A comparative study of priesthood in a religio-pluralistic society: Implications for a decolonised religious and moral education in Ghana
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.51867/AQSSR.3.2.9Mots-clés :
African Traditional Religions, Clergy, Priesthood, Religio-Pluralistic, Religious and Moral Education, SacerdotalRésumé
The study sought to examine the notion of priesthood in a religio-pluralistic society and its implications for the teaching of Religious and Moral Education (RME) in Ghana. The fundamental theoretical framework that underpinned the study is provided by the phenomenological approach to the study of religion. Using the qualitative comparative case study design, the study included an examination of authorised textbooks, a thorough literature review, and semi-structured interviews with five religious leaders (one Catholic priest, one Presbyterian ordained minister, one priest from Musama Disco Christo Church (MDCC) and two traditional priests from Asante and Fante backgrounds) who were purposively sampled. The data analysis was conducted by thematic and cross-case synthesis. The results point to a basic ontological difference in the idea of religious leadership. The priesthood is viewed as a sacerdotal or ministerial reality that involves mediation, sacrifice, and a unique ceremonial status in African Traditional Religions (ATR), Catholicism, and the African Initiated/Independent/Indigenous Church (AIC), specifically Musama Disco Christo Church (MDCC) as a case study. On the other hand, ordained ministry is specifically rejected as having a sacerdotal nature in the mainline Protestant traditions of Methodism and Presbyterianism, where it is understood as a representative and functional role within the universal priesthood of all believers. The study revealed that these models are frequently referred to by the general term "priest" in educational contexts, which causes conceptual uncertainty and distorts religious traditions. In accordance with the study’s findings, this misunderstanding presents a serious educational difficulty. It makes the case that interactive pedagogy, comparative modules, and improved teacher preparation are necessary for a decolonised RME curriculum to actively teach these differences. In Ghana's multicultural community, RME can more effectively advance social cohesiveness, respect for one another, and true religious literacy by cultivating a precise understanding of religious leadership. Such curriculum transformation is essential for fostering authentic religious literacy, mutual respect, and social cohesion in Ghana's multicultural society.
Références
Ampem, I. O. (2023). Teachers' knowledge and use of indoctrinatory practices in teaching Christian religious studies: A study of mission schools in the central region (MPhil thesis, University of Cape Coast).
Arthur, J. A. (2024). The dynamics of religion in public spheres: Religious education and religious diversity in Ghana's public schools. Indonesian Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Humanity, 3(2), 152-172. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijoresh.v3i2.152-172
Asamoah-Gyadu, J. K. (2021). Contemporary Pentecostal Christianity: Interpretations from an African context. Wipf and Stock.
Atiemo, A. O. (2013). Religion and the inculturation of human rights in Ghana. Bloomsbury. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472552570
Atuahene, J. O. (2010). A comparative study of the prophets of African Indigenous Churches (AICs) and Akan traditional priests: A critical examination of the training (MPhil thesis, KNUST).
Baeta, C. G. (1962). Prophetism in Ghana. SCM Press.
Barnes, R. J. (2023). Epicharmus, Sicily, and early Greek philosophy. Parnassos Press - Fonte Aretusa. https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.11660128.8
Barron, J. R. (Ed.). (2024). African Christian theology (Vol. 1, No. 2). Wipf and Stock.
https://doi.org/10.69683/xpkxnk48
Bartlett, L., & Vavrus, F. (2017). Rethinking case study research: A comparative approach. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315674889
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Cox, J. L. (2010). An introduction to the phenomenology of religion. Continuum.
Ekem, J. D. K. (2009). Priesthood in context: A study of priesthood in some Christian and primal communities of Ghana and its relevance for mother-tongue biblical interpretation. SonLife Press.
Ekwunife, A. N. O. (1999). The priesthood in African traditional religion. Bigard Theological Studies, 19(1), 5-39.
Eliade, M. (1958). Patterns in comparative religion. Sheed & Ward.
Eliade, M. (Ed.). (1987). The encyclopedia of religion (Vol. 2). Macmillan.
