University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ECUMENICAL ACTIVITIES OF THE LOCAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN MADINA, ACCRA BY EMMANUEL NOI OKWEI (10046843) THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF M.PHIL RELIGIONS DEGREE JUNE 2014 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DECLARATION This thesis, with the exception of materials quoted from other scholarly works which had been duly acknowledged, is the original production of research work by me under the supervision of Professors Elizabeth Amoah and Chris Thomas at the Department for the Study of Religions, University of Ghana, Legon. Any error in the work is entirely mine. Signature ……………………………………….. Okwei Emmanuel Noi (Candidate) Date ……………………………… Signature ……………………………………….. Professor Elizabeth Amoah (Principal Supervisor) Date ……………………………… Signature ……………………………………….. Professor Chris Thomas (Second Supervisor) Date ……………………………… i University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DEDICATION To my dear wife Catherine Okwei and my children – Mrs. Christina Ammah and Mrs. Emma Fawcett for their encouragement and endurance coupled with prayers in the course of my research. May the Lord replenish to you a hundredfold what you endured which cannot be quantified in monetary terms or otherwise during my long absence from you. ii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENT “Through all the changing scenes of life, In trouble and in joy. The praises of my God shall still My heart and tongue employ”. The completion of this work was due to a lot of assistance and encouragement I received from many people which space could not allow me to put all on paper. All the same, it will be ingratitude on my part to gloss over the names of certain personalities. I owe a debt of gratitude to my Supervisors for the necessary rapport they created from the beginning which enabled me to approach them as and when the need arose. These scholars are Professor Elizabeth Amoah and Professor Chris Thomas of the Department for the Study of Religions, Legon. I also wish to place on record the varied contributions I received from other Senior Members of the Department especially Professor Lawrence Boakye in the form of constructive criticisms and suggestions during seminar presentations and related issues which encouraged me not to rest on my oars but to press on in spite of challenges along the way. I unreservedly wish to register my deepest gratitude to the Rev. Professor D.N.A. Kpobi of Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon for his encouragement and pieces of advice on this study. I would also be ungrateful if I fail to register my thanks to all the staff of the Department, and especially those in the library who provided the needed atmosphere for academic work. Finally, I wish to say a very big thank you to Mr. Moses Bediako of the Balme Library for his immense assistance in various ways which went a long way to bring this work to fruition. Thank you all and may the Lord bless you abundantly. iii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ABSTRACT Based on the commission and the highly priestly prayer of Jesus Christ as shown in Matthew 28: 18-20 and John 21:17 respectively, the study examined the main contributions of the grassroots ecumenism in the Madina township, Accra, the impact of the activities of the Local Council of Churches and the way forward. Relevant literature and books on the subject have been reviewed. A Questionnaire was administered to 291 participants (10 executives and 281 members) with age range between 15 and 60 years. They were conveniently sampled from 6 churches, namely, Presbyterian, Methodist, Evangelical Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran and Baptist Churches respectively), within the area. On the main contributions of grassroots ecumenism the executive members said implementing of programmes such as Bible Week and Christian Home Week celebrations and socialization, cleaning exercises, fund raising in support of evangelism and recreational activities foster unity and cooperation. On the other hand, the members said the Council contributes a lot to the town through Christian Home Week celebrations, fun games, Bible week celebrations and Easter activities as well as fund raising and clean-up exercises. On the impact of the Local Council of Churches on the people, all the executive members indicated that the activities foster unity, peace and cooperation among community members. It also promotes spiritual growth, moral sensitization and social harmony among the people. Responses from the Church members corroborated with those of the executive members that the Council helps to promote and foster unity and cooperation among the Churches in the area. They also indicated that the Council helps to encourage education on moral training, parenting and conflict management in the area. On the way forward, the executive members stated that members and leaders of the various Churches should