Original Research

A political theology for the Ghanaian context from Christ’s perspective

Isaac Boaheng
Verbum et Ecclesia | Vol 45, No 1 | a2982 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v45i1.2982 | © 2024 Isaac Boaheng | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 31 August 2023 | Published: 31 May 2024

About the author(s)

Isaac Boaheng, Department of Systematic and Historical Theology, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; and, Department of Theology, Faculty of Humanities, Christian Service University College, Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

One of the key challenges facing contemporary Ghana is ineffective political structures and leadership. Leadership failure is the main reason why Ghana continues to experience socio-economic challenges such as poverty, hunger, poor education system, poor road networks, injustice, high unemployment rate, human right abuse, and local currency depreciation despite the country’s vast natural resources. Ghana’s socio-economic problems continue to attract scholarly attention and yet, the problems persist. As a predominantly Christian nation, the church has a major responsibility to engage the country’s political space by analysing and scrutinising political structures with the effect of chatting a new path of socio-economic and political developments. This research was, therefore, conducted to contribute to the ongoing discussion by exploring how a contextual application of political and leadership lessons embedded in Jesus’s teaching in Mark 10:35–45 might address the Ghana’s political needs. The article is a qualitative research that analysed data collected from books, Bible commentaries, journal articles, and dissertations.

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research involves systematic and/or political theology, New Testament studies, and leadership and/or governance. It argues that for Ghana to overcome her political challenges, leadership must be seen as a position of service rather than an opportunity to amass wealth at the expense of others. The article contributes to the field of political theology in the Ghanaian setting.


Keywords

Ghana; corruption; Christianity; political theology; servant-leadership.

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 1: No poverty

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