly, most efforts made so far exclude a definite philosophy and have therefore proved to be lame. This paper calls for the adoption of the tenets of integrative humanism as a working philosophy in the drive for the amelioration of the evil of religious crises. This philosophy allows us to sieve the major or all of the religious persuasions in the country, picking and highlighting their common grounds while deliberately de-emphasizing their “irrelevant” differences. This model will promote unity while pushing the differences that cause crises into oblivion. A definite religious education by the planners and coordinators as well as governments will prove worthwhile in helping the internalization of the suggestions of this paper.