NAMING AND DESCRIBING AS CRITICAL STYLISTIC FEATURES OF SOCIO-POLITICAL DISCOURSE IN SELECTED CHRISTIAN SERMONS

This study explores how Nigerian pastors strategically use language in sermons to construct ideological meanings and address socio-political issues such as corruption, inequality, and insecurity. Using Lesley Jeffries’ (2010) Critical Stylistics framework, specifically the tool of Naming and Describing, the study analyses ten purposively selected sermons delivered between 2020 and 2023, during periods marked by national crises and elections. Through naming strategies like metaphorical labelling and ideological contrasts like “no more rigging,” “died like a fowl”, pastors challenge political realities and encourage civic engagement. The findings support recent research showing the pulpit as a platform for political critique and moral guidance. In view of this, the study reveals how religious rhetoric reframes political discourse and positions the Church as an agent of social transformation. It recommends broader comparative studies across African nations to better understand the role of sermons in shaping civic consciousness and advocating for reform across the continent.