scholarly journals Christian Faith and Akan Culture in Ghana: A Review of Major Works of Sidney George Williamson

Author(s):  
Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong

Christian growth must not only be considered in terms of the growth of numbers. The growth in the church must also be considered in the level of depth and the quality of Christian conversion within a cultural milieu. The depth of the faith has a lot to do with how the Gospel speaks directly to the minds and hearts of its hearers. Moreover, the Gospel can speak to the hearts and minds of its hearers when the indigenous world views that condition the inner lives of the people are given serious consideration. The study is a review of the major works of Sidney George Williamson on the Christian faith and Akan culture in Ghana. As an early student of the tension between the Christian faith and Akan culture and the challenges of Christian identity, Williamson draws attention to the fact that Christianity can adequately meet Akan Christian needs when it pays attention to the cultural worldview of the people it seeks to serve. The study as a qualitative one uses both primary and secondary sources. Interviews and observations were conducted in some Akan communities on the integration of Christian faith and Akan cultural worldview. The study points to the fact that the construction of theology among Akan Christians must be done from the inside to the outside and not from outside to the inside, the approach that Western missionaries adopted. The spiritual needs of Akan Christians will be adequately met when they hear the Gospel in their own cultural understandings rather than theology done in the West offered to the Akan in European worldview. The study further calls attention to the preparedness of the churches in the Akan cultural environment for paradigm shifts in the Christian faith and Akan Cultural engagements in post-missionary African Christianity. Keywords: Akan Culture, Christian Faith, Local Theologies, Sidney George Williamson

Author(s):  
Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong

Faith in public life can be associated with Christianity in Ghana from the days of the early Western missionaries. Christian faith perspectives on matters of public concerns however, assumed a wider scope with the practice of regular issuance of communiques to governments and the people of Ghana by the churches. Christian ministry is expected to be holistic. A holistic approach in Christian ministry is considered to lead to the holistic development of the nation for the common good and the glory of God. Church leaders subsequently, bring their faith perspectives to matters of public concerns as a ministerial mandate to be in pilgrimage with the people. The study is a reflection on how the churches’ communiques are done and the factors that make the communiques theological in the public space. It further seeks to identify the contribution of the construction of communiques to public theology in Christianity in Ghana. The study as qualitative, examines both available primary and secondary sources. Copies of communiques of some selected churches, ecumenical bodies and joint communiques by ecumenical bodies are examined to appreciate insights of communiques by the churches. The study seeks to make a contribution to the theological construction of public theologies in Ghana and African Christianity. KEYWORDS: Public Theology, African Christianity, Communique, Common Good


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-85
Author(s):  
Ekpenyong Obo Ekpenyong ◽  
Ibiang Obono Okoi

The history of Christianity has always been a two-way process of transformation in any given culture. Christianity and paganism are reciprocal; Christianity is necessary for revelation to be fulfilled, but the actual quality of this fulfillment depends upon the quality of the religious man transformed by revelation. Christianity, as a result of this, needs a natural religion, the same way it needs all human realities as the sole mission is to save what has first been created. The link between Gospel and culture is that Gospel whenever its introduced and established in a new culture, is “transposed” in a particular way a sweet melody into a new key. Moreover, the Gospel, when transposed from its biblical world to other cultural worlds, undergoes change itself as well as causing these other worlds to change. Crowther created an astonishing impact and contribution after his consecration in 1864; as he strived to indigenize or Africanize Christianity to make it possible for the Christian faith to be accepted by Africans without having to give up or disown their cultural values. This work seeks to find what part Henry Venn, the dynamic and accomplished secretary of the Church Missionary Society, played to see how Christian faith can go well together or combine with African beliefs and practices to produce Christianity which may become a religion for Africans. This work has shown that Henry Venn's ideas on native Church organization include: the native Church needs the ablest native pastors for its fuller development and that it should be under a native bishop and that a native Church is organized as a national institution. This work adopted a qualitative method that used historical and content analysis. This work concluded that for the Africanization of Christianity to be actualized, African Church must have its liturgy or incorporate what was good of the native religions to develop an authentically African Christianity. And that reducing the various African vernaculars into writing and developing native literature was a first step in the reforming movement toward Africanization of Christianity; just as Venn urged Crowther to undertake the translation of the Bible into Yoruba and to preach in Yoruba even while still at Freetown.


Linguaculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-156
Author(s):  
Monika Hilder

In this paper, I explore C.S. Lewis’s legacy as apologist and artist of the Christian faith and claim that Lewis, like his mentor George MacDonald before him and his friend Dorothy L. Sayers, successfully engaged contemporary culture by speaking the wildly attractive language of Joy. Both as rational defender of the Christian faith and as an imaginative storyteller, Lewis conveyed this quality of Heavenly Joy that invites and inspires the hearts and minds of readers to rethink, reconsider, and perhaps for the first time in their lives experience Beauty and Love—to truly encounter what proves to be the lasting Hope of the world. In this I point to three characteristics that resulted in Lewis’s success as a Christian apologist: 1) the recovery of earlier ideas; 2) the use of everyday language; and 3) the habit of humility. Then I speak of how in his imaginative fiction this language of Joy sees Beauty and both testify to Love—and it is these literary experiences that move the hearts and minds of readers.


Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the name that the Bengali nation remembers and cheers, who inspired millions with his leadership. His speech of 7th March 1971 electrified the nation and set the tone for the great war of liberation. His speech has manifested the belief in freedom and equality between people and his enthusiastic courtesy and warmth in guiding the people to their destined future. Democracy is a situation, system or organization in which everyone has equal rights and opportunities. It is the belief that everyone in the country has the right to express their opinion and can help in making decisions. And civility is defined as civilized conduct or the quality of being polite. The objective of this research is to highlight the fact that how the Father of the Bengali Nation, Bangabandhu had shown civility and put importance on democracy in his 7th March speech. These two most important things, emphasized in his speech are the reasons behind Bangabandhu being loved and adored by the people. His genuine devotion and affection for his people were clearly cognized through his speech of 7th March. This qualitative research includes data collected from historical sources. Newspapers, government files (archival sources), and interviews are the primary sources used in this research. And books and articles published in different journals are used as secondary sources.


Author(s):  
Abdul Muin

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to reveal how the quality of education in this Islamic boarding school is, particularly related to education facilities, curriculum and strategies of education quality improve­ments. This study used the qualitative method. Findings of this study are: first, education infrastructure and facilities are relatively complete and adequate, which are supported by the atmosphere of the Islamic boarding school that is full of simplicity and modesty by habituation in implementing clean and healthy lifestyle. Second, the tafaqquh fi-al din (understanding of religion)-based curriculum compiled by the Islamic boarding school occupies the same degree (equal) to the curriculum prepared by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, so that both tafaqquh fi-al din (understanding of religion) studies and general studi­es have high electability, which is able to increase the quality of education and also generates interest and motivation of the people (parents) to put their children to the Islamic boarding school. Third, education in the Islamic boarding school has a strong independency because it is supported by substantial financial resources.AbstrakTujuan tulisan ini untuk mengungkapkan bagaimana mutu pendidikan di pondok pesantren ini, khususnya berkaitan dengan sarana pendidikan, kurikulum dan sterategi peningkatan mutu pendidik­an. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif. Hasil temuan studi ini adalah: Pertama, sarana dan fasilitas pendidikan relatif lengkap dan memadai, ini didukung oleh suasana kehidupan pondok pesan­tren yang penuh kesederhanaan dan kebersahajaan dengan pembiasaan menerapkan pola hidup bersih dan sehat. Kedua, kurikulum yang berbasis tafaqquh fi-al din yang disusun oleh pondok pesantren ini menempati derajat yang sama (equal) dengan kurikulum yang disusun Kementerian Agama, sehinga baik kajian tafaqquh fi al-din maupun pelajaran umum memiliki electabilitas yang tinggi, hal ini mampu meningkatkan mutu pendidikan dan sekaligus membangkitkan animo dan motivasi masyarakat (orangtua) untuk memasukkan anaknya ke pesantren ini. Ketiga, penyelenggaraan pendidikan di pon­dok pesantren ini memiliki kemandirian yang kuat, karena didukung oleh sumber dana yang besar.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
Nomensen Freddy Siahaan

