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Browsing FACULTY OF ARTS by Author "AKINDELE, Samson Kehinde"
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Item A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CONCEPT OF EVIL IN CHRISTIANITY AND YORUBA RELIGION(UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, 2018) AKINDELE, Samson KehindeThe problem of evil is explicit on how to reconcile the existence of the omnipotent and omnibenevolent God with the stark reality of evil in the world. Many theists have made several attempts to solve the problem but their proffered solutions are inadequate. The aim of the study was to examine the dynamics of the problem of evil in Christianity and Yoruba religion. The objectives of this thesis were to (i) define the co-existence of God in Christianity and Yoruba religion, (ii) probe into the understanding of God in Christianity and Yoruba religion (iii) examine the variables that are involved in the dynamics of the problem of evil in Christianity and Yoruba religion; (iv) Examine the meeting point of Christianity and Yoruba religion on the problem of evil. (v) Investigate the teachings of Christianity and Yoruba religion on how to cope with the problem of evil. The research methods used were interpretative, comparative and phenomenological interpretative method was adopted to explain the meaning people assigned to the problem of evil, comparative method was to compare and contrast the submissions of Christian and Yoruba religious adherents, while phenomenological method was employed to examine the events and experiences of evil in Christianity and Yoruba Religion. The findings of this study were that i. God is conceived as omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omnipresent in both religions has not changed. ii. God is an ontological Being that is fundamental to the belief systems of both Christianity and Yoruba Religion. iii. Yoruba religion synthesize the relationship between Satan and Olodumare they protect God’s Omnipotence by perceiving Satan as God’s messenger while Christianity tends to rob God of His Omnipotence by regarding Satan as God’s arch enemy who is always mounting pressure on good things created by God.; iv. The meeting point of Christianity and Yoruba religion is the willingness to accept the goodness of God in spite of evil in the world He created and that man is essentially responsible for evil; and v. Yoruba religion down play the problem of evil by their dualistic approach to it. Good and evil are not two distinct realities in isolation they are related to each other. They are dialectical. Therefore, evil does not contradict divine reality Christianity on the other hand proposes a Christ-centered, God’s Spint controlled life, as a way out of the dominance of evil experiences. The study concluded that; Yoruba religion has more convincing solution to the problem of evil than Christianity. Evil is consistent with the world as created by God. Therefore, the thesis recommended that scholars in relevant fields should consider the solution proffered by Yoruba religion and endeavour to promote African philosophy in universal scholarship.