Ethnicity and the Church: the Case ofthe Presbyterian Church of Ghana By Rev.Solomon Sumani Sule-Saa A dissertation submitted to the School of Theology, University of Natal, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Master of Theology degree in African Christianity June, 2000 Natal, Pietermaritzburg ABSTRACT Ethnicity and the Church are two vital subjects in mission studies. However, the focus has always been on the latter. As a result the Church's theology of ethnicity is weak. Fear, ethnocentrism and theological blindness account for the little interest in the subject of ethnicity. However, a Church that neglects ethnicity does so at her own peril. God's dealings with IsraeL a history of the growth of the Church from one culture to another makes the study of ethnicity imperative. Failure to acknowledge and harness ethnicity can lead to ethnocentrism or tribalism which is an enemy to God's mission. God's mission essentially reconciles, unites and enriches people from different ethnic groups whilst ethnocentrism or tribalism excludes, divides and impoverishes them. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana like the wider society has to cope with ethnicity. Whereas the Church has harnessed ethnicity in her mission, she has, nonetheless, failed always to do away with ethnocentrism or tribalism. The PCG has not been faithful to her parent missionaries' strategy of planting indigenous churches among the non-Akan and non-Ga. The current PCG's strategy amounts to Akan-Ga cultural mission. Ethnicity and Christian identity are crucial to providing people with their true secure identity. A Christian always has to come to terms with his dual identity, that is, belonging to an ethnic group as well as to Christ. A theology that affirms this dual identity will be in a position to have healthy multi-ethnic churches and be effective in mission. Andrew Walls' Three Tests of Christian expansion: The Church, The Kingdom and The Gospel Tests serve as our measuring instrument. The PCG has not passed these Tests satisfactorily. She needs the Pentecost experience, that is a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit. The thrust of this thesis is that, when the PCG experiences this Pentecost, integration, reconciliation and embrace will be achievable among her multi-ethnic membership. DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my grandmother, Tini Mumuni and My Uncle Moses Mumuni for being instrumental in my education. I also dedicate it to ~he Christian family of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. May this work prompt the PCG to strive to be the Church she is meant to be - a multi-ethnic church. 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT "Not to us, 0 LORD, but to thy name give glory, for the sake ofthy steadfast love and thy faithfulness!" (Psalm 115: 1). I thank God for the opportunity He gave me to draw the PCG's attention to the issue of ethnicity in this study. Even though I had already decided to research into that area, the current Synod Clerk's challenge on his assumption of office on 1st March 2000, was an added motivation. I acknowledge the interest and ready assistance most PCG members gave me during my field research particularly in the Northern Mission Field. My special thanks to the Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Prempeh, Moderator, the Rev. Dr. Charles Gyang-Duah, Synod Clerk and the Synod Committee of the PCG for answering the questionnaire or granting me interviews. Questionnaire Respondents and those I interviewed gave brilliant and helpful insights into the issue of ethnicity in the PCG. This is attested to by the unprecedented return of about 80 percent ofthe questionnaires sent out! My heartfelt thanks go to each one ofthem. I am deeply grateful to my supervisors, Dr. Elom Dovlo, Dr. Anthony Balcomb and Professor Robert Addo-Fening, for guiding me in the study. J am grateful to them for they have enriched me because of their individual specialties in diverse disciplines. Thanks to my other lecturers: Professors Andrew Walls, Watson Omulokoli, Hans Viser, Neville Rjchardson, Kwame Bediako, Doctors Robert Aboagye-Mensah, Gillian Mary Bediako, Allison Howell and Mrs. Philomena Mwaura for their friendship and guidance and for making my study purposeful and interesting. I also thank Dr. Noel Smith, Mr. S. K. Drah of the Geography Department, University of Ghana, Legon as well as the Very Reverend A. A. Beeko, for the maps on the Presbyterian Church ofGhana and the ethnic groups in Ghana. I thank the African Theological Initiative (ATI) for a scholarship for me to study and the African Theological Fellowship (ATF) for establishing· the M Th Programme. Special thanks go the ATF-linked institutions such as the Akrofi-Christaller Memorial Centre for Mission Research and Applied Theology (ACMC), Akropong,Ghana, the Evangelical