After a long time was not heard to the public area, lately death penalty toward the criminal cases that classified as extraordinary crime are appear. The author discovers electronic article about the execution of the death penalty which is the prosecutor prepares to execute death penalty toward the drugs dealer. The president of Republic of Indonesia stated that it is necessary to give a deterrent effect to the convicted  criminal and keep the morality of Indonesian teenagers. According to my opinion, the author argues that it will be better and wiser if we discuss about renovating all of the Penitentiary in Indonesia than debating whether death penalty could be done in Indonesia or not, because it will be displeasure many parties, death penalty infringed the human rights of the convicted criminals and cause psychological burden to them, families, the executor of the death penalty, and other parties. Because if we have to improve the quality of the Penitentiary, if the function of Penitentiary for fostering moralily has been optimal or properly enough to the convicted criminals, Indonesia will be no longer need the death penalty option as sanction to the convicted crimanals including for the extraordinary crime (especially for drugs trafficking in our country). Penitentiary is one of the public services which aims for fostering the people that initially have bad habits (commited to the crime), so that they will have the awareness to change their bad attitude into the be better ones, will not harm others, and positively contributed to the society. Already Penitentiary’s conditions should be designed in such a way and as good as possible, so that the inmates feels like at their own home (like having a second home after his own home), and feel humaner to spend their days in the Penitentiary. The author believes that if the Penitentiary has been improved and optimized its function well, then the real purpose of Penitentiary will definitely achieved. As stated in Law Number 12 Year 1995 regarding to Penitentiary Article 2 which states "sanction system are organized in order to fostering the convicted criminals in order to be the real man, aware of their fault, improve themselves, and not to repeat the criminal act so that they can be friendly received by the community, can actively participated in the development of our country, and can socialize themselves as good citizen."Article 3 on this regulation also intensifies the function of Penitentiary "the function of Penitentiary is to prepare convicted criminals to be able to properly integrated to the society, so they can be accepted again as members of the public who are free and responsible ones." 


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Urtak Hamiti

Barbaric, savage, horrific-these were terms to define the decision of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to murder its captured Jordanian pilot by burning him alive inspired a thesaurus of horror and revulsion. The men who did it, the perpetrators were described by the media as mad men, thugs, monsters. To most of the people, the act itself seemed inexplicable and without sense. However, behind the choreographed and videotaped violence lies a calculated horrible cold logic. Although, ISIS is often portrait as a mighty force on the ground in Syria and Iraq, facts state that they control mainly communications between various provinces in both countries, and, as most guerrilla armies, are militarily weak by conventional measure. ISIS has little or almost none defense against the bombing campaign that is facing now, while US has formed a coalition that is confronting them on the ground as well, after President Barack Obama published the “New Security Doctrine” which includes degrading and finally destroying ISIS. ISIS, however, have proven to be very organized in promoting dramatic acts of violence against their enemies and promoting them two achieve two goals: use terror tactics as a psychological weapon against all those facing them and all those that are to face them in combat. Secondly, through usage of social network platforms to promote killings and executions, the aim of ISIS is to encourage recruits from out of Syria and Iraq, and elsewhere, to join them in their cause. Online operations of ISIS fall under a production group called the Al Hayat Media Center. The Center was created to seduce Westerners into joining the ranks of ISIS and also to distribute propaganda through social and media platforms. It is difficult to assess the success of this operation, but solid sources provided by US military and intelligence estimate that at least 300 Americans are fighting in the ranks of ISIS (at least two Americans have been killed fighting for ISIS in Iraq/Syria region) while the number of Europeans is in thousands. The US Response to this psychological kind of warfare came when President Barack Obama established the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) aiming to combat terrorist propaganda. The main strategy of CSCC is not directly to confront ISIS operatives, but rather than that to deal with the people they are trying to recruit. Now, with almost entire international public opinion on their side, it is time for US to more actively respond to ISIS especially in the manner of psychological warfare since it is obvious that operations of “winning hearts and minds” of people in Iraq and Syria are not enough compared to ruthless tactics of ISIS which “winning hearts and minds” by brute force, terror, and vivid violent images. The online propaganda war is a new component to conflicts of 21st century that allows enemies to reach one another’s home fronts directly. ISIS might seem not so strong on the ground but it has captured one fundamental flaw of the media of 21st century-the one that bad news is always good news and that televised violence will always have an audience. ISIS has proclaimed that its goal is to create a caliphate of 21st century but its psychological warfare and propaganda is inspiring individuals throughout the West to commit horrible terrorist crimes. Could this be another mind game set up by ISIS, it remains to be seen. However one thing is for certain, US and its allies must tackle ISIS not only by planes and other military means, but also by a strategy that would eliminate its influence in spreading their propaganda.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Muhamad Alfian ◽  
Nandang Saefudin Zenju ◽  
Irma Purnamasari

