ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
This study investigated multiple religious belonging and its implications for the sociocultural life of individuals in Lagos State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to identify the forms and extent of multiple religious belonging among individuals, examine its influence on sociocultural identity, evaluate its effect on value systems and moral orientations, and determine its relationship with social relationships. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised adults (18 years and above) attending selected Pentecostal churches, Orthodox churches, and independent ministries within the Mainland East, Mainland Central, and Mainland West clusters of Lagos State. A sample of 422 respondents was selected using a multistage sampling procedure involving cluster, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire titled Multiple Religious Belonging and Sociocultural Life Questionnaire (MRBSLQ). The instrument was validated by experts in religious studies and measurement and evaluation, while its reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha, yielding an overall reliability coefficient of 0.86. Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Simple Linear Regression were used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that multiple religious beliefs exist in several forms among individuals in Lagos State and occur to a high extent. The study further found that multiple religious beliefs significantly influence sociocultural identity, positively affect value systems and moral orientations, enhance social relationships, promote cultural practices, and strengthen social integration. The hypotheses tested indicated statistically significant relationships between multiple religious belonging and sociocultural identity, value systems, social relationships, and sociocultural life, leading to the rejection of all three null hypotheses. The study concluded that multiple religious belonging is a significant socioreligious phenomenon in Lagos State with predominantly positive implications for sociocultural development. It therefore recommended that religious leaders, policymakers, educational institutions, and community organisations should promote interfaith dialogue, religious tolerance, and collaborative community engagement to strengthen peaceful coexistence and national integration in Nigeria.
Keywords: Multiple Religious Belonging, Sociocultural Identity, Value Systems, Social Integration, Cultural Practices, Religious Pluralism.