Christian Witness in the Public Sphere
Abstract This chapter describes the role of Christian churches, leaders and ideas in the democratization of Africa, with a focus on Ghana. The author argues first that African Christianity needs to be understood on African terms. European and American assumptions about religion and politics are fram...
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| Format: | Book Part |
| Language: | English |
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Oxford University PressNew York
2005
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/0195177282.003.0007 https://academic.oup.com/book/chapter-pdf/45003448/book_4326_section_146250105.ag.pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract This chapter describes the role of Christian churches, leaders and ideas in the democratization of Africa, with a focus on Ghana. The author argues first that African Christianity needs to be understood on African terms. European and American assumptions about religion and politics are framed by the history of the “Christendom” cultural ideal and the current secular outlook of the North Atlantic world and thus are less relevant for African politics. There is a new public theology arising that contests the tendency in traditional Africa to vest political power with sacred authority. Recounting the election of a democratic challenger to succeed Ghana’s authoritarian president, Jerry Rawlings, Bediako sees evidence that this new Christian public theology is changing the political culture in a genuinely democratic direction. |
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