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

239 Pages·2017·3.14 MB·English

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

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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.
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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.

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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,
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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.

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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
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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
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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
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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

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