SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Religion And Human Relations

CONTRIBUTORS:

Duru, H.C;
Madu, J.E;

ABSTRACT:

This study focused on Hermeneutical Appraisal of Luke 16:19-31 in the Context of Rich-Poor Dichotomy in Igboland. This dissertation investigated and examined the socio-political and economic situations that have contributed immensely to rich-poor dichotomy in Igboland, and proffered solutions that will help narrow or reduce the gap between the rich and the poor in Igboland. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 depicts the extremes of wealth and poverty and the problem of the rich-poor dichotomy in the society. The worrisome situation that is at the background of the text of Luke 16:19-31, is the problem of poverty in the midst of abundance, and the problem of wealth that ignores poverty and suffering. Another problem that is at the source of the text of Luke 16:19-31 is the horrible inequities that exist between human beings, individually and corporately. In Igboland, one easily observes the gap between the rich and the poor. The socio-economic gap or situation of these two classes widens everyday. The research adopted exegetico-hermeneutical, historical, and descriptive approaches. The method of collecting or gathering data was by primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were drawn from personal observation and unstructured questionnaire. The secondary sources include books, magazines, journals, dictionaries, unpublished theses, commentaries, articles, newspapers, internet, library sources, and other relevant materials. No hypothesis was tested or used. This study adopted Social Class Theory advanced by Karl Marx (1818 - 1883). After data analysis, it was discovered that the dichotomy or gap between the rich and the poor in Igboland was caused by marginalization by the Federal Government, maladministration n by corrupt political office holders, Patriarchal dominance, inter-state discrimination/segregation within South Eastern region, lack of business investment by wealthy Igbo in the South East, poor educational system, poor infrastructure, and greed/selfishness has the following consequences: poor health/hunger/malnutrition, poor or lack of access to basic education, poor access to water and sanitation, human trafficking/prostitution, crimes such as, kidnapping/abduction/hostage taking, armed robbery, internet/cyber scams, drug trafficking, and social and political discrimination or inequality. In order to close or narrow the gap or dichotomy between the rich and the poor in Igboland, the following recommendations are therefore made: making education free or affordable, creating jobs, by investing in infrastructure, developing/industrialization of the rural areas, provision of the basic necessities of life, wealth creation, making an option for the poor, and returning back to God. The study concludes that Nigerian contemporary society, particularly Igboland, needs socio-political and economic liberation given the enormity of social ills resulting from the rich-poor dichotomy. It is the view of this study that such liberation could be arrived at through radical revolutionary theology of liberation, which can achieve liberation and humanization of the oppressed people in this country. This radical theology of revolution can dismantle unjust political, economic, social, and religious structures that paralyze the poor, the weak, the marginalized, and the less privileged.