Department of Religion and Theology

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Browsing by Author "Agyarko, Robert Owusu"

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    God of life: Rethinking the Akan Christian concept of God in the light of the ecological crisis
    (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2013) Agyarko, Robert Owusu
    A community�s conception of God is the central point for much of the rest of its belief. It might even be thought of as supplying the whole framework within which the community is constructed, lives its life, conducts its activities, and relates to non-human forms of life. Looking at the human and non-human forms of life relations from this perspective, the current environmental crisis may be seen as a theological problem. Our perceptions of who God is and who we are shape our actions in the direction of a just and sustainable society. Thus, how Akan Christians relate to non-human forms of life may largely depend on their social construction of God� nature relations. If one sees oneself as superior to non-human forms of life, then one will act in ways that support this position and therefore maintain one�s superiority. This suggests the importance of communities� conception of God�nature relations in our effort to address the current environmental crisis. This contribution offers reflection on the Akan concept of God and its implications for justice, peace, and sustainability.
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    God's unique priest (Nyamesofopreko): christology in the Akan context
    (University of the Western Cape, 2009) Agyarko, Robert Owusu; Conradie, Ernst M.; Dept. of Religion and Theology; Faculty of Arts
    This study entails a constructive contribution towards a contemporary reinterpretation, within the Akan context, of the classic Christian notion of Christ's person and work as Mediator between God and humanity. Specifically, I endeavour to reinterpret aspects of the Christian confession of faith as formulated by the Council of Chalcedon (451) that, Jesus Christ is �truly God� (vere Deus) as well as �truly human�(vere homo). I build on the notion that the relationship between these two claims may also be understood in terms of the one "person" and the two "natures" of Jesus Christ. The work of Christ is reinterpreted from this perspective. The thesis is divided into two main parts. The first part, which covers the first four chapters, entail reviews of some of the dominant African Christologies - with particular reference to divine conqueror and ancestor Christologies. In these chapters, the adequacy of the mentioned Christologies is assessed with reference to the Nicene/Chalcedonian confessional definition concerning the person of Christ. The conclusion reached is that these Christologies do not adequately express the person of Christ as truly divine as well as truly human as defined by the first four ecumenical councils. As a result, these Christologies also express the work of Christ, particularly his atonement in a less adequate way.
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    Libation in African Christian Theology: a critical comparison of the views of Kwasi Sarpong, Kwesi Dickson, John Pobee and Kwame Bediako
    (University of the Western Cape, 2005) Agyarko, Robert Owusu; Conradie, Ernst M.; Dept. of Religion and Theology; Faculty of Arts
    The issue of libation poses an important challenge to Christianity in Africa and, more specifically, among the Akan people in Ghana. Libation is traditionally a key ritual for the Akan as an ethnic group. However, the European missionaries who operated in West Africa condemned this ritual as idolatrous. Following the emergence of African Christian theology, especially within the Ghanaian context, various African theologians have contributed to a more systematic discussion of such libation practices. This thesis entails a critical comparison of the views of four Akan (in Ghana) theologians on Christian participation in libation practices. On this basis, the research problem in this thesis is stated in the following way: ―What are the points of divergence that lie beneath the different positions of Kwesi Sarpong, Kwesi Dickson, John Pobee and Kwame Bediako on the question of whether and in what forms Christian participation in libation practices in an Akan context in Ghana may be regarded as compatible with the Christian faith? This thesis describes analyses, compares and assesses the cultural and theological presuppositions of the views of these four Akan Ghanaian theologians on Christian participation in libation rituals. It shows how the views of these four theologians on libation are influenced by their views on the tatus which is attributed, both in Akan culture and in contemporary Christianity in Ghana, to abosom (lesser divinities) and nsamamfo (ancestors) in relation to Onyame (Supreme Being). The purpose of this thesis is therefore to clarify the cultural and theological assumptions underlying current debates on the observance of libation rituals by Christians in Ghana. The task is a description of the views of Sarpong, Dickson, Pobee and Bediako on the compatibility of Christian participation in libation practices in an Akan context with the Christian faith - just as they themselves understand its content and significance. In this thesis I approached the debate on libation in African Christian theology in two ways, namely following a direct and a thematic approach. In the direct approach the focus is explicitly on libation as a topic either in the context of African traditional religion and culture by itself or in its encounter with Christianity. In the thematic approach the focus is on libation within the context of its wider religious (with reference to God, the lesser divinities and ancestors) and cultural (the relationship between Christianity and African culture) contexts. The research indicates that the point of divergence amongst the four theologians mentioned above is almost always related to the invocation and petition of the lesser divinities and the ancestors. In addition to these major theological issues, "ecclesiastical sanctions" also forms a major determining factor that influences the positions of these; theologians. On their respective views, Sarpong asserts that libation in its present form is not incompatible with the Christian faith. By contrast, Bediako maintains that libation as is presently practiced among the Akan is not compatible with the Christian faith neither can it be adapted into the Christian faith. On the other hand, Dickson and Pobee maintain that libation rituals are not compatible with the Christian faith, but that it can be adopted and adapted into the Christian faith if the content of the accompanying prayer is made in consonance with Christian theology. The thesis is comprised of eight chapters and a postscript. In the postscript, I offer some personal views and argue that libation has to be adapted before it can be compatible with the Christian faith. I suggest that libation should be made only to God and to the ancestors. Petitions during libation rituals should be made only to God, while the presence of the ancestors should be recognized in a "symbolic manner" by an invitation to join the living human beings to make such petitions.