the church and the state relationship in a democracy

WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO GHANA

THE CHURCH AND THE STATE RELATIONSHIP

IN A DEMOCRACY

By Ghanaian participants of Africa Forum on Religion and Government (AFREG)

AFREG-Ghana contact information:UPO PMB L53 Legon, Accra, Ghana. Phone 233 244 846471 Website: www.afregghana.org / Email: [email protected] Programmes Coordinator: Emmanuel Obeku

Advisory Committee Executives:Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey-ChairmanProf. Paul Buatsi-Vice ChairmanRev. Isaac Asante-Agyei-Secretary, 233 244 838186Hon. Samuel Nuamah Donkor-MemberRev. Dr. Joyce Aryee-Member

Planning Committee Executives:Rev. Dr. Peter Ohene-Kyei-ChairmanProf. Stephen Adei-Co-ChairmanDr. & Mrs. William Appeadu-Mensah-Joint Secretaries, 233 208 169432Mr. Ebenezer Kojo Abakah-Organising Secretary, 233 243 147101Rev. Walter Pimpong–Financial ManagerMr. William Koso-Financial Secretary

Th e endorsements on pages 8, 9 and 10 were given at the AFREG 1 and 2 conferences.

AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee

Published by AFREG-Ghana, www.afregghana.org.© AFREG-Ghana / International Leadership Foundation, 2011. Realization: First Concept Communications in cooperation with Fireseeds Ministries.

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Table of contentsEndorsements

4 His Excellency Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, President of the Republic of Ghana5 His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama Vice President of the Republic of Ghana6 Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey Chairman, AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee6 Prof. Paul Noble Buatsi Vice Chairman, AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee7 Dr. Peter Ohene Kyei, Chairman AFREG-Ghana planning Committee8 Dr. Delanyo Adadevoh, President International Leadership Foundation9 H. E. Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi 10 Hon. Dr. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, Vice President and Minister for Home Aff airs, Republic of Kenya11 H. E. Olusegun Obasanjo Former President of the Republic of Nigeria 12 AFREG-Ghana Committee Members

14 Executive Summary

The church and the state relationship in a democracy with special reference to Ghana

15 Introduction 16 Th e Bible on Church-State Relationships / Old Testament Record17 Th e New Testament Record18 Th e Church and Development / Th e African Dilemma 19 Th e Doctrine of Separation of Church and State 21 Th e Church and National Development22 Appreciating the Calling of the State and the Church23 Church and State Relationship in Ghana25 Th ree Suggestions for Constructive Engagement with the State 27 Th e Role of AFREG Participants

The Church and the State relationship in a Democracy4

Endorsement by H.E. Prof. John Evans Atta Mills

“The Church in Ghana has been an important agent in the nation’s development being pioneers in education and the delivery of health services. Missionaries from the West Indies, for example, also introduced into the country many staple crops in Ghana today which testifies of the Church contribution towards the nation’s economy.

It is time for the state and the Church to enhance our partnership to deliver accelerated development and modernization of our dear nation. The African Forum on Religion and Government-Ghana (AFREG-Ghana) initiative in bringing together key agents of the state and church leaders together could not have come at a more appropriate time in the nation’s history and a quest for a better Ghana”

H.E. Prof. John Evans Atta MillsPresident of the Republic of Ghana

The Church and the State relationship in a Democracy 5

Endorsement by H.E. Prof. John Evans Atta Mills Endorsement by H. E. John Dramani Mahama

“With a vision of ‘A First World Country led by leaders of integrity on a sustainable basis’ and a mission that seeks to ‘help catalyze the building of leaders of integrity to transform Ghana into a First World country, shaped by God-centred values especially through partnership between the State and the Church’, AFREG is helping strengthen the very moral strength needed as the foundation for building strong institutions, good governance and economic advancement of any progressive society.

Any movement that promotes personal and public integrity should be encouraged by all. I believe AFREG‘s promotion of a State-Church partnership for the accelerated and holistic development is in the right direction. Th e mutual desire is to see progressively an improved social and economic well being of the citizens of Ghana. I give it my support.”

H.E. John Dramani MahamaVice President of the Republic of Ghana


Endorsement by Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey & Prof. Paul Noble Buatsi

‘In a nation in which two-thirds of the population identify themselves with the Christian faith, State-Church partnership to promote the total development of Ghanaians is the greatest thing that can happen in the country as the Protestant Ethic transformed Europe and brought untold blessing to all humanity.

