Overlapping Values in Christianity and African (Ghanaian) Traditional Culture

Efiinu Kwaku Obiako ORCID iD, John Kwaku Opoku ORCID iD, Eric Manu ORCID iD & Seth Tweneboah ORCID iD  

Issue: Vol. 12 No.5 2026 Issue Article 2 pp. 169 – 181
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261252 Published online 18th June 2026.
© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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The study centres on the common moral values of Christianity and indigenous Ghanaian culture, with specific emphasis on the Fante culture. Ghana is considered a very religious country in West Africa; 71.3% of the total Ghanaian population is made up of Christians, according to the 2021 census. However, indigenous culture still influences the daily lives of Ghanaians. The study focuses on critical areas such as chastity, gender roles, fertility, procreation, and family honor to show similarities and differences between the values of the two cultures. The study uses the qualitative research method and comparative analysis to explore the similarities in the moral values of Christianity and indigenous Ghanaian culture.  The research reveals similarities in the value of sexual purity. According to the study, the Bible teaches Christians to practice chastity before marriage and fidelity after marriage. Similarly, indigenous Ghanaian culture values sexual purity before marriage through rituals such as Dipo and Bragoro to maintain family honor. Both cultures value marriage as the right place for sex; however, they differ in how they enforce these values. Christianity encourages voluntary practice of these values through sermons from the Bible, while indigenous Ghanaian culture uses coercive traditions such as Trokosi, which is harmful to young girls. The authors of the study recommend that dialogue should be encouraged to bring these values together for the benefit of Ghanaian society today. This study bridges the gap between Christian and Ghanaian indigenous ethics by analyzing how overlapping values impact social cohesion, gender roles, and human rights.

Keywords: Christianity, African Traditional Culture, Values, Children, Sexuality

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Rev. Efiinu Kwaku Obiako is an ordained minister of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, and currently serves as the Regional Superintendent of Central Region B. He has served the church faithfully in various leadership positions, including Deacon, District Secretary, District Pastor, and Regional Secretary. He is also an adjunct lecturer at the Assemblies of God Theological and Missions Seminary. Rev. Obiako holds postgraduate degrees from the University of Cape Coast and is currently completing his doctoral studies in Religious Studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Through his ministry and academic contributions, he continues to impact the church and society with sound biblical teaching and leadership.

Rev Fr. Prof  John Kweku Opoku is a Lecturer and professor of religion and bioethics in the department of religion and human development at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Dr. Eric Manu is a lecturer at the Department of Religion and Human Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. He holds a PhD in Religious Studies from KNUST. His research focus is on contemporary Christianity, with particular interest in African Pentecostal mission and development, ethics, and the philosophy of new religious movements. Eric has published several works on Pentecostal Christianity, among other topics, in reputable journals. His most recent projects explore Neo-pentecostal mission healthcare and poverty reduction in Ghana; Unity and Diversity among Ghana’s new Prophetic Churches; The Reception of Prophet of the Old Testament in the New Testament and its Impact on the activities of the Neo-Prophetic Movement in Ghana.

Prof. Seth Tweneboah is an Associate Professor at the Centre for African Studies of the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. He received his PhD in Religious Studies (with specialization in law and politics) from the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Seth has an MPhil from the University of Ghana, Legon and an MA from Florida International University, Miami. His research focuses on religious human rights and the religion-law interrelationships in Africa. He is the author of Religion, Law, Politics and the State in Africa: Applying Legal Pluralism in Ghana.

Obiako, Efiinu Kwaku, John Kwaku Opoku, Eric Manu, and Seth Tweneboah. “Overlapping Values in Christianity and African (Ghanaian) Traditional Culture.” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies 12, no.5 (2026): 169 – 181 . https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261252

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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