Infrastructure development is an integral part of national development and the driving wheel of economic growth. Infrastructure also has an important role in strengthening national unity and unity (Bappenas: 2009). The banjarwaru, banjarwangi, and telukpinang highways are the access roads traversed by 8 villages including alternative routes for the cicurug-sukabumi area. This road is always passed by the people who headed to the city. Therefore, the benefits of this road is very important because it is often passed from the cicurug-sukabumi area due to the diversion of traffic flow so that the intensity of high road users.In this study the author uses the theory of Ridwan and Sudrajat. Quality of service is the level of incompatibility between expectations with customer desires and also the perceptions of these customers. Quality of service here can be assessed by looking at the dimensions. These dimensions include the quality of service, the ability of officials, and service convenience. During the observation to the community through the survey to direct approach with the community, most people complained that the development service to build the kecamatan should be further improved and the results of this study showed that the Quality Assessment of Service in Road Infrastructure Development in Ciawi Sub-district Bogor Regency is categorized Fair Good this is because the assessment of the quality of development services by the Subdistrict Apparatus itself and from the community assess the ability of District Officers still have to be improved in conducting the service and its implementation.Keywords: Service Quality, Infrastructure Development.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhanna Borisovna Erzhanova ◽  
Olga Alexandrovna Manankova

The article deals with the analysis of distance education in the modern globalization, as well as the problems and difficulties faced by teachers and students in the process of this form of training. Distance learning system provides an excellent opportunity for higher education to those who did not have or want to get a second education with the aim of improving the quality of life, as well as their material and spiritual needs. This article, highlighting some of the difficulties and problems of training in modern globalization, can help teachers to allow and overcome some of these new problems.