AFREG is a reminder to the church and African nations to partner

strongly to enhance good governance, integrity in private and public life, strong and effective institutions and healthy positive attitude. I strongly support AFREG and I am happy to be part of AFREG’s transformational mission.’

Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel MarteyModerator of The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and Chairman, AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee

‘AFREG provides a platform for the Church to fulfill her mandate to re-orient Africa’s societal values that are rooted in ethnic and cultural diversity towards the emergence of leaders with demonstrated integrity and commitment to good governance, respect for the rule of law and

the fundamental rights of the citizenry. Above all, AFREG sees the need for African nations to focus on institution-building that ensures the holistic transformation and building of societies that provide opportunities for manifesting the God-given potential of Africa and improvement in the quality of life of Africans. ‘

Prof. Paul Noble BuatsiVice Chairman, AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee

The Church and the State relationship in a Democracy

Dr. Kwegir Aggrey, one of the illustrious sons of this nation, held the opinion that “only the best is good enough for Africa”. Th is loaded statement calls for the involve-ment of all well-meaning citizens to make it a reality. In the midst of the current trend of events in this 21st century, our continent can no longer aff ord to languish in mediocrity, corruption and perpetua-tion of charity and dependency under self serving leadership. To address this, we

need to excel, cultivate integrity, and maximize our resources for de-velopment under sacrifi cial leadership that is loyal and committed to a new paradigm of excellence on our continent.

Aft er participating in the African forum on Religion and Government at the continental level and having been made aware of the urgent calls by political and Christian leaders on the vital need of moral vision for the continent, I am fully convinced that Ghana, the Black Star of Africa, should promote and lead in a positive collaboration of the church and the state to deliver accelerated development for all Ghanaians, in par-ticular, and Africans, in general. State and church partnership is needed to promote the total well being of citizens – spirit, soul and body.

If the 3-day conference of AFREG positively impacts on church and state relations to make Dr. Aggrey’s statement a reality, under democ-racy in Ghana, one of our main objectives for a holistic framework towards excellence would have been achieved.

Rev. Dr. Peter Ohene-KyeiRector, Pentecost University CollegeChairman of AFREG Planning Committee

Endorsement by Dr. Peter Ohene-Kyei

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Endorsement by Dr. Delanyo Adadevoh

In partnership with the Christian Association of Nigeria and Integrity Associates of Nigeria, the Interna-tional Leadership Foundation (ILF) conducted the inaugural confer-ence in Abuja, Nigeria in 2006.

Bringing together nearly 200 key leaders, representing 27 African countries, from the church, education, business, non-governmental organisations,

government leaders and two Heads of State, the event resulted in com-mitments to remain involved in moving to transform Africa.

The second Africa Forum on Religion and Government (AFREG 2) meeting August 18th –21st 2009 in Limuru, Kenya was poised to have been dynamic, enlightening and influential consultation of continental leaders numbering 325 from 32 African countries, under the theme “Church in Mission and Transformation”. It was both a call to action and an initiative designed to sensitize and equip the church for playing her role as the salt and light in society.

We are grateful to God for the presence, encouragement and challeng-ing words of His Excellency, President Pierre Nkrunziza of Burundi, Vice President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, and Foreign Affair Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Liberia Honorable Laurence Bropleh. Minister of Justice for Chad, Member of Parliament for Limuru and Members of Parliament in Cameroon and Uganda.

AFREG 2 therefore sought to provide the strategic engagement and on–going network of church leaders in partnership with Government leaders for leading the holistic transformation of every sphere of Africa society.

Dr. Delanyo AdadevohPresident, International Leadership Foundation


Allow me to tell you, Excellencies, that our elected Government has been in offi ce for four years, which is unprecedented in the history of Burundi, thanks to the combined eff orts of my compatriots.

It is hard to take; hard to believe, but since Burundi achieved inde-pendence back in 1962, no elected Government has lasted more than three months! Every elected Gov-ernment was followed by bloodshed, starting by the killing of the top leadership. As the Institutions elected in 2005 have managed to rule the country until today, this shows that peace and security are now a reality in Burundi. As a matter of fact, it is true that war has ended in Burundi. However, we are still facing some challenges relating to op-portunities for development.

