CIVIC EXPENDITURE VS CARE FOR THE POOR: A LOOK AT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM'S HOMILY ON THE TOWER OF BABEL

摘要

It is very common in the contemporary Nigerian society for people to display their wealth by embarking on the construction of mansions, villas, fancy cottages, and so on with reckless abandon. Many of this people, while caring less about the welfare of the poor and the marginalized in the society, may embark on the construction of churches, temples and mosques. They align themselves with one religious group or the other in order to satisfy their selfish interests. Their focus is to make a name for themselves through the physical structures they construct. They may not care to provide jobs for the jobless youths of the society, but they would make unbelievably huge donations towards one project or the other in the society. Religious leaders have been compromised at some quarters as a result of their inability to discern the actual motives of some high-level politicians who identify with their religious groups simply for the sake of their own political agenda. Many leaders, both religious and secular, are caught up in the dilemma of building structures or enhancing people. It is against this background that we suggest that Christians need to focus on empowering people, more than simply raising gigantic structures, as a way to contribute to national integration. In this light, John Chrysostom's homily on the Tower of Babel is apt.