ebook img

christian higher education as holistic mission and moral transformation: an assessment of studying PDF

239 Pages·2017·3.14 MB·English
by  
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview christian higher education as holistic mission and moral transformation: an assessment of studying

CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION AS HOLISTIC MISSION AND MORAL TRANSFORMATION: AN ASSESSMENT OF STUDYING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AT THE PRESBYTERIAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, GHANA AND THE ECOLOGICAL THOUGHT OF THE SOKPOE-EƲE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AFRICAN THEOCOLOGY CURRICULUM EBENEZER YAW BLASU A Thesis presented to the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture in partial fulfillment for the award of Doctor of Philosophy AUGUST 2017 ii iii ABSTRACT This thesis consists of two related and subsequential research-findings corresponding to the two academic fields in which the entire study falls - Christian higher education and ecological science. The first part of the research aimed at and qualitatively examined the nature and extent of education as holistic Christian mission and as moral transformation strategy at Presbyterian University College, Ghana (PUCG). The specific objective was to find the extent to which missional studying of Environmental Science (GNSP 101) as one of the general mandatory courses in the interdicsiplinary studies for all the academic programmes at PUCG, influences students morally for creation care. This objective was based on the assumption that teaching and learning environmental science as a mandatory course is a mission strategy of the founding church for promoting Christian moral responsibility for and to the environment, in view of the ever increasing magnitude of the global ecocrisis. To this end the Presbyterian Church of Ghana's educational philosophies, policies as well as the design and delivery of the Environmental Science (GNSP 101) curriculum by Presbyterian University College, Ghana (PUCG) at Okwahu and Akuapem campuses, were assessed qualitatively. Additionally, some students and lecturers were interviewed for their responses. The parameters assessed were the Christian tone and holism in education and the related moral transformational tendencies in students for earthkeeping during the first decade of the university (2003-2013). The findings indicated that ideologically, the educational policy of PCG and the institutional vision of PUCG have plausibly good intentions to render holistic missional education, and particularly motivate students morally for environmental responsibility in response to God's call, through studying Environmental Science (GNSP 101) as a mandatory course. However, for the first ten years of PUCG there was a gap between intention and implementation; the teaching and learning of environmental science as a general course at Okwahu and Akuapem campuses was neither emphatically holistic nor morally transformational. Consequently, this first part of the thesis inferred and envisioned that for the teaching and learning of environmental science to be innovative, missional and morally transformative, PUCG and African Christian higher educational institutions may have to develop alternative African-oriented curricula, resource materials and appropriate methods that integrate faith and learning. I then proposed an African theocology curriculum as an alternative to the Environmental Science (GNSP 101) mandatory subject. Envisaged to be designed as integrated Christian theocentric religious ecologies and ecological science, this proposed curriculum would, however, include shared inputs from real daily life experiences of both Primal and Islamic religious ecologies in Ghana. This led to the second part of the research. This second research investigated the ecological knowledge systems and praxis of the three main religious traditions - the Primal, Christian and Islamic - of the Sokpoe-Eʋe in the South Tᴐŋu District of Volta Region, Ghana. It aimed at and did identify minimum common grounds on which to base constructive understanding to motivate discussion and concerted action in a plurally religious academic context. The common grounds are their religious worldviews, religious ethical impulsion for and praxis of creation care, as well as birthing and funerary rituals as priming for harmonious ecological relationships. These lessons informed the philosophy for designing the proposed African theocology curriculum, its objectives, contents and delivery, to reflect African religious worldviews and eco-ethical praxis. They may motivate all religious students with