Let me tell you: the future of Africa is in the hands of Africans them-selves, because they are the ones who must ensure development takes root there. But, this requires a good leadership, committed to work for the interest of the people. A human being would never achieve these goals without the help of the Almighty God, because no God—no life, and to know God is to know life!

It is true that Africa’s leadership must rely on Faith in God. But, this faith should materialize into positive actions in favor of victims of those bad things hampering the development of Africa. As they say, “Faith without concrete actions is a lost one.”My thanks go to all those who, in a way or another, contributed for the realization of this (AFREG) event. To all those who chose to join us, in spite of their numerous obligations, I say THANK YOU!!!

May God Bless you. Th ank you.

H. E. Pierre NkurunzizaPresident of the Republic of Burundi

Endorsement by H. E. Pierre Nkurunziza


Endorsement by H E. Olusegun Obasanjo

The potential of our continent, the very home of mankind and of the earliest civilization, has never been in doubt. Yet too often, whether as decision makers, or as politicians, or as commentators, and even as friends of Africa, we have had cause to lament that Africa has been unable to confront adequately the chal-lenges of development. Especially devel-opment as it relates to lack of capacity

and the obscene gap between promise and performance that, by itself, would have been enough justification for this conference.

To confront the crises of Africa under-development head-on, the ethics of development have to be better appreciated by decision makers for the whole basis of development is ethical. It is a reflection of the ethics of re-sponsibility, of a sense that one is not only on this planet to consume, but is, primarily, also in partnership with his/her Maker, a producer. The heal-ing is long overdue. We must now pull into the depths of our soul and find a meaningful response to the disorientation that screams at us everyday, everywhere. History is being made by gathering of Africa’s leading theolo-gians, social scientists, politicians, and other decision makers for the pur-pose of closing the gap between creed and conduct, which has enfeebled the continent’s capacity to actualize many of its lofty dreams.

The issue of spirituality will address things like relationship with one’s chil-dren, one’s neighbors, one’s family, and even relationships with our broth-ers of other faiths, especially Islam. That is how all encompassing it can be.Religiosity and spirituality are two different things. An understanding of this equips one to both appreciate our commonality as creatures of worship irrespective of creed or faith. We can proceed, as a matter of integrity, to acknowledge that while we are all children of God and must treat each other as such; the Christian delineation of children of God by common grace, and children of God by saving grace, provides a strong dynamic for Christian engagement.

H E. Olusegun ObasanjoFormer president of the Republic of Nigeria


Endorsement by Hon. Dr. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka

Th e role of government, even in modern society, is to maintain law and order and thereby create conditions that can enable citizens to safely pursue their goals in life; protect individual rights against undue infringement; ensure justice in the management of confl icts; and protect the state and the popu-lation against external aggression.

Governments are today expected to undertake responsibility for improvement in the material condition of the population; that is, alleviate poverty, diseases and ill health, hun-ger and starvation, and illiteracy and ignorance. Simply put, promote development. Th e state is expected to undertake these responsibilities in the public interest, and this is where the concept of good governance come in—to safeguard the interests and wellbeing of the governed. Th e hallmark of Good Governance is in leadership. A visionary leader can help people to prepare for diffi culties when they are distant so as to help them escape trouble when they are close (Proverbs 17:24).

Being God-centered is most important for successful leaders, leading people in God’s direction. A leader is without value outside the context of the people that he or she leads. Th erefore, good leadership puts the people fi rst. Good leadership is servant-leadership; committed to the service of the population. A Christian leader must understand himself as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is serving others on behalf of Christ.

Th e rule of law is the foundation of order and justice in the society. Th is fundamental constitutional principle in modern government is also fi rmly expressed in the Bible through the Ten Commandments. Justice is a fundamental aspect of the rule of law. Leadership must pro-mote justice to all.

Hon. Dr. Stephen Kalonzo MusyokaVice President and Minister for Home Aff airs Republic of Kenya


Endorsements by AFREG-Ghana Committee Members

‘The Church has been at the forefront to meet the educational, health and economic needs of Ghanaians with the advent of Christianity in the 14th century. Today, an effective mutually beneficial and reinforcing partnership between the state and the Church will ensure the total well-being of the ordinary Ghanaian as the drive of the African is to develop not only materially but also socially and spiritually. That is why I am

excited about AFERG-Ghana.’ Prof. Stephen AdeiProfessor of Economics and Leadership, Pentecost University College, Former Rector GIMPA and Co-Chairman AFREG-Ghana Planning Committee

The African Forum on Religion and Government (AFREG) could not have come at a better time. Many are those who have complained about the wide gap between the spread of Christianity and development of the African Continent. We of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) believe the time has come to address the issue of how the Christian should bring his belief to bear on the politics and development of the African Continent in general and on Ghana in particular. We wholeheartedly endorse this initiative by AFREG-Ghana and pledge our commitment to and participation in the forthcoming conference.

