Pentecostalism, Pilgrimage to Prayer Mountains and Pilgrims’ Adherence to Holiness Ethics in Ghanaian Christianity
Issue: Vol.4 No.2 June 2023 Article 2 pp. 25-42
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/pecanep.2023422 | Published online 20th June 2023.
© 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The influence of Pentecostalism as a global religious culture is obvious in almost every sphere of human endeavour. As a Christian religious category, Pentecostalism permeates virtually all dimensions of Christian faith and practice. In spite of the visibility and vociferous presence of Pentecostalism as a worldwide Christian religious culture, its influence on Christians’ visitation to Prayer Mountains (PMs) and the pilgrims’ devotion to holiness ethics appear not to have been traversed in scholarship. This paper attempts to fill this gap by employing a multidisciplinary approach to gather the relevant field data. The discussion is theoretically anchored on Miroslav Volf’s ‘The Christian Faith as a Prophetic Religion.’ Using this theory as a hermeneutical framework of the influence of pilgrimage to PMs on society, the paper discloses, among others, that Ghanaian Christians’ pilgrimage to PMs and the pilgrims’ adherence to holiness ethics are replications of Pentecostal practices.
Keywords: Pentecostalism, pilgrimage, Abasua Prayer Mountain, holiness ethics
Adogame, Afe, ‘Foreword’ in J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Sighs and Signs of Spirit: Ghanaian Perspectives on Pentecostalism and Renewal in Africa. Akropong-Akuapem: Regnum Africa, 2015.
Adogame, Afe, ‘Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements in a Global Perspective’ in Bryan S. Turner (ed.), The New Blackwell Companion to the Sociology of Religion. West Sussex: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2010.
Akyeampong, Emmanuel K., ‘Christianity in Ghana: An Introduction’ in J. Kwabena Asamoah Gyadu (ed.), Christianity in Ghana: Volume 1 A PostColonial History. Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2018.
Asamoah-Gyadu, J. Kwabena, African Charismatics: Current Developments within Independent Indigenous Pentecostalism in Ghana. Leiden: Brill, 2005.
Asamoah-Gyadu, J. Kwabena, ‘Do not “Meccanize” Christianity: Worship in Spirit and in Truth’, The Christian Sentinel 22 (2013).
Asante, Emmanuel, Theology and Society in Context: A Theological Reflections on Selected Topics. Accra, Ghana: SonLife Press, 2014.
Atiemo, Abamfo Ofori Aliens at the Gate of Sodom and other Reflections. Accra: Heken Ltd., 2016.
Bridges, Jerry, The Pursuit of Holiness. Colorado Springs, United States of America: Navpress, 2006.
Burgess, Stanley M. and Eduard M. van der Mass (eds.), The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003.
Chris, Park, ‘Religion and Geography’ in Hinnells, J. (ed.) Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion. London: Routledge, 2004.
Davies, Douglas, ‘Christianity’ in Jean Holm with John Bowker (eds.), Sacred Writings. London: Pinter Publishers Ltd., 1994.
Fieser, James and John Powers (eds.), Scriptures of the World’s Religions. New York: McGraw –Hill, 1998.
Hama, Jude, Practical Holy Living. Accra, Ghana: Step Publishers, 2017.
Johnson, Jesse, ‘Thinking About Social Justice in Light of the Great Commission’ in Nathan Busenitz (ed.), Right Thinking in a Church Gone Astray: Finding Your Way Back to Biblical Truth. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2017.
Kinnaman, David and Gabe Lyons, Good Faith: Being a Christian When Society Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2016.
Kudajie, Joshua N., “Does Religion Determine Morality in African Societies? A Viewpoint” in Pobee, John S., (ed) Religion in a Pluralistic Society. Leiden:E.J Brill, 1976.
Larbi, Emmanuel Kingsley, Pentecostalism: The Eddies of Ghanaian Christianity. Accra, Ghana: Blessed Publications, 2001.
Okyere, Philip Kwadwo, ‘Reconstructing Sacred Space: The Place and Relevance of Abasua Prayer Mountain in Contemporary Ghanaian Christianity’. Mphil Thesis. University of Ghana, Legon 2012.
Okyere, Philip, ‘Pentecostals and Prayer Mountains in Contemporary Ghanaian Christianity,’ Ghana Journal of Religion and Theology 9.2 (2019), pp. 77-9.
Olukoya, Daniel, The Prayer of Jehu. Lagos: Battle Cry Christian Ministries, 2012.
Omenyo, Cephas N., Pentecost Outside Pentecostalism: A study of the Development of Charismatic Renewal in the Mainline Churches in Ghana. Zoetermeer, The Netherlands: Boekencentrum Publishing House, 2006.
Owusu-Ansah, Isaac, ‘Abasua Prayer Mountain in Ghanaian Christianity’. Long Essay. Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon 2005.
Petersen, Douglas, ‘Pentecostals: Who Are They?’ in Vinay Samuel and Chris Sugden (eds.) Mission as Transformation: A Theology of the Whole Gospel. Oxford: Regnum Books International, 1999.
Sarfo-Kantanka, Osei, ‘Responses to Contemporary Issues in the Church in Ghana: “Dangerous Prayers” in Asempa Dawuro, Vol. 2, N006 (April – June, 2011).
Schwarz, John, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1999.
Scott, Robert A., The Gothic Enterprise: A Guide to understanding the Medieval Cathedral. California: University of California Press, 2003.
Sider, Ronald J., Philip N. Olson and Heidi Rolland Unrue, Churches That Make A Difference: Reaching Your Community With Good News and Good Works. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2002.
Stamps, Donald C., ‘Psalm 35:1-38 (sic) Fight against those who fight against me’ in The Full Life Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation, 1992.
The Representative Session Agenda of the 8th Biennial / 46th Conference of the Methodist Church Ghana held in Kumasi, pp.112-113.
The Representative Session Agenda of the 9th Biennial / 47th Conference of the Methodist Church Ghana held at Tarkwa in 2016, pp. 136-137.
Volf, Miroslav, A Public Faith: How the Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good. Grand Rapids: BrazosPress, 2011.
Walls, Andrew F., The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History. New York: Orbis Books, 2002.
Webb, Diana, Medieval European Pilgrimage (c. 700 – c.1500). New York: Palgrave, 2002.
The Very Rev. Dr. Philip Kwadwo Okyere is an Ordained Minister of the Methodist Church Ghana and currently a lecturer in Religious and Moral Education at the Department of Basic Education, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Sociology from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana; a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Trinity Theological Seminary, Accra, Ghana; a Master of Philosophy in the Study of Religions from the University of Ghana; Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, and Doctor of Philosophy in the Study of Religions from the University of Ghana. His research interests /areas include Religious and Moral Education, Sacred Space Appropriation in Contemporary African Christianity, Church History, Pentecostal and Charismatic Theology, Religion in Public Life, Comparative Religions and Interreligious Dialogue.
Okyere, Philip Kwadwo. “Pentecostalism, Pilgrimage to Prayer Mountains and Pilgrims’ Adherence to Holiness Ethics in Ghanaian Christianity.” Pentecostalism, Charismaticism and Neo-Prophetic Movements Journal 4, no.2 (2023): 25-42. https://doi.org/10.38159/pecanep.2023422
© 2023 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/).