Browsing by Author "Okyere, P.K."
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Item Reconstructing Sacred Space. The Place and Relevance of Abasua Prayer Mountain in Contemporary Ghanaian Christianity(University of Ghana, 2012-07) Okyere, P.K.; Omenyo, C.; Amenga-Etego, R.M.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Arts, Department of ReligionsSacred spaces and their attendant pilgrimage attractions are prevalent in almost all religious traditions in the world. People‘s belief in the presence of the luminous or transcendent reality at places and the possibility of their interaction with the luminous through prayer rituals, do not only define those places as sacred, but are also some of the major reasons for pilgrimage to such places. Thus, the traditional notion of sacred places as spaces for prayer, worship and divine revelation is virtually ubiquitous in all discourses on sacred spaces. In addition to the spiritual significance of sacred places is their potential in bringing about human development. This however has not attracted much scholarly attention. In this work, therefore, the researcher uses the Abasua Prayer Mountain in Ghana as a contextual example to argue that the relevance of sacred spaces should not be limited only to their traditional functions as places for pilgrims‘ encounter with a transcendent reality. Rather, owing largely to the massive pilgrimage attractions to those places, they are also relevant in promoting development in four thematic areas: spiritual, mental, physical and social. An eclectic methodology including historical, phenomenological and theological models were used to guide the data collected. On the research field, the researcher employed interviews and participant observation to gather the needed field data. The researcher has used Clifford Geertz‘s social-anthropological approach to ground the discussion. It was found out, among others, that even though the Prayer Mountain promotes human development in the above - mentioned four thematic areas, it directly and sometimes indirectly stifles development. In this sense, the Abasua Prayer Mountain phenomenon in contemporary Ghanaian Christianity has been described as a paradox in this study.Item Rethinking Prayer Mountains as Sacred Spaces in Contemporary Ghanaian Christianity(University of Ghana, 2018-07) Okyere, P.K.Notwithstanding the bourgeoning compendium of literature on Prayer Mountains (PMs), scholarly discourse on them in contemporary African and Ghanaian Christianity seems limited only to their role in enhancing pilgrims’ spirituality. Using Atwea Boↄ, Ͻboↄ Tabiri, Abasua Prayer Mountain (APM) and Nkawkaw Mountain Olive Prayer Camp (NMOPC) in Ghana as contextual examples, this study argues that scholarly focus on PMs as sacred spaces should not be limited only to the conventional thinking of them as sites of transcendent spiritual experiences, encounters with God or appearances by God. Rather, there are other aspects of PMs considered to be of academic importance with social policy implications, but which seem to have fallen out of scholars’ grasp. Therefore, the study generally focuses on rethinking PMs as sacred spaces in contemporary Ghanaian Christianity. Specifically, the work attempts to examine the continuity of Christians’ pilgrimage to PMs in Akan primal religious context. Also, it explores the historical narratives of the evolution of PMs in Ghanaian Christianity. Besides, it investigates how Pentecostal / Charismatic Christianity promotes the appropriation of PMs as sacred spaces in Ghanaian Christianity. Last but not least, the study examines the place of PMs in contemporary Ghanaian development discourse. The research is theoretically anchored on Clifford Geertz’s social-anthropological model. Methodologically, it is mainly a qualitative study. A diverse approach, including historical, theological and phenomenological methods, was employed to guide the collection and analysis of relevant field data. It has been observed that in Ghana, pilgrimage to sacred mountains in Akan primal religion appears to be a precursor of Christians’ religious pilgrimage to PMs. The quest for identity construction is a paramount motivation underlying pilgrimage to sacred mountains among the adherents of the two religions. Inspite of the continuity of the Christian phenomenon of PMs in Akan primal religion, the study underscores some discontinuities. Moreover, the historical narratives of the evolution of PMs in Ghanaian Christianity indicate that PMs as sacred spaces hardly evolve in a vacuum. They gradually emerge and ultimately develop into Christian sacred sites through the interplay of a diversity of religio-cultural, socio-economic and political forces. The study also reinforces Pentecostalism as a modern religious phenomenon that has had a great influence on global Christianity, including Christians’ pilgrimage to PMs. The prevalence of imprecatory prayer rituals on the PMs, akin to some aspects of traditional Akan religious practices, and the seeming endless theological contestations about those rituals underscore their centrality and sensitive nature in Christian theology. Furthermore, the study examines the interface between religion and development, with special focus on the place and relevance of PMs in contemporary Ghanaian development discourse. In conclusion, the research presents two diametrically opposed standpoints with respect to the sustainability of the PM phenomenon and its attendant pilgrimage attraction in Ghanaian Christianity. Some of the findings suggest that the phenomenon is sustainable, while other findings suggest otherwise. A rethinking of the conventional understanding of PMs and the debate on the sustainability of PMs are possible markers of the variability of the PM phenomenon in contemporary Ghanaian Christianity.