The Role of Christian churches in National Politics: Reflections from Laity and Clergy in Ghana

Sociology of Religion, Fall, 2000 by Kwasi Yirenkyi

Kwasi Yirenkyi [*]

This study examines the role of Christian churches in national politics in Ghana. It draws on various forms of data: a 1994 survey questionnaire, in-depth interviews, and content analysis of existing data. A total of 355 responses were received on the survey while 110 people were interviewed on a variety of church and political issues. Respondents were drawn from Catholic and Protestants denominational backgrounds. The preliminary results of the study lend support to the view that since the 1980's, Ghanaian Christians have been more actively involved in politics than ever before. These findings have important implications for the role religion plays in political development in Ghana.

In the absence of viable structures of justice in many African countries that are struggling to evolve new democratic systems, the church [1] claims to speak for the silent majority. It also calls on its adherents to participate in the political process to help create just social structures. A review of the literature on religion and politics in Ghana reveals that since the 1980s, the church has taken a more activist role in national politics than at any other time in its history (Aboagye-Mensah 1994; Assimeng 1986; Pobee 1991; Ninsin and Drah 1987, 1991). Much of the church's political activity was initiated collectively under the umbrella of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) and Ghana Bishops' Conference (GBC), with it's related body, the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS). [2]

Some Ghanaian scholars have advocated the church's political participation. For example, in analyzing the church's socio-ethical and historical role in Ghanaian politics, Kudajie and Aboagye-Mensah state:

We ourselves are clear in our mind, that the church has a valid case to be involved in the affairs of the state in all aspects including national politics (1991: 33).

In the second volume of their work, Kudajie and Aboagye-Mensah characterized the church as the "moral conscience" of the nation, a claim the church itself has made in a number of its pronouncements (1992: 23; see Memorandum 1978; Joint pastoral letter 1982). In supporting Christian participation in politics, Dr. Peter Sarpong (the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kumase and an Oxford educated social antropologist) writes: "Christ wants his church not to be meaningless in society or to be pushed to the periphery...[but] ... to be right at the center of things, right where the action is" (1990: 9).

There are numerous quantitative and qualitative studies on the church's attitude and role in democratic and fledgling democratic systems (Kiecolt and Nelson 1988; Jelen and Wilcox 1995; Wilcox 1990; Hoffman and Miller 1997; Shepherd 1993; Smith 1994). However, the available literature on the church's increasing political activism in Ghana had mostly concentrated on qualitative analysis. Among the few exceptions is Assimeng's survey of Evangelical Presbyterian clergy who were asked whether they had favorable or unfavorable attitudes toward the involvement of the church in politics. Of those sampled, 73 percent of the clergy respondents indicated a favorable attitude toward the church's involvement in politics, while 12.7 percent had an unfavorable attitude. Another 12.7 percent had no opinion and 1.6 percent had no response (1989: 205). The clergy's attitude to the church's involvement in politics in Ghana was only one of the many issues Assimeng examined. Despite the fact that it was limited to one denominat ion, Assimeng's work provides some useful information about clergy attitudes toward politics.

This study employs both quantitative and qualitative analyses, with the view that it will build on these earlier studies. It will, especially, add to the limited quantitative literature in the field. The study examines the role of Ghanaian Christians in the political arena. It addresses some of the following questions: what are the motivating factors for the church's increasing political activism? Are Ghanaian Christians responding to the call of their leaders to be social and political activists, and do their beliefs conflict with their participation in politics? Should the clergy be involved in politics and does the laity support the clergy's involvement in politics? Should the clergy use the pulpit to address specific political issues? Does the church engage in political education of the masses? Is the church a "moral conscience" of society?

In an attempt to answer these questions, I follow the advise of Gordon Allport who is reported to have said: "If you want to know why people do what they do, why not ask them first?" (Marcum 1995: 18).

THE DATA AND METHODOLOGY

The study draws on various forms of data: a survey and in-depth interviews I conducted between August 1994 and January 1995, and content analyses of existing data.

The survey instrument was designed to measure the attitudes of Ghanaian Christians toward politics, and the extent of their involvement in the political process. Since mail surveys do not have a high return rate in Ghana, I arranged to attend the annual national conferences of a number of Christian denominations. Respondents were drawn from Catholic and Protestant churches, the latter including Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Charismatic churches. This approach enabled me to reach many Christians (clergy and laity) who were delegates to these conferences. These delegates, from all the geographical regions of Ghana, were active members of their denominations and represented varied segments of their churches.