Commercialisation of Religion in Neo-Prophetic Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches in Ghana: Christian Ethical Analysis of their Strategies

George M. Anderson

doi:10.7176/jpcr/42-01

Abstract

Neo-Prophetic Pentecostal/Charismatic Christianity in Ghana has become business. It is typically characterised by the sale and purchase of assortments of religious items and services between churches and religious consumers. This practice is said to have experienced its exponential index in view of the utmost demand for miraculous mediation by desperate religious consumers to address their religio-psycho-social pickles. Irrespective of the abuses religious consumers are said to go through, coupled with the high cost the religious items and services are sold, one is curious to ascertain by what means the churches use to hook religious consumers to their offers. This paper thus, sets out to reveal and analyse some of the main strategies Neo-Prophetic Pentecostal/Charismatic churches in Ghana use to hook religious consumers onto their offers using Christian ethics as assessment criteria. The paper argues that the strategies the churches use are not in conformity with Christian ethics, thus, they are unethical. This is because it was revealed that the intentions that drive the strategies are mostly geared towards selfish, domineering and manipulative end. Keywords : Ghana, religion, commercialisation, Neo-Prophetic Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches, strategies, Christian ethics. DOI : 10.7176/JPCR/42-01 Publication date :March 31 st 2019

Highlights

Over the years, Ghana has witnessed a proliferation of churches
Given the economic hardships in Ghana, the religious worldview of Ghanaians and religious consumers’ pursuit of prosperous life and to be free from malevolent spirits, majority of Ghanaian religious consumers happen to be fascinated by the strategies, express exponential demand for the religious products and services the churches offer
In Ebenezer Miracle Worship Centre like the other Neo-Prophetic Pentecostal/Charismatic churches in Ghana, I identified testimonies given by users of the religious products and services, and Prophet Ebenezer Adarkwa Yiadom and his associate pastors as one of the strategies the church uses to attract and convince religious consumers to partake in the commercialisation process

Summary

Introduction

Ghana has witnessed a proliferation of churches. Such churches are of the Pentecostal, Charismatic and Neo-Prophetic genres. This paper sets out to reveal and analyse some of the main strategies Neo-Prophetic Pentecostal/Charismatic churches in Ghana use to hook religious consumers onto their offers using Christian ethics as assessment criteria.

Results

Conclusion