Faggioli, M., & O'Reilly-Gindhart, M. C. (2021). A new wave in the modern history of the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church: Literature overview, 2018-2020. Theological Studies, 82(1), 156-185. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040563921995848
Fumanti, M. (2022). Religion and transnational citizenship in the African diaspora. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003026198
Gaillardetz, R. R., & Hahnenberg, E. P. (Eds.). (2015). A church with open doors: Catholic ecclesiology for the third millennium. Liturgical Press.
Gifford, P. (2004). Ghana's new Christianity: Pentecostalism in a globalising African economy. Indiana University Press. https://doi.org/10.2979/1804.0
Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Aldine. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006199-196807000-00014
Hahn, S. (2010). Many are called: Rediscovering the glory of the priesthood. Doubleday.
Kaku, O. U. (2009). A discursive interpretation of African Pentecostalism. Fides et Historia, 41(1), 71-.
Kloppenburg, B. (1974). The ecclesiology of Vatican II. Franciscan Herald Press.
Korsah, L. A. (2020). The distinctiveness of the Catholic priesthood in a religio-pluralistic Ghana. Generis Publishing.
Korsah, L. A., & Ampem, I. O. (2026). The supreme being in Oguaa Fante religious thought and its implications for religious and moral education in Ghana. Science Mundi, 6(1), 51-57. https://doi.org/10.51867/scimundi.6.1.6
Korsah, L. A., & Appiah-Kubi, F. (2015). Towards an understanding of ministerial priesthood in light of the priesthood of the baptised. Asian Horizons, 9(2), 310-323.
Lamak, K. (2023). Review of the book "Theology and identity: The impact of culture upon Christian thought in the second century and in modern Africa". Acta Theologica, 43(1), 238-240. https://doi.org/10.38140/at.v43i1.7395
Lewin, D. (2018). Toward a theory of pedagogical reduction: Selection, simplification, and generalisation in an age of critical education. Educational Theory, 68(4-5), 495-512. https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.12326
Martos, J. (1982). Doors to the sacred: A historical introduction to the sacraments in the Catholic Church. Image Books.
Matemba, Y., & Addai-Mununkum, R. (2019). 'These religions are no good-they're nothing but idol worship': Mis/representation of religion in religious education. British Journal of Religious Education, 41(2), 155-173.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2017.1329706
Mbiti, J. S. (1969). African religions & philosophy. Heinemann.
Mensah, E., & Ampem, I. O. (2023). Preparedness of Christian religious studies teachers. African Journal of Empirical Research, 4(1), 25-34.
https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet4.1.3
Mensah, E., Ampem, I. O., & Owusu, M. (2024). Effect of multicultural teaching competency on culturally responsive teaching. Open Journal of Educational Research, 4(5), 275-295. https://doi.org/10.31586/ojer.2024.1051
Noll, M. A. (2024). Christianity in North America. International Bulletin of Mission Research, 48(2), 167-179. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969393231203882
O'Malley, J. W. (2019). When bishops meet: An essay comparing Trent, Vatican I, and Vatican II. Harvard University Press.
https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv253f7bf
Opoku, K. A. (1978). West African traditional religion. FEP International.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Perrin, J. M. (1964). The minister of Christ. M. H. Gill & Son.
Phan, P. C. (2017). The joy of religious pluralism: A personal journey. Orbis Books.
Quarcoopome, T. N. O. (1987). West African traditional religion. African Universities Press.
Ragin, C. C. (2014). The comparative method: Moving beyond qualitative and quantitative strategies. University of California Press.
https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520957350
Sarah, R. C., & Diat, N. (2017). The power of silence: Against the dictatorship of noise. Ignatius Press.
Smart, N. (1996). Dimensions of the sacred: An anatomy of the world's beliefs. University of California Press.
Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. Guilford Press.
Stravinskas, P. M. J. (1991). Catholic encyclopedia and dictionary. Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division.
Wardi, U., Ikhwan, I., & Busyro, B. (2024). Appointment of heirs as funeral prayer leaders. Hakamain: Journal of Sharia and Law Studies, 3(1), 1-12.
https://doi.org/10.57255/hakamain.v3i1.327
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Téléchargements
Publié
Numéro
Rubrique
Licence
© Leo Andoh Korsah, Isaac Obiri Ampem (Author) 2026
Cette œuvre est sous licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'Utilisation Commerciale 4.0 International.
Comment citer