be more committed and dedicated. The members on the other hand, responded that it is very important for all Churches in the locality to come together to foster unity and cooperation for better development. iv University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Demographic Background of Respondents … … 117 Table 2 Marital status of Respondents … … … … 118 Table 3 Ages of Respondents … … … … … 118 Table 4 Executive Council members‟ view of the MLCC … … 119 Diagram 1 Evaluation of LCC Activities by Members … … 121 Table 5 Attendance level of Ecumenical Programmes … 122 v University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh SOME ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS BSG BIBLE SOCIETY OF GHANA BWC BIBLE WEEK CELEBRATION CCG CHRISTIAN COUNCIL OF GHANA CHWC CHRISTIAN HOME WEEK CELEBRATION EPC EVANGELICAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH GHAMSU GHANA METHODIST STUDENTS UNION GPCC GHANA PENTECOSTAL AND CHRISTIAN COUNCIL IMC INTERNATIONAL MISSIONARY COUNCIL MLCC MADINA LOCAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES NACCC NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHARISMATIC AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES NCS NATIONAL CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT NUPSG NATIONAL UNION OF PRESBYTERIAN STUDENTS OF GHANA PCG PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GHANA WARC WORLD ALLIANCE OF REFORMED CHURCHES WCC WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES WMC WORLD MISSIONARY COUNCIL YMCA YOUNG MEN‟S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION YWCA YOUNG WOMEN‟S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION vi University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration … … … … … i Dedication … … … … … ii Acknowledgements … … … … … iii Abstract … … … … … iv List of Tables/Chart … … … … … v Acronyms/Abbreviations … … … … vi Table of Contents … … … … … vii CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Introduction … … … … … 1 1.1 General Overview of Madina Local Council of Churches … … 2 1.2 Problem Statement … … … … … 30 1.3 Research Questions … … … … … 31 1.4 Objectives … … … … … 31 1.5 Scope of Study … … … … … 32 1.6 Research Methodology … … … … 32 1.7 Data Analysis … … … … … 38 1.8 Literature Review … … … … … 38 1.9 Relevance of Study … … … … … 47 1.10 Limitations of Study … … … … 48 1.11 Structure of Study … … … … … 49 vii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh CHAPTER TWO: A SHORT HISTORY OF SOME MAINLINE (HISTORIC) CHURCHES IN GHANA 2.0 Introduction … … … … … … 51 2.6 Impact of Missionary Activities on life in Ghana … … 62 2.7 Some Church Councils in Ghana … … … 64 2.7.1 The Christian Council of Ghana … … … 64 2.7.2 Ghana Pentecostal and Christian Council … … … 71 2.7.3 The National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches … 73 2.7.4 The Bible Society of Ghana … … … … 76 2.7.5 The National Catholic Secretariat … … … 79 CHAPTER THREE: PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVIIES OF THE MADINA LOCAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES 3.1 Introduction … … ... … … 83 3.1 Programmes of the Madina Local Council of Churches … … 85 3.2 The Two Main National Ecumenical Programmes … … 86 3.2.1 Christian Home Week Celebrations Activities from 2003 to 2012 … 88 3.3 The Bible Week Celebrations … … … … 102 3.4 Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches and mainline Churches in Ecumenism … 111 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 4.1 Introduction … … … … … 116 4.1.1 Data Analysis … … … … … 116 4.1.2 Socio-demographic background (bio-data) of respondents … … 116 4.1.7 Summary … … … … … 124 viii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Introduction … … … … … 129 5.2 Summary … … … … … 129 5.3 Recommendations … … … … 132 5.4 Conclusion … … … … … 137 5.5 Bibliography … … … … … 141 5.6 Appendices … … … … … 148 ix University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION This chapter will look at the overview of ecumenical activities in Madina, Accra, their impact and how this unity in diversity is helping to achieve the overall aim of Christian mission in Madina. Key issues to be looked at are the meaning of ecumenism, general overview of Madina Local Council of Churches, Accra, significance of ecumenism, growth of ecumenism, and Ecumenism in Ghana. The term ecumenism is derived from the Greek word oikoumene which refers to the inhabited world in contrast to the larger universe (kosmos).1 Ecumenism is the movement in the Church towards recovery of the unity of all believers in Christ, irrespective of creed, ritual and polity. The modern ecumenical movement is a twentieth century development, arising out of the First World Missionary Conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1910 though this itself owed much to earlier movements which prepared the way2. Ecumenism, understood broadly, relates to “the interfaith movement striving for greater mutual respect, toleration, and cooperation