common basis for concerted ecological actions. iv The thesis ends with a few proposals to both PUCG and other Christian higher educational institutions pursuing holistic mission in academia, especially the need to create collegiate communities characterised with a strong Christian ecological culture and ethos. v NYANUĐEĐE KPUIE Wotù agbalẽtata sia me nyawo katᾱ ɖe tometi gᾱ eve dzi; tometi siawoe nye Kristotᴐwo ƒe sukukᴐkᴐ dede kpakple dzᴐdzᴐme nusiwo ƒo xlᾱ mì la ŋuti nusᴐsrᴐ nyawo. Ke agbalẽa me nyawo ŋutᴐ do tso nugᴐmekuku kple numedzodzro eve aɖe siwo ɖe tometi siawo fia kᴐtᴐε, le alesi wode nu wonᴐewo mee la. Nugᴐmekuku gbãtᴐ ƒe taɖodzinu enye be woadzro eme akpᴐ be ɖe wὸdzea le Kristotᴐwo ƒe nusᴐrᴐm e alo sukukᴐkᴐ dede me be woteaŋu kplaa nusrᴐ lawo ɖe Mawu ƒe dzᴐdzᴐenyenye mᴐwo dzi le woƒe nusᴐsrᴐw o katã me mahã. Titriwu enye be ɖe wὸdzea ledzᴐdzᴐmenuwoŋutinunya sᴐsrᴐ le Presbiterio suku gã si le Kwᴐwu kple Akwapim me la be woteaŋu hea nusrᴐv iawo be woatsᴐ belele tᴐxε na anyigba kple edzinuwo abe woƒe Mawuvᴐvᴐ metsonu ene to nusᴐsrᴐm e mahã. Nyanuɖeɖe siwo gᴐme meku hedzro kpᴐ hena dzedzeme sia kpᴐkpᴐ la do tso Presbiterio hame si le Ghana tᴐwo ƒe sukudede ŋu ɖoɖowᴐgbalẽwo kple woƒe sukukᴐkᴐ si le Kwᴐwu kple Akwapim la ŋutinya gbalẽwo me. Hekpeɖe eŋu la, meté nufiala siwo fia nu tso dzᴐdzᴐme nusiwo ƒoxlᾱ mì ŋuti la kple woƒe nusrᴐv i aɖewo ƒe nume kpᴐ, be makpᴐ dzesi aɖewo be vava nusrᴐ lawo teaŋu léa be na anyigba kple edzinuwo to Mawu vᴐvᴐ me abe woƒe nusᴐsrᴐ metsonu ene mahᾱ. Le nugᴐme kuku akpagbãtᴐ kple eme dzodzroawo vᴐ megbe la edze kᴐtᴐε bena Presbiterio hame si le Ghana kple eƒe suku kᴐkᴐ si le Kwᴐwu kple Akwapim la ɖoe kplikpaa le woƒe agbalẽwo me be yewo ƒe sukuviwo nasrᴐ belele na anyigba kple edzinuwo katã abe Mawuvᴐvᴐ kple dᴐdeasi ene. Gake taɖodzi sia meva dze edzi gobii le suku la ƒe ƒe ewo gbãtᴐƒe dᴐwᴐwᴐwo me o. Eye wὸdze abe esi gbetete ɖe Mawu nya dzi menᴐ dzᴐdzᴐme nusᴐsrᴐa wo ŋu o tae taɖodzi sia meva dze edzi o ene. Eyata mebui be anyo be woawᴐ ɖoɖo yeye si ateŋu aɖᴐli esi dzi zᴐm wole fifia na nusᴐsrᴐ tso dzᴐdzᴐme nusiwo ƒoxlã mì ŋuti la. Mena ŋkᴐ ɖoɖo yeye sia be Afrikatᴐwo ƒe Gᴐmesese le Mawu, Amegbetᴐ kple Xexeme nᴐnᴐ Ŋuti. Nye mᴐkpᴐkpᴐ na ɖoɖoyeye sia enye be anye mᴐnu si woato ahe Mawunya kple ameyibᴐwo ƒe dekᴐnuwᴐwᴐ kple gᴐmesese siwo sᴐ kple bibliamenyawo hena belèlè na Mawu ƒe anyigba si dzi mìele la naxᴐ anyinᴐ ɖe amesiame me le woƒe sukuawo me; eye wὸakpe ɖe dzᴐdzᴐme nusᴐsrᴐa wo hã ŋu. Esia kplᴐm de nugᴐmekuku akpa evelia me, be masrᴐ nu tso Afrika Mawusubᴐlawo gbᴐ le alesi wose nusiawo gᴐmee kple alesi wowᴐna woe la ŋuti. Nugᴐmekuku akpa evelia sia xᴐ nutsotso alo nyameɖeɖe tso Trᴐs ubᴐlawo, Kristotᴐwo kple Awusatᴐwo (alo Moslemwo), siwo le Sokpoe-Eʋeawo kple woŋu golᴐgoewo le Tᴐŋu nyigba dzi, le Volta alo Amutᴐsisi nutome la, dometᴐ aɖewo gbᴐ. Tameɖoɖo na nugᴐmekuku akpa evelia sia enye be woadzro eme ade dzesi dzᴐdzᴐme nusiwo ƒoxlã mì ŋutinunya kple gᴐmesese siwo de sᴐsᴐge kple wonᴐewo le subᴐsubᴐ etᴐ siawo me la. Elabena ele eme be dzixᴐseawo kple subᴐsubᴐawo to vovo; gake ne suku nusrᴐl awo kpᴐ be sᴐminasᴐe aɖewo le subᴐsubᴐawo ƒe gᴐmesesewo me la woateŋu akpe asi alè be na anyigba kple edzinuwo. Ekema ŋuifafa alo nᴐvi-nenᴐ-be-manᴐ ƒe kadodo nyuitᴐ anᴐ amewo kple xexemenu mamleawo dome; esi ahe agbededie nᴐnᴐ vε na mì katã. Nusiwo nugᴐmekuku evelia sia de dzesii be wode sᴐsᴐge kple wonᴐewo le subᴐsubᴐ etᴐ siawo me tso dzᴐdzᴐme nusiwo ƒoxlã mì ŋui la, mã ɖe akpa etᴐ me. Gbãtᴐenye alesi wose xexeme kple nusiwo le eme la gᴐmee; evelia, nusiwo ta kple mᴐ siwo dzi wotona léa be na anyigbakple edzinuwoe. Etᴐl ia enye mᴐnukpᴐkpᴐ siwo le ame dzidzi kple amekuku kᴐnu wᴐwᴐwo me siwo ate ŋu ahe ŋuifafa kadodo kple belèlè nyuie ava ame kple xexeme nuwo domee, be anyinᴐnᴐ na nyo na nuwo katᾱ, vevietᴐ amegbetᴐ, le kodzogbe kple aʋlime sia. Mele mᴐ kpᴐm be esi gᴐmeseseawo do tso subᴐsubᴐ etᴐa wo gbᴐ ta la awᴐe be nusrᴐl a siwo nye Trᴐs ubᴐlawo, Kristotᴐwo kple Muslimwo le suku ɖeka me la ateŋu awᴐ ɖeka le nusᴐsrᴐ, vi tameɖoɖo, ɖetsᴐtsᴐ le me kpakple afᴐɖeɖe siwo ana wokatᾱ woalè be na anyigba kple edzinuwo abe Mawu subᴐlawo ene la, bᴐbᴐe. Le nuwuwu la agbalẽsia fia mᴐnu aɖewo na ɖoɖo yeye si dzi woazᴐ afia nu tso ƒomedodo siwo le Mawu, Amegbetᴐ kple Xexeame ŋu la ŋu le Afrika Krsitotᴐwo ƒe suku kᴐkᴐwo me. Vevietᴐ enye be suku siawo na kpᴐ egbᴐ be Mawu sosroɖa kple eŋuti gbenᴐnᴐ le anyigbadzi, abe alesi Afrikamawusubᴐlawo se egᴐmee ene la, naxᴐ anyinᴐ ɖe suku kpoawo dzi. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION.................................................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. iv NYANUĐEĐE KPUIE ........................