The influence of Christian and Traditional cultural moral values on Adolescent Sexuality in the Mfanteman Municipality

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

Issue: Vol. 12 No.6 2026 Issue Article 3 pp. 239 – 253
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261263 Published online 14th July 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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This research examines the interplay between traditional Ghanaian culture, Christianity, and youth sexual behavior, with a specific emphasis on teenage pregnancy within the Mfanteman Municipality of Ghana’s Central Region. Although Christianity and African traditional culture are widely considered strong moral frameworks, particularly for sexual conduct, adolescent pregnancy remains prevalent in the region. This paradox raises significant questions regarding the efficacy of religious and cultural ethical systems in shaping adolescent sexual behavior. The study applied Immanuel Kant’s deontological ethical theory, which emphasizes ethical responsibilities and compliance with moral standardsirrespective ofconsequences. Methodologically, the research employed an interpretivist framework and a case study approach to investigate the personal experiences and ethical perspectives of adolescents and community leaders. Primary data was gathered using semi-structured interviews and surveys administered to adolescents, pregnant teenagers, teenage mothers, parents, traditional leaders, spiritual leaders, and Pastors in the municipality. The findings indicate that Christian and African traditional ethical norms strongly condemn premarital sex and adolescent pregnancy. These norms reinforce each other through common principles, such as chastity, collective accountability and religious penalties. However, the research reveals that the effectiveness of these moral frameworks is reduced by ineffective communication, parental supervision, insufficient sexual health education, economic and social pressures, and conflicting sexual information from peer groups and media. Young people often develop conflicting moral perspectives, where personal convictions coexist with hidden sexual behaviors. The research suggests that preventing teenage pregnancy and risky sexual activity requires not only moral and cultural guidance but also mentorship, comprehensive sex education, and socio-economic support.

Keywords: Sexuality, Moral Values, Teenage Pregnancy, Sexual Health Education.

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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 Kwaku 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 the 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 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. “The influence of Christian and Traditional cultural moral values on Adolescent Sexuality in the Mfanteman Municipality.” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies 12, no.6 (2026): 239 – 253. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261263

© 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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