Samuel Yaw Antwi (Apostle)General Secretary, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council and AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee member.

God has indeed, blessed our home land Ghana beyond measure and highly favored our continent Africa. Praise the Lord! It is important therefore to note that the state and the church have inseparable duty of harnessing these blessings of God in a more productive, equitable and sustainable manner for the benefit of all citizens and generations to come.Although the church and the state continue to collaborate effectively in areas such as education, health care delivery, agriculture, tourism, environmental protection, disaster management, job and wealth creation and spiritual growth among other things, the National Association of Charismatic & Christian Churches (NACCC) finds

13The Church and the State relationship in a Democracy

the African Forum on Religion & Government (AFREG) as a novelty and a major breakthrough capable of moving the development of Ghana in particular and Africa in general to the next best level.NACCC hereby pledges its unfl inching support to AFREG- Ghana and invites you to do same.

Rev. Gideon Titi-OfeiGeneral Secretary, National Association of Charismatic & Christian Churches ( NACCC), and AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee member

Th e continent of Africa has been described as a sleeping giant that needs to wake up and occupy its rightful place. Africa Forum on Religion and Government-Ghana is a movement I believe that can catalyze this holistic awakening by providing transformational servant leadership. May

Africa Forum on Religion and Government - Ghana and such other initiatives arise to help our beloved continent become a signifi cant player in world aff airs.

Rev. Dr. Fred DeegbeGeneral Secretary, Christian Council of Ghana and AFREG-Ghana Advisory Committee member.

“Authentic Christianity is holistic. A genuine and balanced encounter with Truth touches all spheres of personal and social life. Th e Seventh Day Adventist Church believes in the total transformation of individuals and their situations. Th e proclamation of the Gospel involves preaching, teaching, living lifestyles that bear testimony of GOD given mission. AFREG’s emphasis on leading with high sense of personal and public integrity and motivating State-Church partnership for accelerated development is what Africa needs now to maximize its vast potential”.

Ps. Dr. Samuel LarmiePresident, Ghana Union Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Endorsements by AFREG-Ghana Committee Members


Executive Summary

• The history of the church records various degrees of church and state relationship from persecution in the early days through state patronage under Constantine, Christianization of Western Europe and separation of Church and State in many Western countries. The African, however, lives in a religious milieu thus the Church/State partnership is a vital subject.

• Both the Old and New Testament really teach that there should be an active engagement of the secular and the religious in nation building, as both of them are subject to the law of God. This is evi-dent positively in the relationship between Nathan and David, and negatively between Elijah and Ahab. The church has always been involved in national development through the impact of the Gospel on individuals; through the Church as a major national institution; and through development projects such as education and health.

• It is therefore in the interest of the ruling authority to positively engage the church in matters of governing the nation from, ex-plaining state policy to engaging them in development projects.

• Church and State relationship in post-independent Ghana has var-ied from regime to regime; including the poor relationship during the first Republic and early 1980’s to relative accommodation today.

• This concept paper is premised on the need for improved Church-State partnership for the accelerated development of Ghana.

• Three suggestions have been made to this end: First, Church leaders must be informed and properly oriented to understand policy and development issues and the choices that genuine political leaders have to make. Second, the government must be convinced that it is good for the nation and politics to constructively engage the church. Third, there is the need to establish a regular forum for such engagement.

• We therefore propose a conference on Church-State relationship which would bring together experts, church leaders and politi-cians to discuss the Church-State relationship for the enhanced development of Ghana.


