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The idea of rationality and dignity in Christian ethics is one of the characteristics of an evangelism ethics. Firstly in the issue of rationality, it is the state of the level-headedness with which one presents his claim to the knowledge of the truth that determines the response at his disposal either in the negative or positive. In Christian ethics and in evangelism precisely, rational ethics refers to a system that allows one to choose between different values by a method of comparison and want. One can also approach the notion and the principle of rationality in several ways. But in any case, one has to apply one’s own type of analysis on human action and behaviour. For this reason, it seems worthwhile to look at the importance and the use of the principle of rationality in the day to day Christian evangelism in this era.

The ideal concept of rational ethics places moral demand on the choices an individual or group makes. In the thinking of Ulrich (2009) rational ethics sees the basis of morality in reasoning rather than in convention. Its concept of ethics is in this sense post conventional rather than conventional.

From Lumer’s (2010) point of view ethics of rational moral value, unlike cooperation ethics, takes a moral value function to be central to morality. It is important therefore that as Christians engage themselves in the act of evangelism and sharing their faith with non-Christians. The use of rational ethics framework allows reasoned choices and the fundamental right of man to prevail as a common ground between the evangelist and the potential convert.

The truth is that imposition of choice is at variance with the principle of rationality or rational ethics which in most cases negates coherent evangelism. For instance, in some part of Igbo land Christians that engage in forced and coercive evangelism seem to have lost grip of the

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right of a person to either accept or choose not to accept a change of faith. The implicit truth is that in carrying out the work of evangelism in a given society such as Igboland in discourse.

It is of the essence that evangelism is conducted with the understanding of the need for the organizers and the participants in Christian evangelism to be fair. The fairness at this point is for the evangelists to display concrete evidence that they will respect the choice of the people.

The truth is that if Christian evangelists are to tolerate the integration of rational ethics in their evangelism activities, the understanding is that it will give non-christians the sense of fact that Christian evangelism would go a long way to coordinate a rational and coherent evangelism devoid of any violence and rancor. However since rational decision plays a vital role in ensuring effectiveness of the gospel, evangelism is to be anchored on the principle of rationality for better acceptance in Igboland and the society generally.

On the principle of dignity, Thiessen (2011) suggests that the dignity and care of persons are foundational ethics that is common to Christians and non-christians. Christianity provided a theological foundation for the appeal to the dignity of persons. The most fundamental reason for respecting the dignity of the human being is that each person is created in the image of God despite individual religious beliefs. And this ought to reflect in Christian’s day to day work of evangelism in the society.

Therefore in order to keep evangelism in harmony it is expected that Christian evangelism should always be done in such a way as to protect the dignity of the person being evangelized. This is to be achieved if Christians that participate in evangelism are to avoid attacks and violent destruction of the prospective converts’ traditional religious symbols of worship without any respect to the value the prospective convert has for his/her object of worship. Noteworthy is the fact that it always amounts to lawlessness the moment the act of evangelism degenerates into reducing the potential convert to the status of an object. In so doing the people become a pawn in the evangelism program of the church or Christian

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organization as seen in some parts of Igboland during crusade evangelism that culminated into chaos, violence and crisis against Christian evangelism.

From Arinze (2002-2003) point of view:

It seems banal to assert that there are many religions in the world. And yet there are people who appear not to accept this fact. They want their religion to be the only one in the world. They want every other believer to be converted into that religion. Let us begin by recognizing as legitimate desire to share one’s religious conviction with other people. If I sincerely believe my religion to be the best thing on earth or to be the final religious revelation from God to humanity, I have every right to want to share my treasure with all my brothers and sisters. But the means adopted must be acceptable.

They must respect the dignity of other human persons and their inalienable right to freedom of conscience and religion especially as spelt out by the United Nations in paragraph 18 of its 1948 universal Declaration of Human Rights. (p. 7).

Looking at dignity from the basic understanding, it is a kind of value as bestowed on every human person, his/her religion and the way of life. In essence, it is factual when one says that something has a dignity; it is to say that it has a certain kind of value. The implication therefore with regard to attitude and conduct is that anything that has dignity must be accorded respect and not to be eroded. An account in the book of Genesis says “so God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” Genesis 1: 27. This account in the book of Genesis recounts how mankind was created in the image of God, in expression of the essential and the inherent human worth that must not be violated but rather protected.

Analyzing Immanuel Kant’s theory on the idea of human dignity, Rachels (1986) observes that it is commonly assumed that Kant conceived of dignity as something that every human being possesses, simply by virtue of having the capacity for freedom and rationality.

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Even more importantly humans have an intrinsic worth ie dignity, because they are rational agents, which are free agents capable of making their own decisions, setting their own goals and guiding their conduct by reason. Because the moral law is the law of reason, rational beings are the embodiment of moral law itself. The only way that moral goodness can exist at all in the world is for the rational creatures to apprehend what they should do and acting from a sense of duty, do it.

This view corresponds to the quest for Christian evangelism and the process of Christians’ conversion of non-christians to be guided by respect to the dignity of the human person. Facts have shown that just as humans are rational moral free agents competent to take own decision as guided by reason. It therefore becomes necessary that human approach on the issue of Christian evangelism and the conversion of faith be tailored to respect the dignity of a person to own decision unchallenged or being coerced. The principle of according respect to the dignity of person is a prime ideology designed for a prompt coherent and effective evangelism. The fact that some Christian evangelism held in some parts of Igboland were confrontational, violent and crisis ridden is because the principle of respect to the dignity of person especially the target converts to an extent was not followed.

One needs not to overemphasize the truth that in organizing Christian evangelism aimed at soul saving for Jesus Christ with the convert having to abandon his/her faith for Christianity.

The attitude of not violating the dignity of any human person by forceful conscription of his faith and instruments of religious worship as against the case in Igbo land in discourse is very paramount. Forced and violent evangelism should be replaced with the principle of dignity and consenting of the person being evangelized. The person being evangelized has the right to accept, decline or the duty to make choices which is all about the principle of dignity. This perhaps to a large extent was lacking in those evangelism crusades so conducted in some Igbo communities such as Amansea, Ugbenu, Aguaobuowa, Achina, Nsirimo and so on that

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degenerated into chaos and conflict of violent destruction of traditional worship symbols of the traditionalists.