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The research further seeks to verify whether the Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic Churches in Kumasi have been relevant in providing a panacea to spiritual and ...
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By
Roland Owusu Ansah BA Theol. (Hons.)
August 2011
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By
Roland Owusu Ansah BA Theol. (Hons.)
August 2011
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This project is dedicated to my parents Michael Owusu Ansah and Florence Ama Taah Opoku, whose prayers, sustained guidance and encouragement has brought me this far.
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First, I am grateful to God for the favour, strength and protection to finish this work. Next, there are many people who offered tremendous support and encouragement that helped me to complete my study; however I am able to mention only the most important ones. I want to acknowledge Dr. & Mrs. Poku, Dr. & Dr. Mrs. Britwum-Nyarko, and Mrs. Asare-Adjebeng who inspired me to pursue the M.Phil programme and whose constant encouragement and support kept me going. I acknowledge the spiritual and moral support of Rev. Fitzgerald Odonkor, Rev. Emma Titi-Lartey, and Rev. Kwesi Dickson that enabled me to complete this work.
To the Rev. J. E. T. Kuwornu-Adjaottor who supervised this work, I owe gratitude. Your insightful guidance, suggestions and firm criticism were timely. I wish to acknowledge the help of Mr. Stephen Acheampong and Ms. Patience Awuah Boateng who were my research assistants, for their invaluable help in gathering data from the field.
I also want to acknowledge the moral and spiritual support given by the Faculty, and the Senior and Junior members of the Graduate Seminars of the Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Finally, to Prophets Adu Boahen, Lawson Salaam, Samson Adjei, Eric Kwasi Boakye, Pastors Mathew Twumasi, Daniel Awuah, Prince Osei Akoto, and Evangelist Raymond
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AD – Anno Domini (In the year of our Lord)
BC – Before Christ
cf. – reference
ch. – Chapter
chs. – Chapters
CE – Common Era
CIA – Central Intelligence Agency
Cor. – Corinthians
CSIR – Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Deut. – Deuteronomy
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e.g. – Example
et al – and others
Ex. – Exodus
Ezek. – Ezekiel
f. or ff. – following or following following
Gal. – Galatians
Gen. – Genesis
HIV – Human Immune Virus
Jr. – junior
Kgs. – Kings
KNUST – Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Lev. – Leviticus
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Psm. – Psalms
Sam. – Samuel
Tim. – Timothy
TUC – Name of a suburb in Kumasi possibly coined from Trade Union Congress
TV – Television
USA – United States of America
v. – Verse
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This thesis The Usage of Anointing Oil in some Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic Churches in Kumasi in the Context of Leviticus 8:1-12, and James 5:14-15 examined how and for what purposes anointing oil is usedamong Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic churches in Ghanaian Christianity.The researcher, with two research assistants, visited 18 Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic churches in Kumasi. Using theMother-Tongue Biblical hermeneutics method to analyse Leviticus 8:1-12 and James 5:13-16; coupled with observations, participations in the activities of, and interviews with leaders and members of the selected churches, the research found out that most of the prophets had given some names to the anointing oil they use. ( Onyame w4 tumi [God is powerful], dade1 bi twa dade1 mu [one metal is sharper than another metal], and me kwan so hann [light for my path], odumgya [fire quencher], nkuto ―power‖ [shea butter power], atentam [wrestling]). The akwankyer1 (direction) given for the use of the oil differed from one prophet to the other and from one church to the other. It was discovered that people who use anointing oil believe in the potency of the medium. It recommends that Christianity must be potent for the people to believe that it works, therefore, the church would have to consider its practices again in the light of this and that the church ought to use oil that is indigenous with the environment it is situated in. The church should strongly contend for orthopraxis which is relevant to the indigenous African as she seeks to make Christianity more practical for the African. The African church must be liberated to use good and positive values from the African culture and tradition and the things that are relevant to the African.
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1.1 Introduction
The usage of anointing oil is an important practice of the church; therefore, if its usage becomes pervasive, there should be an investigation into it. In this chapter, the background to the study, statement of problem, aims and objective of the study, area of study, significance of the study, limitation, methodology, literature review, research questions and organization of the study are presented.
1.2 Background to the study
According to the New World Encyclopedia, the pouring of oil on an item or body part, often the head is called anointing. It states further that the process is employed in several sacraments of the Orthodox and Catholic Christian churches and is exercised ritually by many other religions and ethnic groups – ( http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Anointing : accessed March 4, 2009). The frequency with which the oil is supposed to be poured on an item or body part is not stated and the definition does not confine the use of the anointing oil to specific places.
Among the Hebrews, anointing was of three kinds: ordinary, sacred and medical. Ordinary anointing with scented oils was a common phenomenon (Ruth 3:3) which was discontinued during times of mourning. The purpose of sacred anointing was to dedicate
how to theologize and come out with a proper and acceptable way of using anointing oil. Baah (2000: 59-63) questions whether we need anointing with oil today. Hesuggests that the practice of anointing with oil has been the subject of considerable controversy in Christian circles of late due to certain bizarre and weird practices with anointing oil. Today the use of anointing oil has assumed such defenselessness that there should be an investigation into it to find out whether its usage is in consonance with Biblical text and how the church is dealing with the situation.
It is obvious that in every society and or culture, people have needs and this is not very different from the situation in Ghana. How these problems or needs are solved or met is as important as the solutions themselves. Asamoah-Gyadu (2005: 70, 160) states that in the Ghanaian context there can be frustrating difficulties in every endeavour, [which holds true for Kumasi too], including building projects, obtaining visas, business transactions, academic success, and even survival in a precarious diaspora. Impediments encountered in achieving such ends are often considered to have been instigated by evil spirits and witches. Many people think such endeavours need supernatural intervention to succeed. It is therefore not uncommon for religious functionaries like prophets and prophetesses to be consulted for such spiritual assistance. In the last couple of years there has arisen the phenomenon of prophetism within Ghana‘s Charismatic movement. Certain individuals have thus been recognized as occupying the office of prophets in some Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic churches. The term Neo-Prophetic Churches is used in this study to describe the phenomenon of prophets and prophetism in Ghana and Kumasi in recent times, which, Omenyo (2005:47) refers to as a contemporary form of
prophetism in Ghana distinct from the prophetism as practiced in the Spiritual Churches and African Independent Churches in the 1960‘s.
These religious functionaries give the people who consult them anointing oil: to rub on their face in order to obtain visas, sprinkle on their building project sites and businesses to drive away evil spirits and ensure success, to drink so as to neutralize the effect of every spirit of failure in them and heal them of their diseases as if to suggest that the end justifies the means.This thesis investigates the use of anointing oil to determine how needs of people are met, as well as its usage as solutions to peoples‘ needs. The findings in the research will hopefully determine whether indeed the end justifies the means.
1.4 Aims and Objectives of the Study
There seems to be a creeping phenomenon in some parts of the church in Ghana in contemporary times. Christianity in Ghana has been marked by the establishment and growth of Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic churches. This research examines the assumption that most Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic Churches have been using anointing oil virtually for everything and it investigates what is in anointing oil that makes people depend on it.
The study investigates the biblical teaching of anointing oil and how it is understood by some Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic Churches in Kumasi. Questions regarding when
