THE SPIRITS AND TRANSITION: THE SECOND GENERATION AND THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST-UK by CALEB OPOKU NYANNI A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham For the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law The University of Birmingham March 2018 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This thesis investigates practices and beliefs of an African diaspora migrant church. The question this thesis seeks to answer is why are some of the second-generation members frustrated while others are leaving the church. The Church of Pentecost is a migrant church with its foundations in Ghana. In the UK, the Church of Pentecost appears to be flourishing, however, there seems to be a growing number of young people who claim to be frustrated whilst others are leaving the church. Subsequently, the focus of this thesis is to trace the contours of transition in the church and, ultimately, to find out why some of the second-generation members are disengaged and why others are leaving the church. As a Pentecostal church, one of the key areas of doctrine and practice is matters concerning spirits and the Holy Spirit. The study therefore used Ghanaian cosmology as well as Pentecostal practices and emphasis on Holy Spirit as a framework in its investigations. The thesis showed that although other significant factors contribute to some of the second-generation members’ frustration within the church, the first generation’s emphasis on spirits has played a vital role in the second generation’s approach to church. 2 DEDICATED TO PAAPA (Prof.) OPOKU ONYINAH AND MAMA GRACE ONYINAH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this thesis has been made possible by the help and support of so many people. Time and space will not permit to mention all of them. I am indebted to Prof. Allan Anderson, my supervisor, who has helped me tremendously through this research studies and Dr Wolgang Vondey, co-supervisor for his invaluable contribution towards the shaping up of this thesis. I also wish to express my thanks to staff and peers at the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies for their support and contributions. I want to express my appreciation to my parents, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah and (Mommy) Grace, for their prodigious and incessant support throughout my studies. I am grateful! I also want to thank my siblings: Mark, Daniel, Grace and Stephen as well as brother-in-law Emmanuel Kyei Boate for their prayers and support. I am grateful to Trish Waller, L. Marie Taylor, Michael Debrah, Dr. Lukose, Dr. Kwiyani, Dr. E. Sule, Rev.Adupong and Rev. Elvis Nague for their encouragment and support. Many thanks go to my colleague and friend, Rev Dr. Lord Elorm-Donkor, who has helped me greatly and been a continued source of encouragement throughout my studies. I am grateful to students and staff at Birmingham Christian College for their support. My gratitude goes to all the second- generation members and pastors of Church of Pentecost UK who helped in contributing to the success of this research. I cannot forget members and leaders of Sparkbrook Elim Church for their patience and support throughout my time of studies. I am greatly indebted to Angela, and my sons, Kirk (Soja), Josiah (Mortis) and ‘prophet Isaiah’ (Gigim), for their patience, understanding and support whilst conducting this study. Finally, all praise and thanks to God; my strength, my love and my fortress for bringing me this far. (This thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by Claire Robson.) Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .............................................................. 1 1.1 Preamble ..................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background ................................................................................. 4 1.3 Thesis Focus and Aims ............................................................... 8 1.4 Literature Enquiry ...................................................................... 10 1.5 Significance and Limitations of the Study ................................... 21 1.6 Definition of Terms ..................................................................... 23 1.6.1 First Generation (FG) and Second Generation (SG) ............................................ 24 1.6.2 Spirit(s) ......................................................................................................................... 27 1.6.3 African Diaspora ......................................................................................................... 27 1.6.4 African Pentecostalism ................................................................................................... 28 1.7 Structure of the Work ................................................................. 30 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ...................................... 33 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 33 2.2 Multiple Case Study ................................................................... 34 2.3 Data Collection .......................................................................... 37 2.4 Questionnaire and Surveys ........................................................ 38 2.5 Participant Observation and Positionality ..................................... 38 2.6 Focus Groups ............................................................................ 42 2.7 Interviews .................................................................................. 44 2.8 Interpretation and Analysis of Data ............................................ 45 2.9 Ethics ........................................................................................... 47 CHAPTER 3: THE SPIRITS AND THE GHANAIAN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES .................................................................................... 49 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 49 3.2 Key Works on the Akans in Ghana ............................................ 50 3.3 The Akan Conception of the Spirits ............................................ 52 3.4 The Spirits in the Social Affairs of Akan Communities ............... 54 3.4.1 Naming and Funeral Rites: The Spiritual Dimension ............................................ 55 3.4.2 The Spirits in Akan Cultural Practices ..................................................................... 57 3.5 The Spirit Forces within the Akan Religion ................................. 59 3.5.1 The Supreme Being: Onyankopong ........................................................................ 60 3.5.2 The Abosom: Spirit Children of Onyankopong ...................................................... 63 3.5.3 The Nature and Powers of the Abosom .................................................................. 64 3.5.4 Nananom Samanfo: The Spirits of Ancestors among the Akan.......................... 67 3.5.5 Pouring of Libation: The Traditional Prayer ............................................................ 70 3.6 Witchcraft and Evil Spirits .......................................................... 72 3.7 Akan Religious Service: Akom ................................................... 74 3.7.1 The Shrine House and the Prelude ......................................................................... 75 3.7.2 Opening Prayer and Singing .................................................................................... 76 3.7.3 Okomfo: The Prophet/Priest ..................................................................................... 78 3.8 The Crux of the Matter: The Spirits at the Centre of Akan Society 82 3.9 Summary of Akan Cultural and Religious Practices and Its Impact on the People ..................................................................................... 83 CHAPTER 4: GHANAIAN CHRISTIANITY, PENTECOSTALISM AND AKAN SPIRIT BELEIFS ....................................................................... 85 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 85 4.2 The Emergence of Christianity in Ghana ................................... 85 4.3 Western Missionaries and Akan Religious Expectations ............ 87 4.4 Ghanaian Appropriation of the Christian Message ..................... 89 4.5 African Prophets, African Initiated Churches and the Ghanaian Religious Scene ................................................................................. 92 4.6 Pentecostalism and the Beginning of the Church of Pentecost in Ghana 96 4.7 The Church of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit in Ghanaian Religious setting ............................................................................... 100 4.7.1 The Holy Spirit brings Power for the Supernatural and Miracles ...................... 101 4.7.2 The Holy Spirit as Spirit of Holiness ...................................................................... 104