Th e church and the state relationship in a democracy with special reference to Ghana

IntroductionTh e issues relating to how the Church and for that matter Christians should relate to the governing authorities date back to the time of Jesus when he was obliged to comment on paying taxes to Caesar or not. His famous response to “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” remains relevant today.Th e history of the Church records various degrees of Church and state relationships:

• State persecution of the Church in its fi rst hundred years• Th e Church enjoying favor from the time of Emperor Constantine• Th e dominance of the Roman Church and subservience of Princes

in Europe• Th e Reformation and its emphasis of faith, personal transformation

and the Luther-Calvin’s “protestant ethics” which gave rise to capitalism• Th e pivotal role of the Christian Pilgrims in the founding of the

“New World” of North America• Th e impact of the “Enlightenment” and the diminishing role of

the Church in state aff airs leading to the doctrine of separation of state and religion in the West

• Th e phenomenal growth of the Church in Latin America, Africa and some Asian countries with many secular leaders publicly pro-fessing faith

• Th e widening gap between creed and practice among Christians today

Th ere are clear teachings and models on Church – State relationship in the Bible that should form the foundation in our exploration of positive relationships between the Church and the State for national progress. In the light of the evolution of the relationship between the Church and the state over the centuries and between societies, we now look at fundamental teachings and practices to guide us from the Bible.


The Bible on Church-State RelationshipsThe following may be gleaned from Scripture regarding the relation-ship between the Church and the governing authorities to inform to-day’s actions.

The Old Testament RecordIn the Old Testament we see 2 kinds of states in relation to GOD.First the state of Israel, a nation founded by GOD to keep HIS princi-ples and demonstrate HIS ideas to the world. Second there were primarily ungodly states in which GOD,s people were living and influenced those nations for GOD. In the state of Israel we see the effect of good and bad leaders on nations. When there were godly leaders the nation prospered and vice versa.

Leadership principles realized from the state of Israel include:

• The “King” was to make a copy of the law study it and live by it on ascension to the throne (Deuteronomy )

• The Old Testament clearly links the behaviour (sin or righteousness) of the rulers to the prosperity of the nation. The state of corruption and sin of the people which was almost always a reflection of that of the leaders also had consequences on the nation (Micah, Amos).

- Examples of kings under whom Israel prospered are David, Solomon, Nehemiah, Moses.

- Examples under whom Israel suffered were Rehoboam, Manasseh, Ahab

• The Bible thus gives credence to the fact that righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to every people (Proverb 14:34)

• However, often the faithfulness and righteousness of a minority or remnant turned the fortune of the nation.

• The moral law being binding on all, it was the responsibility of the prophets to guide, rebuke, exhort and encourage the King, some-times at tremendous personal cost (eg. Jeremiah, Micaiah).


• Th e King or civil authorities therefore had separate but comple-mentary role in the state. Th ey worked together in an atmosphere of creative tension. One can think of: - Samuel and Saul

- Nathan and David- Elijah and Ahab- Isaiah and Five Kings

In ungodly states GOD’S people infl uenced their nations so well that those nations prospered because of them.

Examples include:- Joseph in Egypt- Daniel - Nehemiah

Th is confi rms that individuals in touch with GOD can make a major diff erence in secular states

The New Testament RecordTh e New Testament’s focus on the gospel notwithstanding, we come across doctrine and practice applicable to church – state /rulers’ relationship:

• At the cost of his life John the Baptist had to tell Herod that it was wrong to take his brother’s wife

• Jesus and the apostles taught that the followers of Christ have civic responsibilities including paying of taxes

• Christians and the church are to be salt and light of the world (Matt 5:13-16) and to that end they are to be ‘transformed” by the renewal of their mind” and not to conform to the world’s standards (Rom 12:1-2)

• Even more direct, Paul enjoins Christians to expose wrong in so-ciety and that includes that of the governors

• Responsible Christian citizenship included “praying for those in authority” (Hebrew 13)

From whichever way we look at things, Christians are to engage politi-cians and to be actively involved in the aff airs of the nation as a posi-tive and not a negative force.


The Church and DevelopmentIn line with the above Biblical mandates, the church has played doctri-nal and practical roles in bringing the world to where it is today. Mod-ern economic systems trace their genesis to the changes in attitude, conduct and lifestyle of Christians as a result of the Reformation.

Max Weber was the first to note that what he calls the “protestant ethic” of hard work, frugality, savings and investment gave rise to “the spirit of capitalism” (Weber, 1905). In the same way the work of David Landes underscores the fact that modern economic devel-opment and technological advancement owe much to Christianity. Others have adopted the production system birthed by Christians without necessarily embracing the Christian faith. The Meiji Empire in Japan demonstrates that with good leadership, vision, discipline and determination, other societies can succeed in adopting western Judeo-Christians’ inspired production methods successfully without becoming Christian.

