PENTECOSTALISM AND PUBLIC LIFE

A Pentecostal-Civil Society Dialogue on Public Accountability, Governance, Gender, and Conflict in Nigeria

On October 18, 2004, a dialogue series titled "Pentecostalism in Public Life" took off in Lagos. The dialogue brings together Pentecostal and human rights leaders for frank and interactive discussions on issues of public accountability and governance - especially the question of how the moral influence of the Pentecostal churches can serve to improve the quality of governance in Nigeria.

The Pentecostal-Civil Society Dialogue is facilitated by the Centre for Law and Social Action [CLASA] with support from the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

The goal of this initiative is to engage leaders of Pentecostal churches - constituting perhaps the largest and fastest-growing social movement in Nigeria - and leaders of civil society organizations in a dialogue about the possible contributions of the Pentecostal churches to improve governance and to combat corruption in this country. By their very character, Pentecostal churches have an enormous potential to influence public morality, among their members and beyond.

It is envisaged that the dialogue will be a continuing process. The first phase of the dialogue has been structured into three sessions:

1. Inaugural Session
Date: October 18, 2004, 9:00-14:00
Theme: 'Public Accountability and Governance'
Venue: AGIP Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos

2. Second Session
Date: December 2, 2004
Theme: 'Women, Pentecostalism and Public Life'
Venue: MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos

3. Third Session
Date: May 20, 2005
Theme: Inter-Faith Dialogue and Conflict Prevention
Venue: Crest Hotel, Old Airport Road

"PENTECOSTALISM AND PUBLIC LIFE IN NIGERIA:
PERSPECTIVES AND DIALOGUE"
{in pdf: 102 pages,561 KB}