A Religio – Ethical Analysis of Clergies Compromise and Its Impact on the Social Development of the Society

Abstract

Religion is seen to be a product of society. Religion is an instrument of social control in society. Every deviation from fundamental religious beliefs and values is compromised; compromise has to do with lowering the standards, and ignoring integrity for the sake of gaining lust and greediness. Compromise takes away the anointing of God’s calling and purpose for living. The study adopts ethical analysis and critical thinking skill to examine the issue. Compromise opens the door for corruption, compromise causes misplacement of calling and position that has great spiritual implications to the congregation and society, ministers need to exhibit a variety of traits such as faithfulness, moral purity, integrity, spiritual leadership, teaching ability, and a teachable spirit. Every positive progress is assumed to be the result of social development religious institutions' major role is to build people with good moral values to be able to grow a prosperous social development society. The absolute work of the clergies is the teaching, training nurturing, and empowering the people from the cradle of good moral values such as honesty, self-control, godliness, kindness, righteousness, trustworthiness and love among the people would help build a prosperous, peaceful society for social development. Findings: 1. Compromise creates a bad impression about the calling of God on the clergy 2. Compromise of the Clergy receiving gratification of money or other gifts will compromise what is right and true 3. The use of the pulpit for partisan politics is a compromise on the sanctity of the pulpit. 4. Compromise through lust, greed, and gains destroy the integrity and public trust in the individual. 5.Compromise opens the door to corruption, and corruption hinders social development 6. Religious institutions should be a place to build bridges across people, tribes, languages and communities, and cultures, good relationships and friendship of love and harmony will create an atmosphere for social development in the society. 7. Religious clergies are cautious about teaching sermons that give a false impression about life, when people get disappointment; they end up frustrated and fall into various temptations and compromises that affect the social development of the society. In conclusion, the clergies and religious institutions should uphold their religious ethics, and standards and avoid compromising their integrity even if heaven should fall. the clergies and religious institutions should be mindful of their actions and teachings in other to create a society and atmosphere for social development.

Keywords: religious institution, clergy, compromise, social development.

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/13-12-02

Publication date:June 30^th 2023