CHRISTIANITY AS VERNACULAR RELIGION: A STUDY IN THE THEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MOTHER TONGUE APPREHENSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN WEST AFRICA WITH REFERENCE TO THE WORKS OF EPHRAIM AMU (1899-1995) PHILIP TETTEH LARYEA A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY SEPTEMBER 2006 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis was composed by myself, and that it has not been previously accepted by any other institution for the award of a degree, and that all quotations have been distinguished by quotation marks, and all sources of information have been duly acknowledged. limits PHILIP T. LARYEA September 2006 11 DEDICATION To Kotso, Selina, Afoley, Afotey and Laye for their love, encouragement and support. ABSTRACT Ephraim Amu is a distinguished musician. He is well known for his advocacy on African tradition and culture. Amu's pride in the African personality has earned him a place in Ghana's hall of fame. It was in recognition of these achievements that his portrait was embossed on Ghana's highest currency, the Twenty Thousand Cedi note. But there is more to the Amu story. In this thesis I have drawn substantially on Amu's own works to demonstrate how, in fact, he is an exemplar of mother tongue apprehension of the Christian faith in Africa. Amu showed in his songs, diaries, sermons, letters, addresses and private papers that the mother tongue, in this case, Ewe and Twi can be used to express not only Christian experience but also to formulate theological ideas in an innovative and creative ways. Amu's credentials as "African statesman" and "a self-conscious nationalist" owe not so much to Pan- African ideologies as his understanding of African culture and tradition from a biblical perspective. Amu believed that the entire universe, including the African cosmos, was created by God from the very beginning as kronkronkron (pure), pepeepe (exact), and fitafitafita (without blemish). He wrestled with the problem of (evil) and how this may have polluted an otherwise unblemished creation. Amu also wrestled with the issue of human participation in God's work of creation and the extent to which humankind may have contributed to the desecration of creation. In spite of the pollution, Amu believed that creation can be redeemed and restored to its original status by cleansing with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. This belief led him to adopt a positive stance towards African culture and tradition. Amu demonstrated this particularly in the use of language. Most of his sermons and notable musical compositions are in Twi or Ewe. He kept a diary in his mother tongue, Ewe, for almost seventy years. Amu demonstrated that by using indigenous African languages it is possible to make a fresh contribution to theological issues and thereby present African Christianity as an authentic expression to God and capable of contributing to world Christianity. Apart from language, Amu believed that other elements in the African tradition could be employed to express the Christian faith. It is in this regard that his contribution to Christian worship, particularly the use of indigenous musical instruments, must be appreciated. Amu's realisation, that "There are deep truths underlying our indigenous religions, truths which are dim representations of the great Christian truths", led him to deal with the perception that IV Africa has nothing to offer to world Christianity. Through Amu's work the Christian faith in Africa can be viewed as credible and self-authenticating, no longer to be judged by European and Western value setting. ABSTRACT IN MOTHER TONGUE (GA) Mei babaoo le Owula Ephraim Amu ake lalatse kpanaa. Elala ko ni gbei ji Yen ara asase ni le ehe shi jogbann ye Ghana. Lala nee ye Ghana maji le wiemoi le ekomei amli, ni beikomei tete le alaa Yen ara asase ni ake Ghana man le jaku lala. Owula Amu fb lalai afee ohai enyo ke see. No kroko ni mei le ye Ephraim Amu he ji sane ni Presbiteria Asafo le keye le be mli ni etsoo nii ye Presbyterian Training College ni yoo Akropong, Akuapem le. Neke bei amli ji beni eflo lalai ni gbei ehe shi ni mitsi ta momo le. Ye lalai nee amli le etsoo wo boni sa ake woba wojerj woha ake Kristofoi, ni ana wo hu ake meidiji ni Nyonmo edro ke dromo keenii srotoi. Neke susumo nee no edamo ni etswa akwajan kesole ye Akropong Presbiteria solemotsu le mli le. Asafo le hienyeiloi ni ji osofoi ke asafonukpai ni yoo Synod Committee le no le ke le kpaaa gbee ye nifeemoi nee ahewo. Amebo moden ake amebo le koko, shi Owula Amu emiii no ake eeetsake ejwenmo. Ye woji ni enmla Synod Committee le mli le ejie enaa