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. xii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... xii LIST OF MAPS...................................................................................................................... xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ xiii GLOSSARY........................................................................................................................... xvi DEDICATION........................................................................................................................ xx CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................................. 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY ................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Motivational Impetus for the Study .......................................................................... 3 1.3 The Undergirding Problem of the Study .......................................................................... 7 1.4 The Study's Purpose and Objectives ................................................................................ 7 1.5 The Research Questions ................................................................................................... 8 1.6 Literary Sources ............................................................................................................... 9 1.7 Intellectual Framework: The Concepts of 'Holism'and 'Transformational Development' in Christian Mission and Education ..................................................................................... 13 1.8 The Methods Employed in the Research........................................................................ 16 CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................... 21 HISTORY OF HIGHER CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AS HOLISTIC MISSION AND MORAL TRANSFORMATION .......................................................................................... 21 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Christian Higher Educational Thought and Praxis in History: An Analytical Review .. 21 2.3 The Concept of Christian Higher Education Inferable from the Historical Analysis .... 29 viii 2.4 Assessment of Holistic Christian Education: Mindset (Programme) and Impact (People) .............................................................................................................................................. 29 CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................... 33 MORAL ENVIRONMENTALISM: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AS 'FACT' OR RELIGIOUS ECOLOGY AS 'FAITH'? ............................................................................. 33 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 33 3.2 The Notion of Environmental Science (GNSP 101) as an Interdisciplinary Course at PUCG ................................................................................................................................... 34 3.3 Natural Ecosystem Function as Principles of Sustainability or Conservation. .............. 39 3.4 Natural Ecosystem Conservation and Motivation for Creation Care ............................. 41 3.5 Moral Deficiency of Environmental Science as 'Fact': Need for Ecology as'Faith' ....... 44 CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................... 48 THE PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEWS IN UNDERSTANDING ECOLOGY48 4.1 Worldviews and Their Importance in Religious Ecology .............................................. 48 4.2 Creation, Creator and Humanity in African Primal Worldviews ................................... 51 4.3 Creation, Creator and Humanity in Islamic Worldviews ............................................... 57 4.4 Creation, Creator and Humanity in Christian Worldviews ............................................ 61 CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................................................................... 69 PRAXIS OF CREATION CARE IN RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS OF AFRICA ........... 69 5.1 Ecological Ethics and Values ......................................................................................... 69 5.2 The Impulsion For and Eco-Care Praxis in Primal Religion ......................................... 70 5.3 The Impulsion For and Praxis of Creation Care in Islam .............................................. 75 5.4 The Impulsion For and Praxis of Creation Care in Christianity .................................... 83 CHAPTER 6 ........................................................................................................................... 