Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray

The Western missionaries’ attitude towards Asante indigenous belief systems created the impression that Christianity was unable to live side by side with Asante indigenous knowledge systems. The missionaries ended up creating tension between the Christian faith and the pre-missionary cultural valu...

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Main Author: Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Noyam Journals 2021-08-01
Series:E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ERATS2021781.pdf
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author Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong
author_facet Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong
author_sort Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong
collection DOAJ
description The Western missionaries’ attitude towards Asante indigenous belief systems created the impression that Christianity was unable to live side by side with Asante indigenous knowledge systems. The missionaries ended up creating tension between the Christian faith and the pre-missionary cultural values. The indigenous knowledge systems that informed the world views of the people were not considered an integral part of the available resources for the shaping of the Asante Christian worldview. The Salem communities, for example, were set up to facilitate the disconnection of the new converts from their cultural past. This study is about the available pre-missionary Asante indigenous knowledge systems that Robert Sutherland Rattray after thorough studies published and made available to facilitate all aspects of the Asante life especially interpretation and transmission of the Christian faith. With a critical examination of the various major works of Robert Rattray and observation of Asante cultural and Christian activities, the study identified some specific areas that the Asante indigenous knowledge systems have lived side by side with the Christian faith. The study concludes with a call for respect, pride and intentional exploration into the indigenous knowledge systems to serve the Asante and other Akan Christian needs.
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spelling doaj.art-c2fe689d3a9d475b9b912ee53c426aae2023-08-02T02:09:17ZengNoyam JournalsE-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies2458-73382021-08-0178107119https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.2021781Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert RattrayKwabena Opuni-Frimpong0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0382-0720Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana.The Western missionaries’ attitude towards Asante indigenous belief systems created the impression that Christianity was unable to live side by side with Asante indigenous knowledge systems. The missionaries ended up creating tension between the Christian faith and the pre-missionary cultural values. The indigenous knowledge systems that informed the world views of the people were not considered an integral part of the available resources for the shaping of the Asante Christian worldview. The Salem communities, for example, were set up to facilitate the disconnection of the new converts from their cultural past. This study is about the available pre-missionary Asante indigenous knowledge systems that Robert Sutherland Rattray after thorough studies published and made available to facilitate all aspects of the Asante life especially interpretation and transmission of the Christian faith. With a critical examination of the various major works of Robert Rattray and observation of Asante cultural and Christian activities, the study identified some specific areas that the Asante indigenous knowledge systems have lived side by side with the Christian faith. The study concludes with a call for respect, pride and intentional exploration into the indigenous knowledge systems to serve the Asante and other Akan Christian needs.https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ERATS2021781.pdfrobert sutherland rattrayindigenous knowledge systemchristian faithasante
spellingShingle Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong
Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray
E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies
robert sutherland rattray
indigenous knowledge system
christian faith
asante
title Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray
title_full Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray
title_fullStr Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray
title_full_unstemmed Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray
title_short Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray
title_sort akan indigenous knowledge systems and the christian faith in ghana a review of the major works of robert rattray
topic robert sutherland rattray
indigenous knowledge system
christian faith
asante
url https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ERATS2021781.pdf
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