Theological House of Studies (ETHOS), South Africa and St. Andrews College, Kabare, Kenya which hosted the programme. I acknowledge with deep gratitude the immense support of my institution, the ACMC, for my research. The Director's mentoring and pastoral role, as well as all the assistance given me by fellow staff are very much appreciated. Since I cannot mention all of them by name, I wish to just name a few to represent all the others: Mr.Ben Asiedu, Mrs. Hazel III Squires and Miss Korklu Laryea, introduced me to the use of a computer and helped me to find books in the library. Thanks to Auntie Dorothy Asamani, the Matron and all the support staff for their diverse services. I also appreciate the generosity of the Reverend S. K. Aboa, Vice Chairman of ACMC's Board, for giving me valuable books and newspapers for my work. My family's support has been very much cherished. My special thanks to my dear wife, Beatrice Masata, for being such a good wife to me. I also appreciate my children and wards: Emmanuel, Samuel, Tabitha, Daniel and Christiana for all their assistance to me in many ways. My thanks to my uncle, Mr. Moses Mumuni particularly, for his support towards my education. Finally, I thank all my friends whose prayers and encouragement have carried me thus far. May God bless and inspire all who read this work. Solomon Sumani Sule-Saa. May 2000. iv DECLARATION With the exception ofthe sources specifically acknowledged in the text, this dissertation is entirely my own work, and has not been submitted to any other university. REV. SOLOMON SUMANI SULE-SAA SIGNED AT AKROPONG-AKUAPEM, GHANA THIS 26TB JUNE, 2000 v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Map of Ghana showing ethnic groups 19 Fig. 2. Map of Ghana showing the growth ofthe PCG 41 Fig.3. Organizational Chart ofthe Presbyterian Church of Ghana 68 Fig. 4. Map of Ghana showing PCG Presbyteries and services 69 Fig.5. PCG's Emblem on her 150111 Anniversary Celebration Brochure 106 vi Abbreviations Bible Study and Prayer Group BSPG Evangelism and Lay Train Committee ELTC Presbyterian Church of Ghana PCG Northern Outreach Programme NOP Ghana Evangelism Committee GEC Northern Mission Field NMF Regulation Practice and Procedure RPP The Three'Regions of Northern Ghana Upper East Region UERlUR Upper West Region UWR Northern Region NR The Seven Regions of Southern Ghana Brong Ahafo BA Ashanti Region AS Eastern Region ER Greater Region GA Central Region CR Western Region WR Volta Region VR VII TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract Dedication ii Acknowledgements Hi Declaration v List of illustrations vi Abbreviations vii CHAPTER ONE: Introduction and Background to the Study 1 Statement of the Problem 3 Objectives of the study 4 . Hypothesis 5 Relevance of Study/Motivation 5 Definition ofterms 6 Scope and Limitation of the Study (Delimitation) 7 Review of Relevant Literature 8 Theoretical Framework 14 Research Methodology 15 CHAPTER TWO: God's Mission and Ethnicity 20 Introduction 20 What is Church Mission? 21 What is Ethnicity? 24 Ethnicity need not be Negative 27 Ethnicity can be turned to Positive Advantage 27 Ethnicity in God's Creation and Plan 28 The Call ofAbraham 31 Use of Israel as Agent of Ood's Mission 32 Jesus' Incarnation and Work 33 God's Purposive use of Ethnicity 33 The Disciples Worked along Ethnic Lines 36 The Disciples Worked beyond Jewish Borders 36 Peter's Vision of Essential Unity of all God's People 37 The Reformation Effected along Ethnic Lines 38 Conclusion 40 VIII CHAPTER THREE:PCG and Ethnicity in Historical Perspective 42 Introduction 42 Peoples of Ghana 42 The Ethnic Situation Prior to Colonialism and Christianity in Ghana 44 The Impact of Colonialism on Ethnicity in Ghana 45 Interface of Christianity and Ethnicity 47 Basel and Scottish Missions Worked along Ethnic Lines 50 PCG's Mission along Ethnic Lines 56 Ethnicity in the Naming ofthe PCG 56 A Brief History of Four of the Presbyteries of PCG 57 Inter-Ethnic Relations in the Presbyteries 65 Visions ofMulticultural 66 Ethnicity and the formation of Ghana's Denominations 66 Conclusion 67 CHAPTER FOUR: Perceptions of Ethnicity in the PCG 70 Introduction Tribalism in the PCG 72 Freudian Slips 77 Relationship between Lager/Bigger Ethnic Group and Smaller Ones 78 Recruitment of Church Agents 80 Presbytery Elections 84 The Creation of Presbyteries and Mission Fields 87 Synodal Elections 90 Prejudice and Ethnic Rivalry in PCG 94 . Appointments in PCG 98 Dissatisfaction of Language Use in the PCG 100 Conclusion 105 CHAPTER FIVE: Ethnicity and Christian Identity 107 Introduction 107 The Christian's Dual Identity 108 Ethnicity and Identity 109 Ethnic Groups' Interrelation 110 Ethnocentrism 111 A Critique of Ethnocentrism/Tribalism 112 The Nature ofthe Gospel 116 What is the Gospel? 116 The Gospel as the Breaker of the Ethnic Divide 117 The Gift ofthe Holy