92 RELIGIOUS ECO-CARE PRAXIS AND CHALLENGES OF MODERNITY ............. 92 6.1 Reasons for Thinking through Limitations of Religious Ecology ................................. 92 6.2 Some Deficiencies in Primal Religious Eco-Praxis in the Face of Modernity .............. 92 6.3 Challenges of Implementing Islamic Religious Ecology in the face of Modernity ....... 94 ix 6.4 Some Limitations of Christianity for Eco-Praxis in Modern Times .............................. 96 CHAPTER SEVEN .............................................................................................................. 101 STUDYING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IN CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION AS STRATEGY FOR HOLISTIC MISSION AND MORAL EDUCATION: THE CASE OF PRESBYTERIAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, GHANA .............................. 101 7.1 The Purpose of University as a Higher Education Institute ......................................... 101 7.2 PUCG: A Private Christian University with Holistic Mission and Moral Transformation Mandate .............................................................................................................................. 101 7.3 Presbyterian Educational Policy and Studying of Environmental Science at PUCG .. 104 7.4 Interpreting Interview Results of PUCG Students and Faculty ................................... 106 7.5 Evidence of Commitment to a Christian and Holistic Mindset in the Design and Delivery of Environmental Science (GNSP 101) .............................................................. 109 7.5 African Theocology and Ecotheology: Comparative Concepts and Concerns ............ 126 CHAPTER 8 ......................................................................................................................... 130 THE SOKPOE-EƲE RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEWS OF XEXEME (CREATION) AND AMEGBETϽ (HUMANITY) ............................................................................................... 130 8.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 130 8.2. Creator and Creation in Primal, Islamic and Christian Religious Traditions.............. 130 8.3 Primal, Islamic and Christian Views of Humanity and Its Role in Creation ............... 137 8.4 Common Grounds in Sokpoe-Eʋe Religious Worldviews for Concerted Eco-praxis . 143 CHAPTER 9 ......................................................................................................................... 146 RELIGIOUS ECOLOGICAL VALUING, ETHICS AND PRAXIS OF THE SOKPOE- EƲE ........................................................................................................................................ 146 9.1 Ecological Valuing of Primal, Christian and Islamic Traditions of the Sokpoe-Eʋe ... 146 9.2 Impulsion for and Praxis of Eco-ethics by Primal, Christian and Islamic Traditions .. 150 9.3 Practical Re-evaluation of the Primal, Christian and Islamic Religious Eco-ethics .... 159 CHAPTER 10 ....................................................................................................................... 164 RELIGIOUS BIRTHING RITES AS PRIMING FOR SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGICAL RELATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 164 10.1 The Religious Birthing Rites of the Sokpoe-Eʋe ....................................................... 164 x 10.2 Viɖeɖeɖego as Primal, Christian and Islamic Religious Priming for Creation Care.. 165 CHAPTER 11 ....................................................................................................................... 181 AFRICAN THEOCOLOGY: A MISSIONAL ALTERNATIVE TO 'ENVIRONMENAL SCIENCE' FOR CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION ............. 181 11.1 Field Research One: Studying Environmental Science at Presbyterian University College, Ghana ................................................................................................................... 181 11.2 Field Research Two: The Relgious Ecological Knowledge and Praxis of the Sokpoe- Eʋe ...................................................................................................................................... 183 11.3 Description or Philosophy of the African Theocology Curriculum ........................... 185 11.4 Christian Higher Education and Studying Theocology in the Twenty-first Century . 189 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................ 192 APPENDIX A ....................................................................................................................... 204 xi

See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.