ake esa ake meidiji aja Nyonmo ake meidiji. Owula Amu heo eyeo ake ake meidiji le esa ake woja Nyonmo ye wodientse wowiemoi amli. Ene hewo le elalai le ni eflo le sarjrj ye Eue ke Twi ke Ga mli. Eheo eyeo hu ake nibii kpakpai ke nikasemoi srotoi ye meidiji akusumii ni wotseo ake "jerjnii" le amli. Esusuo ake tsakpaa ye kusumii nee ekomei ke Kristojamo ten. Ewo rjaa ake abaanye ajie nibii kpakpai ni yoo bikpojiemo mli ni akewo gbenaa ni akebaptisio abifaabii le obo. Hei krokomei ni esusuo ake abaanye awo Kristojamo le obo le ji gbejiano ni aketoo osofoi le. Wonaa susumoi nee sann ye elalai ke eshiemoi ke enirjmai amli. Ye gbefeegbe no le Owula Amu ji mo ko ni na ehe ake Kristofonyo, shi ena ehe hu ake modirj. Eye dole ake mei pii enaaa Owula Amu ye gbe ni mitsoo nee no. Mei babaoo susuo ake meidiji kusumii ahe keke pe efa. Miheo miyeo ake neke susumo nee no amralofoi le nyie ni amerp eyitso eta Ghana shika ni da fe fee (020,000) le no le. Noni mei babaoo leee ye Owula Amu he ji ake e-Kristojamo le ji noni ha le hewale ke shifimo kefee nibii nee fee. Ye wolo nee mli le mitsoo gbei ano ni Owula Amu hi shi ake Kristofonyo shi mon ana le hu ake mo ko ni faa meidiji akusumii ahe. Mija wolo nee mli ejwe. Klenklen mlijaa le hie yitsei enyo ni koo Ephraim Amu wala shihile he ake moni gbeo Nyonmo wiemo le keshwaa titri le ketso eshiemo nitsumo le no ake Catechist ke elalai hu ni eflo le amli. Mlijaa ni ji enyo vi le hie yitsei enyo. Ye yitsei nee amli le miwie boni Owula Amu susuo Nyorjmo ke adeboo nibii ke Yesu Kristo he ehaa ye elalai le amli. Mlijaa ni ni ete le koo susumoi ni Owula Amu yoo ye man ke ekuramo he. VII ABBREVIATIONS ACW Amu Choral Works TAFS Twenty Five African Songs DAFL Dictionary ofAkan and Fante Language EASA Ephraim Amu's Sermons and Addresses UMM Ephraim Amu's Unpublished Music Manuscripts TTJ The Teacher's Journal IRM International Review of Missions JACT Journal of African Christian Thought EPC Ewe Presbyterian Church PCGC Presbyterian Church of the Gold Coast PCG Presbyterian Church of Ghana IBMR International Bulletin of Missionary Research JRA Journal of Religion in Africa NIGTC The New International Greek Testament Commentary ICC The International Critical Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments NID New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, Vol. 2, Gen. ed., Wiellem A. Van Gemeren TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 1, ed. by Gerhard Kittel ICAMD International Centre for African Music and Dance, University of Ghana, Legon GAAS Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences IAS Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon NBC The New Bible Commentary VE Vox Evangelica IDB Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, ed. by George Arthur Buttrick CBC Cambridge Bible Commentary VIM Table of Contents Title 1 Declaration ii Dedication iii English Abstract iv Ga (Mother Tongue) Abstract vi Abbreviations viii Table of Contents ix Acknowledgements xii Portrait of Dr. Ephraim Amu xiv INTRODUCTION Background and motivation to study 1-11 Review of sources and approach adopted Chapter 1 Theological Landmarks in the life and thought of 12-49 Ephraim Amu. Introduction The Early Years (1899-1915) The Seminary Years (1916-1919) The Akropong Years (1926-1933) The Middle Years (1934-1971) The Closing Years (1971-1995) Conclusion Chapter 2 The lyrics of Amu's music with English translation, 50-120 linguistic notes and commentary. PART II AMU THE THEOLOGIAN- ASPECTS OF DOCTRINE Chapter 3 God, creation and human participation in God's work. 121-151 • Introduction • Tweduampon Nyame: 'God' in Amu's thinking a. Awerskyekye Nyame: The God of the Brokenhearted b. Asomdwoe Nyame: On the Peace of God Abode (Creation) IX a. Ddomankama Oboadee: On the goodness of God's creation and the advent and nature of evil b. On the effect of evil on humankind and the restoration of abode • Mmusu and Human responsibility • Human participation in God's divine initiative • Conclusion Chapter 4 Notions on the Person of Jesus 152-180 • Introduction • On the birth of Jesus • Yen Wura Yesu anim obi nni ho: The uniqueness of Jesus • Jesus' name and power • Jesus' Power over 'Bone' (evil), 'Owu' (death) and 'asaman' (place of the dead) • The Intercessory Work of Jesus • On the mocking of Jesus • On Spiritual Warfare • Ddo ye wu: In celebration of the love of Jesus • Yesu ne nhweso a eso nni: Jesus, an example par execellence • Conclusion PART III AMU THE THEOLOGIAN- AMU'S SOCIAL ETHICS Chapter 5 Praise songs in celebration of men renown. 181-197 • Introduction • Adikanfo, mo: A.G. Fraser, J.E.K. Aggrey • 'Kasakyerew ho nimdefo, mo': J.G.