JORAS - Nigerian Journal of Religion and Society

While it undoubtedly has many flaws, the democratic environment provides us with the best hope for the defense and protection of human life and dignity. Despite the physical presence of democracy in many countries in our world today, the Church has to remain vigilant so as to ensure that the basic rights of all citizens are protected and that an environment exists where democratic structures and principles are nurtured and withheld. This is particularly urgent in the many developing nations of the world where democratic principles are still somewhat new and the tendency of other principles based on greed and primordial sentiments such as ethnicity and religious affiliations too often dominate the political landscape. The Church must reclaim its Teaching Authority in season and out of season, welcome or unwelcome, while also decoding and distilling the prophesies of the millions of citizens who inhabit no thrones or kingdoms and whose voice is often ignored.This paper identifies some key areas in which the Church can and must intervene to ensure that democracy places the human person at the centre of its principles and practices.

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