A Comparative Study of Salvation in Christianity And Eve Indigenous Religion in Ghana

ABSTRACT 1he study essentially demonstrated that the Christian missionaries and the early Eue clergy did not take cognizance of the Eue belief in God, (Mawu) the all embracing creator of humankind. This can be discerned in the manner and methods these early missionaries proclaimed Christ in Eueland. Their interpretation of salvation was far out of tune from that of the Eue. This may be explained by the fact that they failed and disregarded to reach out to the roots of Eue indigenous religious thought. They did not learn, and failed to appreciate, the fact that traditional Eue religious thought, just as Christianity, embodies the essence of humanity, which is the key to understanding and appreciating the Eue in his environment, particularly at that time. The study has shown that the quest for salvation is in all people, irrespective of one's religion. Salvation is therefore perceived as the aim and end of life. We also noted that, Eue Christian theologians such as C. G. Baeta, N. K. Dzobo, C. R. Gaba, G. Ansre, Elom Dovlo and Dela Adadevor, have all affirmed the notion that salvation is the liberation of the person from the powers that have the potential of interfering with the original identity and sense of being. They all affirm that, salvation is about gaining one's freedom from life's negating forces, both spiritual and physical. Their works, in essence, demonstrate that it is the same God (Mawu) who is acting uniquely in both Christianity and Eue indigenous religion to bring about salvation. Although the Church was introduced from Germany into Eueland, God, the essence around whom and on whom the Church has been built, has been in Eueland in all his unique manifestations before the :urival of the Christian missionaries in 1847. The observation of Jacob in Genesis 28:16-17: "Surely he Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it. How awesome is this place! This is none other than iii the house of God; this is the gate of heaven" clearly illustrates the religious situation of the Eue before their contact with the European Christian missionaries. In fact, God had already revealed himself to the Eues throughout human history; it is believed that he has never left himself without a witness in the Eue indigenous religion. In analyzing the nature and meaning of salvation, the study clearly demonstrates that both Christianity and followers of Eue indigenous religion acknowledge that, God (Mawu), who is the source of salvation, works through intermediaries such as Jesus Christ, the ancestors, deities and powerful spirits. These intermediaries serve as God's (Mawu's) agents of mercy and justice. It is pertinent to observe and recognize that libation prayers of the Eue appeal to the ancestors to ensure that the people and the community they (the ancestors) left behind become increasingly better off than they left them. The essence of this is reflected in such admonishments as: 'may your back be more peaceful than your front;' meaning may the relatives, people and communities left behind prosper and become better than at the time the ancestors were in this life. This clearly illustrates the conceptual link between the dead (ancestors) and the living. Although the aspect of pouring a liquid or drinks on the ground in libation prayers may be appropriately reviewed, there can be no doubt that there are lessons to learn from it. The study also points out that the Eue concept of salvation (Dagbe), profoundly reflects God's (Mawu's) provision of abundant life in the present and the future; this includes the restoration of all forms of human failures, and the ordering of the community and the universe as a whole. Similarly, Christianity perceives salvation as deliverance of all of God's creation from every shortcoming in order to make them happy and finally to obtain everlasting life. This study, in a modest way ~ontributes to, and draws attention to other factors not at present given due consideration in the lttempt of the Church to concretize the gospel of Christ to the Eue. iv 'rom the above discussion, other relevant literature and the operation of the diverse fonns of Christian :ligious movements on Eueland in particular and Ghana in general, the study has discerned the nergence of Africanist Christian life and thought which is perceptibly different from traditional rthodox Western Christianity. Although this particular issue is beyond this thesis, it is important too )te that the new and emergent Africanist Christian thought is likely to influence, and contribute to the culture development of Christian life and thought in Africa in particular. It is therefore of crucial importance for the Church to seriously take cognizance of this and timely and appropriately tune its theology as a consequence. 1 conclusion, it may be emphasized and suggested for particular consideration that the harsh and unfriendly social, cultural and economic environment, particularly in the urban setting, is real in their circumstances of the individual and his or her perception of salvation. In this emerging context of "vacation, Christianity has to fIrst address these contextual issues before relating them to the Eschatological reality. The economic and technological hardships such as stark poverty, employment, low income, housing, health, personal and social relations, etc, are increasingly laDging the context in which Christianity is operating in Egeland and Ghana in general. The Church lerefore needs a radical approach to its theological expressions which have the potential to influence le issue of salvation in Africa, particularly because, salvation ought to relate to the environment of Ie believer. If this is done, then the hard realities of salvation and the hard realities of life will be oser to match the daily necessities of life.