TOWARDS A MODEL FOR CONTEXTUALISING CHRISTIANITY IN THE NCHUMURU CULTURE IN GHANA: THE IMPACT OF MOTHER TONGUE SCRIPTURES FROM 1989-2011 by Asewie, Bernard Amadu A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF THEOLOGY IN MISSIOLOGY at the SOUTH AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY February, 2013 SUPERVISOR: Dr. A. Byeong Jun i DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis has been prepared by me, towards the Master of Theology (MTh) (Thesis Option) in Missiology and to the best of my knowledge this has not been presented to any university in any previous application for a degree that the work of which it is a record has been done by myself. Acknowledgement has been duly made for all citations and references in the text. Bernard Asewie . 22-04-13 Student’s name Signature Date Student’s Number 7460 Certified by: ii DEDICATION To Janet Asewie my beloved wife, Kennedy, Ephraim, Gillian and Courage our beloved children for their love and support and to all Christian workers among the Nchumuru. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This work could not have become a reality without the unforgettable support of many whose input initiated uncommon awakening in me which helped me to undertake this study. I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Abraham Byeong Jun for his careful scrutiny of this study and useful corrections made. For his invaluable advice and encouragement this work has become a reality. I wish to also thank my maternal uncle, a retired Director of Education, Mr. Chikpah Kweku Demuyakor through whom I had the opportunity of attaining Seniour High School education, which has propelled me to the level I have reached in the educational ladder, but for him I would not have progressed beyond the basic school level. I will also take this opportunity to thank Dr. Paul Schaefer and his wife Jennifer who have encouraged me throughout this work. Their contributions in all these ways are very much appreciated. For many others, especially the Scripture Engagement Coordinator for SIL Africa Area, in the person of Margaret Hill who through a special arrangement made it possible for me to take up additional research training at the African International University (AIU) in Nairobi, Kenya in April/May 2011 and 2012 respectively and the Wycliffe Global Alliance USA my sponsors, I wish to say God bless you all for your support and prayer. Last but not the least, special thanks goes to Janet (my wife) and our children for supporting me throughout the period this work was undertaken. Having acknowledged the help of the various people, the author accepts personal responsibility for any excesses, misrepresentations or shortcomings that may be found in this work. Asewie Bernard Amadu South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa February, 2013. iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BM – Basel Mission PCG – Presbyterian Church of Ghana RC – Roman Catholic Church GILLBT – Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation OT – Old Testament MT – Mother Tongue ATR – African Traditional Religion NIV – New International Version WEC – World Evangelisation for Christ SAM – Society of African Missions WBT – Wycliffe Bible Translators USA – United States of America UK – United Kingdom SIL – Summer Institute of Linguistics CTP – Chumburung Translation Project SE – Scripture Engagement LCC – Local Council of Churches FCBH – Faith Comes By Hearing JF – Jesus Film GCMG – Great Commission Movement of Ghana CGFCI – Campus Crusades for Christ International ECG – Evangelical Church of Ghana GS – God’s Story SELT – Scripture Engagement and Leadership Training NT – New Testament v SDA – Seventh Day Adventist COP – Church of Pentecost AOG – Assemblies of God CAC – Christ Apostolic Church GES – Ghana Education Service vi ABSTRACT This thesis, Towards a Model of Contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru Culture in Ghana: The impact of mother tongue Scriptures from 1989-2011 , is a study on the impact of mother tongue Scriptures on culture and also the engagement of the Gospel with the culture of the Nchumuru people of Northern and Volta Regions of Ghana. It examines the coming of Christianity to the people and the patterns of evangelisation among the Nchumuru with special reference to the medium used in the proclamation of the Gospel. It also addresses the issue of the birth of a Bible Translation ministry among the people and the subsequent birth of the Bible into that culture and how the Nchumuru have responded to the proclamation of the Gospel as well as the impact it has had on the lives of the Nchumuru. The writer contends that despite the challenges, indigenous Nchumuru Christianity is possible through the recognition of traditional or cultural categories as significant preparation for the reception of the Gospel. In this way the Christian faith can be articulated in the Nchumuru cultural context with the use of its thought forms and patterns in a relevant worship of God. The major finding of the