FAITH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: PRAXIS MODEL OF LITURGY-THEOLOGY-EMPIRICS (LTE)FAITH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: PRAXIS MODEL OF LITURGY-THEOLOGY-EMPIRICS (LTE)

Abstract

Nigeria faces ongoing challenges, including insecurity, unemployment, and poverty. The Catholic Church, with its broad network of institutions and social programs, plays a key role in addressing these issues. However, there is limited evidence that vibrant liturgical life leads to measurable social change. While Catholic Social Teaching (CST) promotes human dignity, solidarity, and justice, and liturgical theology views worship as transformative, these concepts are rarely linked to evaluation or sustainable development. This article presents the Liturgy-Theology-Empirics (LTE) model, which integrates empirical accountability, theological reflection, and worship to connect faith with practical action. The model utilises tools such as surveys, interviews, and observations to evaluate outcomes in education, health, governance, and the environment. Focusing on Nigeria, the article demonstrates the LTE model’s application in these areas. Catholic theology forms the foundation, while social science theories such as Human Development, Liberation Theology, Social Capital, Systems Theory, and Ubuntu ethics provide further analytical depth. The LTE model views liturgy as both developmental and sacramental. Hypothetical parish-based examples show that intentionally linking worship, social action, and systematic evaluation can promote ethical citizenship.