Use of Social Media for Sustainable Peace by Church Pastors of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, 2010-2020

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation , 2022 , 472 Pages

Politics - Region: Africa

This research’s objective is to critically engage in the study of responses of the Convention’s pastors to the actualisation of Goal Sixteen, which aims at peaceful and non-violent societies. The study examined how the Convention’s pastors use social media in mediative dialogue to resolve conflicts in building peace in churches. The study focused on using social media in mediative dialogue among pastors in Baptist churches within Ibadan city. It focused on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Its time frame is 2010 to 2020. It was done through three qualitative research methods: sample surveys, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The study discovers that many Baptist pastors in Ibadan have been using at least a social media platform. It reveals that while few pastors consciously use social media to promote sustainable peace and resolve conflicts through mediative dialogue, most pastors are sceptical about using social media to resolve conflicts through mediative dialogue. While most pastors that use social media use WhatsApp and Facebook, many are just migrating to Telegram, and few pastors use Twitter. The research recommended that governments, faith-based organisations, and pastors of the Convention should deploy social media in the process of mediative dialogue as an instrument for deepening sustainable peace.

Conflicts in the world impair sustainable peace. Conflicts have to be resolved and transformed for peaceful coexistence to achieve one of the seventeen blueprints of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals – peaceful and non-violent societies. A process of attaining peace is peacebuilding. One of peacebuilding means is mediative dialogue. Many faith-based organisations, especially the Nigerian Baptist Convention, resolve conflicts among its churches through various means. As the world has metamorphosed digitally and social media changes communication means globally, using social media in mediative dialogue will likely improve conflict resolution by faith-based organisations.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Chapter One: Introduction
• 1.1 Background to the Study
• 1.2 Statement of the Problem
• 1.3 Objectives of the Study
• 1.4 Research Questions
• 1.5 Scope of the Study
• 1.6 Significance of the Study
• 1.7 Limitations of the Study
• 1.8 Definition of Key Terms
• Chapter Two: Literature Review
• 2.1 The Concept of Peace
• 2.2 The Concept of Sustainable Peace
• 2.3 The Role of Religion in Peacebuilding
• 2.4 The Role of the Church in Peacebuilding
• 2.5 Social Media as a Tool for Peacebuilding
• 2.6 Social Media in Nigeria: A Contextual Framework
• 2.7 The Nigerian Baptist Convention: A Historical Perspective
• Chapter Three: Research Methodology
• 3.1 Research Design
• 3.2 Population of the Study
• 3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique
• 3.4 Research Instruments
• 3.5 Data Collection Procedures
• 3.6 Data Analysis Techniques
• Chapter Four: Data Presentation and Analysis
• 4.1 Profile of the Respondents
• 4.2 Use of Social Media by Church Pastors
• 4.3 The Role of Social Media in Peacebuilding by Church Pastors
• 4.4 Challenges to the Use of Social Media for Peacebuilding
• 4.5 Strategies for Promoting Sustainable Peace through Social Media
• Chapter Five: Summary of Findings, Discussion, Recommendations and Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis investigates the use of social media by church pastors of the Nigerian Baptist Convention between 2010 and 2020 to promote sustainable peace. It examines the role of social media in peacebuilding within the context of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and explores the challenges and strategies associated with its effective utilization.

• The role of social media in peacebuilding in Nigeria.
• The use of social media by church pastors of the Nigerian Baptist Convention for peacebuilding.
• The challenges faced by church pastors in using social media for peacebuilding.
• The strategies employed by church pastors to promote sustainable peace through social media.
• The impact of social media on peacebuilding within the Nigerian Baptist Convention.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the research topic and provides context for the study. It outlines the research problem, objectives, scope, significance, limitations, and defines key terms. Chapter two presents a comprehensive review of existing literature on the concept of peace, sustainable peace, the role of religion and the church in peacebuilding, the use of social media for peacebuilding, and a contextual overview of social media in Nigeria and the Nigerian Baptist Convention.

Chapter three details the research methodology employed, including the research design, population, sample, sampling technique, research instruments, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques. Chapter four presents and analyzes the collected data, focusing on the profile of the respondents, their use of social media, the role of social media in peacebuilding, challenges faced, and strategies for promoting sustainable peace.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Social media, sustainable peace, church pastors, Nigerian Baptist Convention, peacebuilding, conflict transformation, interreligious dialogue, digital communication, online activism, religious leadership, Nigeria.

• Author: Adebayo Afolaranmi (Author)
• Publication Year: 2022
• Pages: 472
• Catalog Number: V1352250
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346867254
• ISBN (Book): 9783346867261
• Language: English
• Tags: Sustainable Peace, Conflict Transformation, Mediative Dialogue, Social Media, Nigerian Baptist Pastors