The African DilemmaThe African dilemma arises from the fact that the African lives in a religious milieu. Thus the belief system of the African greatly impacts their behaviour including responses to economic incentives. African traditional religion with its unscientific world view, belief in witch-crafts and sorcery etc. does not provide the basis for the desired eco-nomic and social transformation desired.

Today Islam and Christianity claim as adherents the majority of citi-zens of most countries. In countries where Christianity is a major religion or has a critical mass of followers (over 15% of the popula-tion), the authenticity of their profession and relationship between the Church and State becomes a major variable in national development.

Many Africans including probably the majority of professing Chris-tians however, are strongly influenced by traditional beliefs and there-fore are not thorough in their faith. The Challenge to effective Church-State relationship is for more genuine and single minded Christians


who by their transformed minds and actions bring much needed posi-tive infl uence from their faith in dealing with the state.

Th e good news is that as in Isaiah’s day, there are the ‘7000’(Faithful minority) ‘who have not bowed down their knees to Baal’.

The Doctrine of Separation of Church and State Th e Church in obedience to CHRIST cannot separate itself from in-volvement in aff airs of the state. Depending on the particular state this may be in antagonism to the state machinery or in support of correct decisions that augur well for the good of the people of the nation. No matter which way you look at it, the church must represent Christ in the state. A formal recognition of the church by the state is not impor-tant for the church to fulfi ll its mandate. It is however important for the church to use its infl uence whether formally or informally wherev-er possible to fulfi ll the mandate of Christ. Th is could be at the formal organizational level, at various group levels or at an individual level. Th e important thing here is not to compromise Christian principles in the course of this. Th is may lead to persecution and suff ering both at an individual and/or group level but this cannot be compromised. Th e specifi c structure in which this takes place would vary from place to place, country to country, situation to situation etc. Th e proactive role of the church in positively infl uencing the state should go on whether the ruling authorities are accommodating or not.

Th e doctrine that the church and state have diff erent spheres of opera-tion, namely spiritual and secular is unbiblical since it takes away from the instruction to be light and salt of the earth. Th e state is ruled by laws which aff ect both Christians and Non-christians. It is therefore important for people who believe in the moral law of GOD to ensure that good laws are made and implemented. Th e church cannot wheth-er at an individual or organizational level divulge itself of the responsi-bility of active participation in the aff airs of the state.

Th e challenge therefore is how the church can build a relationship that would achieve the purpose of Christ in the state.

The Church and the State relationship in a Democracy

Ghana Independence Arch


The Church and National DevelopmentTh e Church ideally has three pivotal roles to play when it comes to na-tional development

I At the individual transformational level the Church preaches the gospel of salvation through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; transformation comes through a combination of genuine conversion, discipleship and church discipline which in-sists on Christ-like conduct. At that level the Church is the divine agent in bringing people to new life, inculcating in them Christian ethics and morals and behaviors that impact society for good. It is important for the Church not to downplay the part of the gospel in transforming lives, the role of discipleship in “building up the saints” and alas, the need to use church discipline including even excommunication (expulsion) of those who do not “walk their talk” irrespective of their position in society.

II Th e institutional level: Th e church is a major institution in most countries commanding over 60% of the population in a country like Ghana. Th us the church can and must use its members and its organizational ability as other groups (political parties, pro-fessional associates etc) but positively to infl uence the culture of the country and the governance regime. To that end the Roman Catholic Church has oft en made a diff erence even in countries under oppressive regimes. Unlike other groups the church has a mandate to be “salt and light” of the world. While there may be problems with one political group or the other the church must be the authentic voice on issues of justice, equity, corruption etc.

III Th e development programme level: Finally, the church has always been an agent of development at the practical level of undertaking socio-economic programs and projects whereby the church par-ticipates in the provision of educational, health, agricultural and even infrastructural services. Increasingly some churches have gone into micro-fi nance, business support services, insurance, etc. Caution must however be sounded that oft en when the clergy directly gets involved in such business the preaching of the gospel may suff er. Th is is a case where it seems better to “equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-13) in the sense of cata-lyzing such activities through groups and members of the church.