research is that the proclamation of the Gospel in the mother tongue of the people has made significant strides in the growth of Christianity among the Nchumuru people. However the Gospel proclamation among the Nchumuru often produces different responses ranging from full embrace to partial embrace as well as conflictual or negative embrace depending on how the Gospel is proclaimed and how the people understand it. There is the need for the people to perceive and respond to the Gospel in ways that are meaningful to their own understanding and experience. The significance of the impact of the mother tongue Scriptures in contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru culture and its contribution in the evangelistic task of the church is therefore very crucial. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Title Page i Declaration ii Dedication iii Acknowledgement iv List of Abbreviations iv Abstract vii Table of Contents viii CHAPTER ONE: General Introduction (Background Information) 1.1 Introduction/ Background and Rationale 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem and Research Question 3 1.3 Purpose/Objective(s) 4 1.4 Scope/ Limitation of Study 4 1.5 Significance of the Study 5 1.6 Research Design and Methodology 8 1.7 Hypotheses 15 1.8 Definitions of Terms 15 1.9 Overview of Procedure – Divisions of Chapters/ Structure of Contents 22 1.10 Conclusion 24 CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 25 2.2 Christianity Defined 27 2.3 Traditional Religious Beliefs and Practices: Nchumuru Primal Worldview 28 2.4 Transmission of Christian Faith: Changes in religious beliefs and practices and traditional morality of the Nchumuru people in Ghana through Christianity, with special reference to the impact of mother tongue Scriptures 29 viii 2.5 Christianity and Nchumuru Culture: A model for contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru culture in Ghana 33 2.6 Conclusion 40 CHAPTER THREE : Traditional Religious Beliefs and Practices: Nchumuru primal worldview 3.1 Introduction 41 3.2 Origins 43 3.2.1 Political and Social Organisation 44 3.2.2 The Nchumuru Primal Worldview 47 3.2.3 The Nchumuru Concept of Wuribware (God) 53 3.2.4 The Nchumuru Concept of Death ( Lowi ) and the Ancestors (Nana-ana- Akyeŋaŋpo) 55 3.2.5 Festivals ( Agyibee ) 61 3.3 Conclusion 64 CHAPTER FOUR: Transmission of Christian Faith: Changes in religious beliefs and practices and traditional morality of the Nchumuru people in Ghana through Christianity, with special reference to the impact of mother tongue Scriptures 4.1 Introduction 65 4.2 Nchumuru Traditional and Religious Morality 66 4.3 The Coming of Christianity into Nchumuru Culture 69 4.4 The Story of the Chumburung Translation Project 71 4.5 The Scripture Engagement (SE) Programme 74 4.5.1 Gospel and Culture Workshops 76 4.5.2 The Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) Project 78 4.5.3 The Jesus Film Project 80 4.5.4 The God’s Story Project 82 4.5.5 The Scripture Engagement and Leadership Training Programme 84 4.5.6 Attempts at contextualisation of Christianity in the Nchumuru culture of Ghana 84 ix 4.6 Conclusion 87 CHAPTER FIVE: Christianity and Nchumuru Culture: A Model for contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru Culture in Ghana 5.1 Introduction 90 5.2 The Nchumuru Encounter with Christianity 93 5.3 The Lordship of Jesus in Nchumuru Cosmology 96 5.4 Syncretism in Nchumuru Christianity 102 5.5 Making the Gospel Relevant in Nchumuru Primal Worldview 105 5.6 The Search for New Identity for the Nchumuru Christian 108 5.7 The Future of Christianity among the Nchumuru 109 5.8 Conclusion 113 CHAPTER SIX: Summary, Recommendations and Conclusion 6.1 Introduction 115 6.2 Summary of Findings of the Study 115 6.3 Issues Emerging out of the Study 120 6.4 Recommendations 121 6.4.1 Training in hermeneutical and exegetical principles in mother tongue Scriptures 121 6.4.2 The study of local languages and cultures by Pastors and Christian workers 122 6.4.3 Mother Tongue Literacy Development 123 6.5 General Conclusion 124 Bibliography Appendices x CHAPTER ONE General Introduction (Background Information) 1.1 Introduction/ Background and Rationale The Nchumuru are one of several people groups found in Ghana in West Africa. Linguistically, the Nchumuru originated in the Guan cradle which is located in the Densu Valley. They belong to the Kwa family of the Guan (North) sub-group of the Volta Camoe of the Niger-Congo group of languages. They speak a language called Chumburung. They occupy the area that lies between Latitude 7 o 50 o North and Longitude 0 o 20 o and 0 o 30 o west of Ghana. Originally they lived on either side of the Volta River, west, north and east of Kete Krachi. Today they are largely located on their lands in neighbouring parts of three of Ghana's Regions: i.e., Krachi West, East and Nchumuru Districts in the Volta Region, in Kpandai District of the Northern Region, and in the Pru and Sene Districts, which comprises of Yeji-Prang - Kwame Danso-Bassa triangle of the Brong-Ahafo Region.