Revisiting Pentecostal spiritualities with reference to African traditional religious practices and Pentecostal theologies of prayer in Ghana

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dc.contributor.advisorHansen, Lenen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorElorm-Donkor, Lord Abrahamen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBuertey, Joseph Ignatius Teyeen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-06T07:53:35Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T07:14:54Z
dc.date.available2023-03-06T07:53:35Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T07:14:54Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.descriptionThesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines prayer as practiced by Pentecostal churches in Ghana and the fact that new Ghanaian prayer practices are developing as variations of Classical Pentecostal Spirituality. The study focuses on Pentecostal Spirituality and theology of prayer while considering these new developments and situating them within an African Traditional spiritual context. It was established that primal, dualistic and causal ATR worldviews also confront many Africans with ideas of a cosmic struggle. Facing the latter challenge has led to adopting practices similar to, or at least influenced by, ATR practices, especially in neo-prophetic churches. Although admittedly, some Ghanaian Pentecostal spiritualities and practices are discontinuous to or broke with ATR worldviews and practices, it is postulated that some also are not or have not done so, particularly regarding prayer. Defining Pentecostal Spirituality as a praxis of integrated beliefs, practices, sensibilities and values, it was argued that Pentecostal Spirituality, with the Holy Spirit as its fulcrum, is particularly clear in its praxis and experiences of prayer. It was, furthermore, held that Pentecostal Spirituality can never be understood without reference to Pentecostal theology and vice versa, as ‘two sides of the same coin’. As such, both Pentecostal Spirituality and theology are discussed in detail. In evaluating Pentecostal theology of prayer, it is also shown that there may be many possible motives behind (Ghanaian) Pentecostal prayer, including fear, threat, uncertainty, joy, need and spiritual desire. Some of these drivers, however, have resulted in a shift from the more experiential Classical Pentecostal model of prayer to one of demand-driven causality – one that includes an increasing element of ‘glossolalic abuse’ that also needs careful theological attention. The Ghanaian Pentecostal theology of prayer is therefore conceptualised as transactionally Christological, spontaneously ‘glossolalic’, lyrically doxological, and ontologically authoritative. An investigation into the emerging neo-prophetic prayer practices revealed that the African worldview of evil and the proponent’s quest for the ‘magicalisation’ of instant results have led to the assimilated neo-prophetic sacramental and transactional ritual prayer evident at the prayer markets via prayer giants who monetise prayer. Refocusing on a theological examination of Pentecostal prayer practices, it was revealed that although the Pentecostal Spirituality of prayer is intended to attract people to and strengthen believers’ relationship with God, emerging prayer practices are mostly driven by fear and uncertainty, resulting in the pursuit of hierarchical, consequential, solution-centred prayers. In light of the findings, the study proposes a four-fold integrated prayer model (a modification of Horton-Clowney’s model) with the introduction of an African worldview as the fourth motive for prayer, whilst upholding that African Pentecostals do not pray driven by one motive but a combination of motives. Therefore, a contextual Pentecostal practice of prayer is proposed based on an ‘ACTS Model’, that takes into account African traditional praxis, the Christocentric Full Gospel, Transactional Nomenclature, and Spirit-centrality.
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek gebed soos beoefen in Pinksterkerke in Ghana en die feit dat nuwe Ghanese gebedspraktyke ontwikkel as variasies op klassieke Pinksterspiritualiteit. Die studie fokus hierdie nuwe ontwikkelings en op Pinksterspiritualiteit en -teologie van gebed binne die konteks van Afrika Tradisionele Religie (ATR). Daar is bevind dat die vroegste dualistiese en kousale ATR-wêreldbeskouings baie Afrikane konfronteer met die idee van ’n kosmiese stryd. Die uitdaging wat hierdie idee stel het gelei tot die aanneem van praktyke soortgelyk aan, of ten minste beïnvloed deur, ATR praktyke, veral in neoprofetiese kerke. Hoewel dit toegegee word daar soms weggebreek is van of dat daar diskontinuïteit bestaan tussen ATR wêreldbeskouings en praktyke en Ghanese Prinksterspiritualiteite en -praktyke, word bevind dat dit nie in alle gevalle geld nie, veral met betrekking tot gebed. Terwyl Pinksterspiritualiteit gedefinieer word as ’n praksis van geïntegreerde gelowe, praktyke, gevoelens en waardes, word geargumenteer dat Pinksterspiritualiteit, met die Heilige Gees as spilpunt, veral duidelik te siene is in die beoefening en ervarings van gebed daarvan. Omdat Pinksterspiritualiteit nooit verstaan kan word sonder verwysing na Pinksterteologie nie en anders om, word hulle as ‘twee kante van dieselfde munt’ gesien en beide word daarom in detail bespreek. In ’n evaluasie van Pinksterteologie van gebed word getoon dat daar vele moontlike motiewe vir (Ghanese) Pinkstergebed kan bestaan, insluitende vrees, bedreiging, onsekerheid, vreugde, behoefte en geestelike begeerte. Sommige van hierdie dryfvere het egter gelei tot ’n skuif van ’n meer klassieke ervaringsmatige Pinkstermodel van gebed na een van vraaggedrewe kousaliteit – een wat ’n toenemende mate van ‘glossolaïese misbruik’ insluit en wat ook versigtige teologiese aandag vereis. Die Ghanese Pinksterteologie van gebed word konseptueel beskryf as transaksioneel getoon dat, hoewel Pinkstergebedspiritualiteit ten doel het om mense aan te trek tot en gelowiges se verhouding met God te versterk, nuwerwetse gebedspraktyke eerder die gevolg is van vrees en onsekerheid wat lei tot die beoefening van hiërargiese, gevolgmatige, oplossing-gesentreede gebede. In die lig van die bevindings van die studie word ’n viervoudige geïntegreerde model van gebed voorgestel (geskoei op Horton-Clowney se model) wat ’n Afrika-wêreldbeskouing insluit as vierde motief vir gebed, terwyl dit erkenning gee aan die feit dat vir Afrika-Pinkstergelowiges daar nie net een nie, maar ’n kombinasie van motiewe as dryfvere vir gebed bestaan. Daarom word ook ’n kontekstuele Pinkstergebedspraktyk voorgestel gebaseer op die “ACTS”-model wat Afrika tradisionele praksis, die Christosentriese Volle Evangelie, Transaksionele taal en Gees (Spirit)-sentraliteit in ag neem Christologies, spontaan ‘glossolaïes’, liries doksologies, en ontologies gesaghebbend. ’n Ondersoek na ontwikkelende neoprofetiese gebedspraktyke toon dat die Afrika-wêreldbeeld van boosheid en die voorstanders daarvan se soeke na magies-onmiddellike resultate gelei het tot die assimilasie van neoprofetiese sakramentele en transaksionele rituele gebed soos gevind word by gebedsmarkte via gebedsreuse wat gebed ’n monetêre karakter gee. Deur opnuut te fokus op die teologiese onderbou van Pinkstergebedspartyke, word.af_ZA
dc.description.versionDoctoralen_ZA
dc.format.extentxvii, 376 pages
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127301
dc.language.isoen en_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rightsStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshPentecostalism -- Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshSpirituality -- Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshPentecostal churchesen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleRevisiting Pentecostal spiritualities with reference to African traditional religious practices and Pentecostal theologies of prayer in Ghanaen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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