Whichever level one looks at, the church and the state can have a mutually beneficial relationship. We must be careful however that the church is not used as a platform to promote particular interests of an individual or group. Neither must the church use the pulpit to hit at particular individuals or groups. The promotion of Biblical principles and the glorification of CHRIST must be the main goal of the church.

Appreciating the Calling of the State and the ChurchThere is the need for the church and the state to be at arm’s length but mutually beneficial relationship to foster national development whereby:

• The church seeks to understand the complexities of managing a mod-ern economy and the trade often involved in modern democracies.

• The fact that often even genuine Christians in authority are not faced always with right and wrong choices in policy but some-times face the reality of choosing the lesser of two evils. (This though is not applicable to personal morality)

• The need for encouragement and prayerful support of the rulers.

• The church should not seek personal benefit in relating with the state that may compromise its position as light and salt of the earth.

At the same time the church needs to realize that it has a prophetic ministry and it cannot compromise the position of the church by seek-ing personal benefit, and not speaking against abuse of office, corrup-tion and misrule. The state on its part has to recognize, respect and accept that role of the church. Sad to say, sometimes some of the very leadership and some members of the church do not set good examples in these areas. The church must wake up to that and ensure church discipline is applied where necessary in such cases. Discipline must extend to all members including government functionaries most of whom attend church services regularly.


Church and State Relationship in GhanaTh e Church and State Relationship in Ghana, over 50 years since inde-pendence has seen diff erent phases:Th e immediate aft er independence era witnessed positive church–state relationships but that ended badly with the government even arrest-ing and attempting to incarcerate some church leaders during the First Republic. From then until the early 1980s oft en the church played a passive role with most of the political leaders contented to be members of a denomination though some politicians such as William Ofori Atta were also Christian leaders.

Th e “Revolutionary days” of the early 1980s marked a high degree of tension in church-state relationships leading even to the banning of all Christian programs on state media.

Th e Fourth Republican era seems to have brought an age of state-church accommodation or tolerance but without any active formal engagement except on occasions of serious national crisis as the near electoral impasse in December 2008 generated.

On the whole, there seems to be little engagement of the Christian church as a group with the government today. Th at may be due to the fact that the Christians are split between the major political parties though for the body of Christ that is a lame excuse for the church to abandon its prophetic and other ministries in the land. Th at said, indi-vidual preachers and church functionaries have voiced strong criticisms against the government on issues such as corruption, violence amongst activists and economic hardship in the country sometimes without full analysis of the context, or engagement of the political leaders.

One must add that it is not in the interest of the political elite to ap-pear to be more concerned with their party functionaries and activist and not create a forum or avenue for constructive engagement with the Christian bodies. Besides the fact that it is good leadership to engage the church in a country where over 60% of the population profess to be Christians, such a benign neglect could be politically suicidal if the former decide to be politically proactive.


On the positive side, the churches being among the most organized and resourced groups in the country and already highly involved in the provi-sion of education from primary schools to universities (soon there could be as many students in church established universities as state ones), health services with some churches on their way to establishing medical schools, agricultural extensions, provision of bore holes etc., they consti-tute a major development partner for government. Ironically the same politicians who may not have time to engage the church spend inordinate time with foreigners who make marginal to no contribution to the coun-try with some having privileged access to even the presidency. There is therefore room for better church-state partnership in development.

Beyond the provision of projects and programs the major area of en-gagement and often the main source of controversy today are:

a. The direction of state policyb. Treatment of certain segments of the population or discrimination

on the basis of political affiliation, andc. Conduct of public office holders with particular reference to per-

sonal integrity and corruption

The church – assuming it has the capacity and commitment to study these and engage constructively – has a legitimate duty to speak on these matters. We think that the government should also like to explain the fundamental direction of state policy and not be seen to support partisanship in statecraft which could have serious consequences for national cohesion and development. For example, no one will want a situation in a country where most non-political office bearers are removed on a change of government to the extent that even a person who drives a public municipal transport must be a card bearer or activ-ist of the party in power.

Again when it comes to issues of personal integrity and corruption it is im-portant for the church and the state to engage to separate perception from realities. The level of corruption in the country is at a level where all well meaning nationals and well wishers have to be mobilized to combat it.


Three Suggestions for Constructive Engagement with the StateFor constructive church – state engagement the following three things would be helpful.

