The beauty of folly Preaching Daniel 1:1–21 in a context of corruption

CITATION: Nicodemus, D. 2019. The beauty of folly Preaching Daniel 1:1–21 in a context of corruption. Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 5(2):95-114, doi:10.17570/stj.Supp.%202019.v5n2.a06.The original publication is available at https://ojs.reformedjournals.co.za/stjThis chapter discuss how preaching may be used to curb the menace of corruption in Nigeria. It employs a biblical account of Daniel and his friends who for the sake of their Jewish faith refused the royal food and royal wine and instead they requested vegetables and ordinary water. In a context where individualism, selfishness, bribery, embezzle ment, hoarding of wealth, dishonesty is prominent, what Daniel and his friends did would have been consider as a foolish act. However, the life of Daniel and his three friends revealed that there is beauty in acting like a fool. Therefore, this chapter argues that preaching in a context of corruption demands encouraging people to dedicate their hearts to God, encouraging people to believe that God can be trusted in all situations and that He is able to bless and deliver those who trust him. Preaching in a context of corruption demands encouraging people to be the kind of people whose actions stand to encourage persuasive abstinence from corruption. This is necessary for the stimulating and participating in societal transformation through refusing to be selfishness, giving and receiving of a bribe, embezzlement, hoarding of wealth and refusing to be dishonest in all situations.https://ojs.reformedjournals.co.za/stj/article/view/1956Publisher's versio