Towards a model for contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru culture in Ghana: the impact of mother tonque Scriptures from 1989-2011

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Authors: 
Issue Date: 
2013-02
Degree: 
M.Th., South African Theological Seminary
Extent: 
x, 126, A-W pages (160 total)
Abstract: 
This thesis...is a study on the impact of mother tongue Scriptures on culture and also the engagement of the Gospel with the culture of the Nchumuru people of Northern and Volta Regions of Ghana. It examines the coming of Christianity to the people and the patterns of evangelisation among the Nchumuru with special reference to the medium used in the proclamation of the Gospel. It also addresses the issue of the birth of a Bible Translation ministry among the people and the subsequent birth of the Bible into that culture and how the Nchumuru have responded to the proclamation of the Gospel as well as the impact it has had on the lives of the Nchumuru. The writer contends that despite the challenges, indigenous Nchumuru Christianity is possible through the recognition of traditional or cultural categories as significant preparation for the reception of the Gospel. In this way the Christian faith can be articulated in the Nchumuru cultural context with the use of its thought forms and patterns in a relevant worship of God. The major finding of the research is that the proclamation of the Gospel in the mother tongue of the people has made significant strides in the growth of Christianity among the Nchumuru people. However the Gospel proclamation among the Nchumuru often produces different responses ranging from full embrace to partial embrace as well as conflictual or negative embrace depending on how the Gospel is proclaimed and how the people understand it. There is the need for the people to perceive and respond to the Gospel in ways that are meaningful to their own understanding and experience. The significance of the impact of the mother tongue Scriptures in contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru culture and its contribution in the evangelistic task of the church is therefore very crucial.
Publication Status: 
Preprint
Table of Contents: 
TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Title Page -- Declaration -- Dedication -- Acknowledgement -- List of Abbreviations -- Abstract -- Table of Contents -- CHAPTER ONE: General Introduction (Background Information) -- 1.1 Introduction/ Background and Rationale -- 1.2 Statement of the Problem and Research Question -- 1.3 Purpose/Objective(s) -- 1.4 Scope/ Limitation of Study -- 1.5 Significance of the Study -- 1.6 Research Design and Methodology -- 1.7 Hypotheses -- 1.8 Definitions of Terms -- 1.9 Overview of Procedure – Divisions of Chapters/ Structure of Contents -- 1.10 Conclusion -- CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Christianity Defined -- 2.3 Traditional Religious Beliefs and Practices: Nchumuru Primal Worldview -- 2.4 Transmission of Christian Faith: Changes in religious beliefs and practices and traditional morality of the Nchumuru people in Ghana through Christianity, with special reference to the impact of mother tongue Scriptures -- 2.5 Christianity and Nchumuru Culture: A model for contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru culture in Ghana -- 2.6 Conclusion -- CHAPTER THREE: Traditional Religious Beliefs and Practices: Nchumuru primal worldview -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Origins -- 3.2.1 Political and Social Organisation -- 3.2.2 The Nchumuru Primal Worldview -- 3.2.3 The Nchumuru Concept of Wuribware (God) -- 3.2.4 The Nchumuru Concept of Death (Lowi) and the Ancestors (Nana-ana- Akyeŋaŋpo) -- 3.2.5 Festivals (Agyibee) -- 3.3 Conclusion -- CHAPTER FOUR: Transmission of Christian Faith: Changes in religious beliefs and practices and traditional morality of the Nchumuru people in Ghana through Christianity, with special reference to the impact of mother tongue Scriptures -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Nchumuru Traditional and Religious Morality -- 4.3 The Coming of Christianity into Nchumuru Culture -- 4.4 The Story of the Chumburung Translation Project -- 4.5 The Scripture Engagement (SE) Programme -- 4.5.1 Gospel and Culture Workshops -- 4.5.2 The Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) Project -- 4.5.3 The Jesus Film Project -- 4.5.4 The God’s Story Project -- 4.5.5 The Scripture Engagement and Leadership Training Programme -- 4.5.6 Attempts at contextualisation of Christianity in the Nchumuru culture of Ghana -- 4.6 Conclusion -- CHAPTER FIVE: Christianity and Nchumuru Culture: A Model for contextualising Christianity in the Nchumuru Culture in Ghana -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 The Nchumuru Encounter with Christianity -- 5.3 The Lordship of Jesus in Nchumuru Cosmology -- 5.4 Syncretism in Nchumuru Christianity -- 5.5 Making the Gospel Relevant in Nchumuru Primal Worldview -- 5.6 The Search for New Identity for the Nchumuru Christian -- 5.7 The Future of Christianity among the Nchumuru -- 5.8 Conclusion -- CHAPTER SIX: Summary, Recommendations and Conclusion -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Summary of Findings of the Study -- 6.3 Issues Emerging out of the Study -- 6.4 Recommendations -- 6.4.1 Training in hermeneutical and exegetical principles in mother tongue Scriptures -- 6.4.2 The study of local languages and cultures by Pastors and Christian workers -- 6.4.3 Mother Tongue Literacy Development -- 6.5 General Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Appendices
Country: 
Ghana
Subject Languages: 
Content Language: 
Work Type: 
Subject: 
Nature of Work: 
Entry Number: 
54097