Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2015 A Comparative Study of the Concept of Atonement in the Aboakyer Festival of the Effutu Tribe in Ghana and the Yom Kippur Festival of the Old Testament: Implications for Adventist Mission Among the Effutu Emmanuel H. Takyi Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Takyi, Emmanuel H., "A Comparative Study of the Concept of Atonement in the Aboakyer Festival of the Effutu Tribe in Ghana and the Yom Kippur Festival of the Old Testament: Implications for Adventist Mission Among the Effutu" (2015). Dissertations. 1575. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1575 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CONCEPT OF ATONEMENT IN THE ABOAKYER FESTIVAL OF THE EFFUTU TRIBE IN GHANA AND THE YOM KIPPUR FESTIVAL OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR ADVENTIST MISSION AMONG THE EFFUTU by Emmanuel H. Takyi Chair: Gorden R. Doss ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ATONEMENT CONCEPT IN THE ABOAKYER FESTIVAL OF THE EFFUTU TRIBE IN GHANA AND THE YOM KIPPUR FESTIVAL OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: IMPLICATION FOR ADVENTIST MISSION AMONG THE EFFUTU Name of researcher: Emmanuel H. Takyi Name and degree of faculty adviser: Gorden R. Doss, Ph.D. Date completed: July 2015. Statement of Problem History records that Christian missions have operated in Winneba since 1865 with various approaches being used to share the gospel with the Effutu. Though there have been successes, allegiance of the Effutu to their tribal gods, manifested especially during the Aboakyer festival, raises the need for a missiological bridge or intervention for an effective contextualized ministry among the Effutu of Winneba. Purpose of Study This research aims to develop a missiological model based on a comparative study of the OT Yom Kippur festival and the Effutu Aboakyer festival that will potentially facilitate more effective Adventist mission among the Effutu. Method To understand the concept of atonement, a literature review studied the concept of atonement in two parts—the biblical view (comprising the Old Testament and New Testament views), and the African Traditional Religion (ATR) perspective. Second an ethnographic research on the Effutu Aboakyer was done to understand its context, particularly, the origins, history, and the rituals of the Aboakyer festival. This involved individual and group interviews as well as participant observation. Using the comparative approach method, comparison and contrast between the Aboakyer and Yom Kippur, with its typological meaning (pointing to ultimate reality), was done to find (a) similarities between them that reveal points of contact and that will make Yom Kippur comprehensible to the Effutu; and also (b) differences that reveal inadequacies in their understanding of atonement that can be remedied by accepting the biblical model of atonement through two phases of atonement provided by Christ's sacrifice. A missiological model that comprehensively and effectively addresses the Effutu situation was accordingly proposed. Conclusion Based upon the redemptive analogies (similarities) found in the analysis, and the differences that posed as challenges, the Yom Kippur, expressing the biblical model of atonement, was proposed as the appropriate modus operandi that will potentially facilitate a more effective incarnational mission among the Effutu. This model, which elucidates the two phases of atonement provided by Christ’s sacrifice, was found to have the remedy for the inadequacies (differences) of the Effutu in their understanding of atonement and also the theological insights to give the sanctuary message its eschatological emphasis needed for this time. The model will also put the Effutu history and cosmology into biblical perspective and help the Effutu direct their sacrifices and worship to God rather than the lesser gods. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CONCEPT OF ATONEMENT IN THE ABOAKYER FESTIVAL OF THE EFFUTU TRIBE IN GHANA AND THE YOM KIPPUR FESTIVAL OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR ADVENTIST MISSION AMONG THE EFFUTU A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Emmanuel H. Takyi July 2015 © Copyright Emmanuel H. Takyi 2015 All Rights Reserved A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CONCEPT OF ATONEMENT IN THE ABOAKYER FESTIVAL OF THE EFFUTU TRIBE IN GHANA AND THE YOM KIPPUR FESTIVAL OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR ADVENTIST MISSION AMONG THE EFFUTU A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Emmanuel H. Takyi APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: ________________________________ ______________________________ Faculty Adviser Director of Ph.D./Th.D. Program Gorden R. Doss Thomas Shepherd Professor of World Mission ____________________________ ______________________________ Roy Gane Dean, SDA Theology Seminary Professor of Old Testament _______________________________ ______________________________ Bruce L. Bauer Date approved Professor of World Mission _______________________________ Felix Cortex Associate Professor of New Testament _______________________________ Wilbert R. Shenk Senior Professor of Mission History and Contemporary Culture DEDICATION To my wife, Elizabeth, and my two daughters, Emmanuella, and Esme, who sacrificed time and emotional comfort to see me through the composition of this dissertation. To the memory my late mother Elizabeth Esi Korkor Ghartey, whose dream to see me develop my potentials to the utmost, made her leave no stone unturned to see the dream realized. To my siblings Elizabeth Ghartey Jr., Isaac Kingsley Quaye, William Ackom- Nkebi, Mary Eduafo-Sackey, Comfort Antwi-Boasiako, and Kingsford Tetteh-Nkebi whose timely financial intervention helped me greatly during my first year of study. To the Winneba Seventh-day Adventist Church and the entire believers who are engaged in missionary work among the Effutu. And to the glory of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who designed the plan of salvation and demonstrated it comprehensively in the Sanctuary ministration. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEGMENTS ................................................................................................. ix Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Background to the Problem .......................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................. 4 Purpose of Study ........................................................................................... 5 Research Questions ....................................................................................... 5 Justification and Viability ............................................................................. 5 Delimitation .................................................................................................. 7 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................. 7 Methodology ................................................................................................. 10 II. CONCEPT AND PRACTICE OF ATONEMENT: BIBLICAL AND AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION ................................................. 14 Introduction ............................................................................................ 14 Part 1: The Biblical Concept ......................................................................... 15 Old Testament Background in Creation and Fall ................................... 16 Atonement in the Old Testament ............................................................ 18 Meaning of Hebrew Terms for Atonement ....................................... 18 Atonement as God’s Prerogative ...................................................... 20 The Nature of Rituals ........................................................................ 22 Definition and Structure of Rituals ............................................. 22 Mediators of Rituals .................................................................... 24 The Sacred Temple ..................................................................... 25 The Old Testament Sacrificial System ............................................. 25 Types and Quality of OT Sacrifices ............................................ 28 Grace in the OT Sacrificial System ............................................ 31 Special OT Feasts/Festivals ........................................................ 32 Summary of the Theology of OT Sacrifices ..................................... 33 Atonement in the New Testament ........................................................... 34 Theories of