1. First the church needs to have a united front on issues that pertain to Christian principles and nation building without compromising the right of individuals to their diff ering opinions on various topics. Th is implies an attempt to look at issues of National interest from a Christian and Knowledge based point of view as a united body.

2. Second the church leadership must be well informed and properly oriented. For this to be possible, it is crucial for the churches (at least at their headquarters level) to create think tank capacity on national development issues. Th at is not a call for the establish-ment of a big bureaucracy but rather having a mechanism to draw on the expertise of its members – economists, bankers, engineers, farmers, doctors, etc. on ad hoc basis or as standing committees to analyze issues as they arise, write position papers on budgets, educational and health policy or whichever issue the church lead-ership want to engage the state on.

To that end it is advisable to introduce leadership, management and economic development studies as part of the training of pas-tors. Th e practice elsewhere, in some nations, whereby theological education is preceded by broader education to the degree level has been a factor in better state– church engagement in those nations.

3. Th ird, the government must be convinced that it is good for the nation and politics to constructively engage the church. While confl ict among two small ethnic groups or agitation of same fa-natical religious group receives immediate attention, and rightly so, it is equally important to mobilize a group which historically has contributed so signifi cantly in sectors such as education and health and which still remains a powerful force for change and progress.

4. Fourth, there is room to establish a regular forum for such en-gagement instead of the present practice when meetings between political leaders and church leaders take place only in times of national emergency.


The Role of AFREG ParticipantsIn 2006 and 2009 a few Ghanaians attended at Abuja (Nigeria) and Limuru (Kenya) a forum dubbed African Forum on Religion and Government (AFREG). Th e purpose of AFREG I & II included equip-ping leaders for eff ective management of African countries as well as equipping and encouraging Christians called into politics to accept that as a ministry and foster better church-state partnership for devel-opment. In addition it aimed to call the Christian church to its GOD given role of helping build new leaders of integrity for a new Africa through example and transformation of its members.

At AFREG II the Ghanaian participants agreed that on return to Ghana they should approach our leaders, both spiritual and secular/political (Church Leaders and Government) to share our burden for improved church–state relationship and to catalyze a national platform for a sustainable engagement for the good of the country. For example, on the part of the church we see a need to put in place strategies that will ensure that the creed and practice of Christians are in sync in the market place of business, commerce, public service, government etc. It is the duty of the Church to ensure that its members live ethical and moral lives from Monday to Sunday.

It is our belief that the church and the state, especially the presidency share a common desire to fi ght corruption, promote good work ethic, discourage excessive conviviality and promote a paradigm shift in at-titudes that will promote accelerated development of Ghana. Th us we the participants of AFREG see ourselves as God’s instruments to facili-tate better and constructive Church-State relationship.

To that end we propose a conference on church-state relationship dur-ing which experts would be invited to speak on various aspects of na-tion building and thus encourage both to play their meaningful posi-tive roles in the nation. Th e members of the committee meeting together to help achieve the above aims include pastors from various Christian churches, Chris-tian professionals, academicians, teachers, leaders from various non-denominational Christian groups and others.

THE CHURCH AND THE STATE RELATIONSHIP IN A DEMOCRACYWITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO GHANA

Th is paper seeks to trace the teachings of the Bible on Church-State relationships throughout the Old and New Testaments, and to apply this to the post-independent African history with special reference to Ghana. It points the way forward for constructive engagement with the State and makes an appeal to connect within a pan-African forum on Religion & Government (AFREG).

Th e International Leadership Foundation was established in 2004 to develop a network of leaders of integrity in Africa who will encourage societal transformation and development. It established a training framework based on biblical, professional and contemporary principles that includes a leader’s personal, relational and professional life.

In partnership with the Christian Association of Nigeria, the ILF conducted the inaugural AFREG 1 conference over 4 days in Abuja, Nigeria in 2006. Th e event was attended by two Heads of State and nearly 200 key leaders from the church, education, business, NGO’s, and government, representing 27 African nations.

AFREG 2 was held in Kenya in 2009 and served to sensitize and equip the church for her role as salt and light in society. At this conference the AFREG 2Covenant was developed in which participating countries committed themselves to develop national and regional transformation strategies and initiatives.

Many Heads of State and other national leaders have come forward from African countries to endorse and engage with the work of AFREG.

WWW.AFREGGHANA.ORG.

the church and the state relationship in a democracy

Documents

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church contribution

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th e bible

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