Christianity is the religion with the largest Denomination in Ghana.[2]Christian Life Charismatic Denomination,Catholics,Methodists,Anglicans,Presbyterians,Lutherans,Seventh-Day Adventists,Pentecostals,Baptists,Evangelical Charismatics,Latter-day Saints, etc.[3]
According to the census figures of the year 2000, out of Ghana's 18.8 million people, Christians made up 69 percent of the population of Ghana.[4] The 2010 Population and Housing Census puts the figure at slightly over 71 percent of the total population of over 24 million people. A 2015 study estimated some 50,000 believers in Christ from a Muslim background.[5]
According to the 2021 census, 71.3% of the population belonged to aChristian denomination.[6]
The arrival of theEuropeans in 15th century into the thenGold Coast broughtChristianity to the land.[7] There were many different cultural groups across theWest African region who were practicing different forms of spirituality.[8][9][10] As the Europeans explored and took control of parts of the country during the colonial days, so did their religion.[11]
The Methodist Church Ghana came into existence as a result of the missionary activities of theWesleyan Methodist Church, inaugurated with the arrival of Joseph Rhodes Dunwell to the Gold Coast (Ghana) in 1835. Like the mother church, the Methodist Church in Ghana was established by people of Anglican background.[12]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 113,000 members in 387congregations in Ghana. They also have 86family history centers, 6missions, and 1temple in Ghana, with 2 more announced.[13]
Seventh-day Adventist missionaries arrived in Ghana in 1888. 60 percent of its members in Ghana areAshanti.[14] In 2014, were almost 400,000 members worshipping in 1,243congregations. They have 916 schools, 13 hospitals and 12 clinics in the country.[14]
Various aspects of Ghanaian development and nation-building have all been impacted upon due to the role Christianity plays.
At every level of education in the country, there are mission schools that exist with the purposes of:
However, the main aim of establishing these schools is to impact the values of the various faiths or missions into the younger generation to ensure continuity. Almost all mainline churches have schools at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education in the country. Consistently, over 95 percent of the country's top-performing second cycle institutions are all mission schools. The most well-known church-affiliated schools amongst them are:
Currently, 42% of all the nation's health care needs are catered for byhealth establishments belonging to various Christian bodies in the country. The umbrella organization of which the various mission hospitals, clinics and facilities are members of is known as theChristian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG). Some of these facilities are in deprived areas of the country. CHAG serves as a link between Government and its Development Partners and CHAG Member Institutions and provides support to its members through capacity strengthening, coordination of activities, lobbying and advocacy, public relations and translation ofgovernment policies. The goal of CHAG is to improve the health status of people living in Ghana, especially the marginalized and theimpoverished, in fulfillment of Christ's healing ministry. CHAG’s 183 Member Institutions are therefore predominantly located in the rural (underserved) areas. CHAG plays a complementary role to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and is the second largest provider of health services in the country.[15]
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ghana, also known as The Loyal Orange Institution of Ghana, governs theOrange Order in the country.[16][17][18] Established in 1894, it is aProtestant Christianfraternity whose beliefs are founded on the principles of theReformation and the truths of theBible.[19][20] The Order's influence is primarily seen in its function as a Protestant friendly society that supports its members and the broadercommunity. The organization, once predominantly white, began admitting Ghanaian locals, leading to its full integration and making it the most active Orange community in Africa.[21][22] In its current form, the fraternity has created a network of like-minded individuals who share a common faith,William of Orange is viewed as a symbol ofcivil andreligious freedom rather than a political one.[23]
The Ghanaian Order engages incharitable work and promotes positive evangelicalism. Itsmusic,regalia, andmarching traditions have been adopted by the local culture, giving them a unique Ghanaian character.[24] TheTwelfth of July parade is celebrated annually.[25]
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