Book Review

Book Revie

Claiming Religious Space : The Case of Neo-Prophetism in Ghana

This essay discusses yet another type of Pentecostal Christianity which has been growing in Ghana since the 1990s. It posits that this phenomenon deserves its own category. This movement has ethos, style and emphases that are supposedly Pentecostal yet depart markedly from mainstream Pentecostal traditions. Using this new phenomenon as a case study. The essay argues that one of the main reasons for the emergence of new religious movements is the quest to find space when newer leaders and movements fail to fit into the sophisticated and elitist structures and style of ministry ofalready established movements

The Evangelical Christian Fellowships and the Charismatization of Ghanaian Christianity

Contemporary Christianity in Ghana is dominated by Pentecostal/Charismatic culture. This has attracted attention in several scholarly works and analyses have been made of the historical factors that have been responsible for this development. However, an important phase in the history of the development of the faith in Ghana - the phase of the evangelical Christian fellowships - seems to have been largely ignored. This article draws attention to the significance of that phase for Ghanaian Christianity in general and its importance as the watershed in the transition from the dominance of the old mission-instituted type of Christianity to the current dominance of the Pentecostal/Charismatic type

Religion and Development in Africa

What is development? Who defines that one community/ country is “developed”, while another community/ country is “under-developed”? What is the relationship between religion and development? Does religion contribute to development or underdevelopment in Africa? These and related questions elicit quite charged reactions in African studies, development studies, political science and related fields. Africa’s own history, including the memory of marginalisation, slavery and exploitation by global powers ensures that virtually every discussion on development is characterised by a lot of emotions and conflicting views. In this volume scholars from various African countries and many different religions and denominations contribute to this debate. The editors and authors E. CHITANDO (Zimbabwe), M. R. GUNDA (Zimbabwe/ Germany), L. TOGARASEI (Botswana), J. KÜGLER (Germany), A. O. ATIEMO (Ghana), S. AWUAH-NYAMEKYE (Ghana), S. K. BERMAN (Botswana), T. A. CHIMUKA (Lesotho), C. J. CHITA (Zambia), M. W. DUBE (Botswana), J. GATHOGO (Kenya), I. S. GUSHA (Zimbabwe), M. HARON (Botswana/ South Africa), S. F. JOHN (South Africa), C. J. KAUNDA (Zambia), M. M. KAUNDA (South Africa), S. M. KILONZO (Kenya), U. M. KIRIAGHE (Uganda), F. MACHINGURA (Zimbabwe), L. P. MASEKO (South Africa), L. MASENO (Kenya), P. MUNHENZVA (Zimbabwe), E. P. MOTSWAPONG (Botswana), N. MWALE (Zambia), C. MWANDAYI (Zimbabwe), H. J. NDZOVU (Kenya), B. NYAHUMA (Zimbabwe/ Germany), S. NYAWO (Swaziland), A. D. OMONA (Uganda), L. C. SIWILA (South Africa), B. TARINGA (Zimbabwe), N. T. TARINGA (Zimbabwe)