RETHINKING HERMENEUTICS: ABEL DAMINA’S CONTRIBUTION TO THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

RETHINKING HERMENEUTICS: ABEL DAMINA’S CONTRIBUTION TO THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 

1.1 Background of the Study

Hermeneutics—the art and science of interpretation—has undergone significant evolution over the past century, yet many African theological institutions continue to teach it primarily as a set of technical rules. Abel Damina, however, treats hermeneutics as a dynamic engagement between text, context, and interpreter, emphasizing narrative theology, reader‐response insights, and postcolonial critiques (Clair, 2018). His workshops guide students through exercises in contextual exegesis—applying biblical principles to issues such as ethnic conflict, economic injustice, and mental‐health stigma—thereby cultivating interpretive methods that are both academically rigorous and socially relevant.

 

Damina’s contribution aligns with calls for “praxis hermeneutics,” which insists that interpretation must lead to transformed practice in the world. He incorporates multimedia case studies—video interviews with marginalized communities, digital story‐mapping of traditional rites, and participatory action research results—into classroom discourse, thus enriching hermeneutical reflection with concrete lived experience (Juergensmeyer, 2017). This holistic model of hermeneutics has profound implications for theological education in Nigeria, where the gap between academic theology and grassroots ministry often hinders meaningful application.

 

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Although innovative hermeneutical approaches have been proposed in global scholarship, Nigerian seminaries have been slow to adopt methods that integrate social context and practitioner experience. There is little empirical assessment of how Damina’s praxis‐oriented hermeneutics affects students’ interpretive acumen, ethical awareness, and ministerial relevance. Without such study, educators lack a blueprint for reforming hermeneutics instruction to bridge theory and practice effectively.

 

1.3 Objectives of the Study

To examine the unique hermeneutical frameworks and pedagogical tools employed by Abel Damina.

 

To assess the impact of these approaches on students’ abilities to interpret scripture in ways that inform social action.

 

To propose a hermeneutics curriculum model for Nigerian theological institutions that balances academic depth with contextual engagement.

 

1.4 Research Questions

What hermeneutical theories and methods does Abel Damina prioritize in his teaching?

 

How do students trained under his model describe changes in their interpretive skills and their application to real‐world challenges?

 

What curricular structures best support the integration of praxis hermeneutics in resource‐varying seminary environments?

 

1.5 Significance of the Study

Theological Educators & Curriculum Planners: Insights will guide the design of hermeneutics courses that foster both scholarly excellence and social relevance.

 

Students & Ministry Practitioners: Enhanced hermeneutical skills will enable more culturally sensitive and impactful ministry initiatives.

 

Academic Associations & Accrediting Bodies: Data will inform standards that encourage praxis‐oriented, contextually engaged hermeneutics in African theological education.

 

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study

Scope: Focuses on cohorts (2023–2025) in Abel Damina’s hermeneutics seminars—both in-person and online—with participants primarily from Nigerian theological institutions.

 

Limitations:

 

Diversity of Seminary Contexts: Variations in institutional resources and student backgrounds may affect the replicability of Damina’s methods.

 

Rapid Evolution: As hermeneutical theory and Damina’s own praxis develop, findings may reflect a particular moment in his pedagogical trajectory.

 

1.7 Definition of Terms

Praxis Hermeneutics: An interpretive approach that links textual analysis directly to social action and lived experience.

 

Reader‐Response Theory: A hermeneutical method focusing on the reader’s role in constructing textual meaning.

 

Postcolonial Critique: Analytical lens examining how historical power dynamics shape text interpretation and theological constructs.

 

Contextual Exegesis: Interpretation of scripture that intentionally engages the social, cultural, and economic circumstances of readers.

 

Participatory Action Research: A collaborative research approach that involves participants in the study and application of results (Arango et al., 2018).

 

List of References

Arango, C., Díaz‐Caneja, C. M., McGorry, P. D., Rapoport, J., Sommer, I. E., Vorstman, J. A., … Carpenter, W. (2018). Preventive strategies for mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(7), 591–604.

 

Clair, M. (2018). Stigma. Core concepts in sociology, 318–321.

 

Juergensmeyer, M. (2017). Terror in the mind of God: The global rise of religious violence (Vol. 13). University of California Press.