TRINITARIAN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

This study addresses a critical gap in biblical scholarship by analyzing the figure of Joseph in Matthew 1:18-20 through psychological and economic lenses, contrasting with existing theological and legal perspectives. It investigates Joseph's initial trauma and marital crisis upon discovering Mary's pregnancy, framing his experience as a biblical archetype for contemporary paternity disputes amongst Christian couples. The research is situated against the alarming backdrop of DNA paternity testing (Artificial intelligence) in Lagos, where reports indicate 27% of tested men are not the biological fathers of their children, leading to widespread psychological distress and economic disengagement. Employing narrative criticism, biblical exegesis, and a hermeneutics of enculturation, this interdisciplinary paper bridges biblical studies with social science. It proposes that Joseph's journey from shock to divinely-guided acceptance of a non- biological child offers a counter-model to the prevalent responses of abandonment in modern Nigeria. The anticipated findings suggest that Joseph's fatherhood provides a framework for trauma management and sustainable economic responsibility in blended parenting contexts. Consequently, the study will recommend the promotion of this ethical model in church teachings and family policy to foster family stability and responsible fatherhood beyond mere biological ties, offering a constructive response to the paternity crisis in Lagos.

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