Author(s):  
SM Abdul Quddus

Globalization started sometime ago and is an ongoing process. It is a diverse phenomenon, which has had tremendous impact on all aspects of human life. The spread of the culture of globalization can predominantly be attributed to the usage of modern electronic media such as the internet. As Islam is a global phenomenon, it becomes apparent that its principles should be held in the esteem befitting its status and not disregarded as irrelevant. Religious people of all age categories must agree to adapt their traditions to deal with the challenges of modernity. The end goal of globalization is thus to assess and integrate common ground into the world views of Islamic versus Western values rather than provoke bi-polarization and discord. As globalization in its current iteration predominantly stems from the influences of the West, it is paramount to scrutinize the differences in the Muslim interpretation of globalization in relation to its modern incarnation, to explore its differing definitions, the fluctuating goals of the educational systems, the sidelining of local traditions and languages, factors derived from the advent of “brain-drain” from certain nations, appropriate Muslim actions in response to globalization, and finally onto the question, how public sector management should be reformed in line with the reality of globalization and Islamic philosophy of government and administration in the contemporary era? However, following the example of the Western capitalist models and excluding religious public sector reform has produced varied reactions in MMCs. Such reactions include widespread social alienation and accelerated unhappiness and promotion of restless competition rather than cooperation. All these realities raise some unavoidable questions and debates that need to be properly addressed both from theoretical and practical perspectives. A refocused attention at the philosophy of public sector governance in light of the role of religion on the globalized and technology-driven world is an important endeavor to undertake. Thus the main objective of this paper is to explore an administrative model for public sector governance that will fulfil the socio-economic, technological and spiritual needs of a society. Data for this paper is collected mainly from secondary sources i.e. content analysis. ‘Islamic administrative model’ as suggested by Al-Buraey are used as the theoretical underpinning for this study. Keywords: Globalization, Heartware and software, Islam, New Public management, Islamic administrative model. Abstrak Globalisasi telah berlaku sejak dahulu lagi dan ia adalah proses yang berlaku secara berterusan. Ia adalah fenomena yang pelbagai, yang memberi kesan besar kepada manusia dari pelbagai aspek. Penyebaran globalisasi budaya di dominasi besar oleh penggunaan media elektronik moden seperti Internet. Oleh kerana Islam adalah fenomena global, jelaslah bahawa prinsipnya harus dipegang dengan harga yang sesuai dengan statusnya dan tidak sepatutnya dianggap sebagai tidak relevan. Orang yang beragama dari setiap lapisan umur mesti mengekalkan adat mereka walaupun mendepani arus kemodenan yang mencabar. Matlamat terulung globalisasi adalah untuk menilai dan mengintegrasikan titik persamaan tentang pandangan dunia pada nilai murni Islam atau nilai murni barat dan bukannya mencetuskan polarisasi dan perpecahan. Oleh kerana globalisasi pada hari ini didominasi sepenuhnya dari pengaruh Barat, adalah sangat penting untuk meneliti perbezaan dari sudut tafsiran Muslim juga tentang globalisasi berhubung dengan penjelmaan modennya, untuk meneroka definisi yang berbeza, matlamat yang berubah-ubah dalam sistem pendidikan, mengetepikan tradisi dan bahasa tempatan, faktor-faktor yang diperoleh daripada kemunculan "keberanian otak" dari negara-negara tertentu, tindakan Islam yang sesuai sebagai tindak balas kepada globalisasi, dan akhirnya kepada persoalan, bagaimana pengurusan sektor awam perlu diperbaharui selaras dengan realiti globalisasi dan falsafah Islam kerajaan dan pentadbiran dalam era kontemporari? Walaubagaimanapun, menuruti contoh model kapitalis barat dan meminggirkan sektor awam agama telah menghasilkan pelbagai tindak balas dalam MMCs. Reaksi sedemikian merangkumi pengasingan sosial yang meluas dan meningkatkan jurang ketidakpuasan dan menggalakkan persaingan yang tidak sihat berbanding untuk kerjasama. Kesemua realiti ini menimbulkan beberapa persoalan dan perdebatan yang tidak dapat dielakkan yang perlu ditangani dengan baik dari perspektif teori dan praktikal. Penelitian semula pada falsafah tadbir urus sektor awam yang dibantu oleh peranan agama terhadap dunia global yang serba berasaskan teknologi merupakan usaha penting untuk dilaksanakan. Oleh itu objektif utama penulisan ini adalah untuk meneroka model pentadbiran untuk tadbir urus sektor awam  yang akan memenuhi sosioekonomi, teknologi dan keperluan rohani daripada masyarakat. Data dari kertas ini dah dikumpulkan terutamanya dari sumber kedua iaitu analisis kandungan. ‘Model pentadbiran Islam’ seperti yang dicadangkan ole Al-Buraey dah digunakan sebagai asas teori bagi kajian ini. Kata Kunci:  Globalisasi, perkakasan dan perisian, Islam, Pengurusan Awam Baru, Model Pentadbiran Islam.  


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