Building a Mission-Oriented Church in Ghana in the 21st Century: The Role of Theological Education

Abstract

This study examined the role of theological education in building a mission-oriented church in Ghana in the 21st century. The study sought to find answers to the goal of theological education in Ghana; the motives for the church in embarking on missions; the models of theological education in Ghana; the structure and content of theological education in Ghana; how theological education in Ghana could be mission-oriented. The qualitative research methodology was employed with a focus on a case study of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the Anglican Church of Ghana. Observation, Interview and Content Analysis of documents were used for data collection. The findings were that the goal of missions was to alleviate poverty, ignorance and hardships. The motives for missions were cross-cultural, international, co-operative and holistic. Different models of theological education were used. The study recommends theological education be provided for pastors and lay leaders in fulfilment of UN SDG 4, which seeks to provide equitable quality education; and equal opportunity be given to females to receive theological education, in fulfilment of UN SDG 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality.

A Second Look at Education in Ex-colonies: A Case for Policy (Re)thinking

“…Research in a Ghanaian basic school shows that place factors in the school tend to damage students to extent that they have a self-perception as being nobodies (Adzahlie-Mensah, 2014). There are arguments religious plurality or discrimination in schooling on the grounds that the colonial establishment of schooling came on the heels of the works of missionaries (see Crossouard et al, 2021;Asare-Danso, 2008). Luggard (1922) argued that the British colonial administration inherited "communities whose standards have been moulded by centuries of Christian ethics" (Luggard, 1922:432).…”