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STUDY OF RELIGIONS

INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIANITY

STUDENT NO: 10375166

THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN CULTURE ON CONTEMPORARY

CHRISTIANITY IN GHANA.


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Right here in this country before the arrival of Europeans and Christianity, Gold Coastamong

other African colonies had its own culture and traditions, which it cherishes to this present

time. These are the traditions we now refer to as African Culture. This culture is unique in

its own way. Every tribe had its own belief and practices that makes up its culture. The

lives of the people here in Ghana was all there was to it. Christianity was first introduced to

Ghana in1482. This religion was based on the life of Jesus Christ. The doctrine and practice

of this religion is based on the teaching and works of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the perceived

messiah of the Jews. Christians believe in one God as the creator of heaven and earth.

African culturealso believed in one God who has power over all other gods,they also

believed in smaller gods and that some natural objects like trees, mountains and river

bodies contained spirits andin ancestors. They worshiped all they believed in and believe

they were intermediary between them and the Almighty God. Christians on the other hand

believed in Jesus as being the mediator to God. Both religions have common practice like

the believe in sacred days,giving offering and sacrifice, just that some of them have

different meaning. For instance the sacred day is mostly observed in Ghana as a day of rest

for most of the spirit whiles that of Christianity is observed as a day rest for man after a

long week. Ever since the arrival Christianity on the shores of Ghana it has taken different

dimensions mostly caused by the influence of Ghanaian culture.

First and foremost, when Christianity was first introduced in this country it was only taught in

English and sometimes in Hebrew. The bible was intended to remain it original version.

The church felt the translation of the bible may lead to its misinterpretation. They taught

Ghanaians how to read the bible but since the language was not very clear when read in

English and also the use of these foreign language was not yielding the desired result they


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had to adopt an inevitable part of our culture that is our language. Ghanaians have a deeper

understanding of their language so when it was later adopted by the church in spreading

the gospel it proved rather effective than before. Now the Holy Bible is in almost every

local language making it easier for the masses to accept the Christian faith.

Furthermore, African culture by its way of singing and dancing has been imbibed into

contemporary Christianity. When Christianity was first introduced in Ghana most of the

song used in the religious worship were in the form of hyms and the instrument used were

all foreign in nature. Ghanaians also express their culture through songs. The song sung in

our culture is mostly vibrant and vigorous.This because they are used to invoke spirits

when chanting and also boost morale of fighters. Now Christianity in Ghana has made use

of these songs, the nature of songs sung in churches are such that when singing you will

feel like dancing that is to say they are very vibrant. When you speak of songs as part of

culture in Ghana it inevitable to leave the dance aspect of it. Every tribe in Ghana has a

peculiar dance associated to it, for instance like kpalogo is to Gas. Christianity did not

include any particular form of dance to its worship, so now every tribe freely express his

orher culture through dance at church. In recent times the dance part of Christian worship

has become so significant that to worship God without dancing to his glory is seen as not

being in the spirit of God.

In Ghanaian culture our ceremonies for the rite of passage are very significant. The way in

which we express our self through funerals and marriage among other rites are very

important to us. It says a lot about our valuesand how we cherish our traditions. Our

traditional marriage for instance involve a lot of things. First the couple involved make

known their plans to their parent or elderly person they are closer to, then if the males


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family is in approval of the marriage they arrange to meet the girls family to make their

intension formerly known with a drink preferably alcoholic. The female family then

humbly accept the drink and ask to be giving some time to get back to the males family. If

they are also in favor of the marriage, they schedule a date for the ceremony to take place.

The final aspect of the traditional marriage takes place where the males family present gifts

to the woman and her family. The male then pays the bride price to seal the marriage.

Christian marriage on the other hand is very simple. The couple first make known their

intention to their parent for approval. After that the couple make known their intention

publicly which is the engagement. They attend series of counseling sessions and then the

official ceremony now takes place in a church were they are blessed by an ordained

Minister of God as husband and wife. But in recent times Ghanaians have added the

traditional part of the marriage as a part of the whole the Christian rites of marriage and

normally refer to it as the engagement ceremony which has to be done before the actual

marriage in church. This here is another instance where our culture has been fused into

Christianity.

The influence of African culture on contemporary Christianity is not an issue that can be

denied as existing even though it is not gravely noticed. Christianity in itself has to do with

the way of life that is similar to what Jesus did live as human. Just as in the same way

African culture has to do with the way they live. It entails every little aspect of their

existence, so there is no way Ghanaians can practice Christianity without influencing it

with their culture. In as much as African culture has influenced Christianity in that same

way Christianity has also helped improve on the negative part of African culture. But as to

whether the impact of African culture wasfor the better of Christianity is a matter that I


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cannot determine. Issues related to religion cannot be deliberated upon by mere reasoning,

it involve some what level of commitment and spiritualism. Also considering the fact about

the presence of different groups of Christians, each and every one of them is entitled to an

opinion as to whether it is good or bad. Your opinion rest in your faith.

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