An Exploration into the Public Theology of the Basel Missionary Society in Ghana

An Exploration into the Public Theology of the Basel Missionary Society in Ghana

Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong

Issue: Vol.9 No.4 April 2023 Issue Article 1 pp. 145-156
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.2023941 | Published online 28th April 2023.
© 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

The article seeks to explore the Public Theology of the Basel Mission that gave birth to the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG). The article argues that the theology of the Basel Mission emphasised the integration of the Christian faith and social action for social transformation. It held a position that the gospel message of Jesus Christ should not only address the spiritual needs of individuals but also their social, health, educational, environmental and economic needs. The church should therefore be actively involved in promoting justice, equality and human rights, particularly for the marginalised and vulnerable members of society. The study paid attention to the works of Hans Debrunner, Noel Smith and Kwamena-Poh who pursued various studies on the Basel Mission and the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for the actualization of the Public Theology of the Basel Mission on the operations of the Basel Mission. The study concludes that the Basel Mission has made a significant contribution to the development of Public Theology in Ghana as it has equally done so in the social transformation of Ghana. The study further makes recommendations for the churches in Ghana to consider the Public Theology of the Basel Mission, including Theology of Vocation, Prayer and Work (ora et labora) and the Bible and the Plough to serve as a drive in their pursuit of Public Theology and public witness.

Keywords: Public Theology, African Christianity, Christian Public Witness, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Basel Missionary Society

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anquandah, James. Agenda Extraordinaire: 80 Years of the Christian Council of Ghana, 1929-2009. Accra: Asempa Publishers, 2009.

August, Karel Thomas. The Quest for Being Public Church: The South African Challenge to the Moravian Church in Context (1737-2004). Moravian Printing Works, 2005.

Debrunner, Hans Werner. A History of Christianity in Ghana. Waterville Publishing House, 1967.

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Kim, Sebastian. Theology in the Public Sphere: Public Theology as a Catalyst for Open Debate. London: SCM Press, 2013.

Kwamena-Poh, Michael Albert. “Vision and Achievement: A Hundred and Fifty Years of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (1828–1978).” Accra-Ghana: Waterville Publishing House, 2011.

Opuni-Frimpong, Kwabena. “Doing Public Theology in African Christianity: A Reflection on Communiques by Churches in Ghana.” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies 7, no. 11 (November 15, 2021): 190–200. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20217111.

Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG). Constitution. Accra: Waterville Publishing House, 2016.

Schweizer, Peter A. Survivors on the Gold Coast: The Basel Missionaries in Colonial Ghana. Smartline Pub., 2000.

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Tveit, Olav Fykse. “The Role of Religion in Sustainable Development and Peace.” Partners for Change: Religions and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2016.

AUTHOR(S)

Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong (PhD) is Senior Lecturer in African Christianity at the Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi – Ghana.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Opuni-Frimpong, Kwabena. “An Exploration into the Public Theology of the Basel Missionary Society in Ghana,” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies, 9 no.4 (2023): 145-156. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.2023941