Broken Calabashes and Covenants of Fruitfulness

Cursing Barrenness in Contemporary African Christianity

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3933113
AutoresJ Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu (1Trinity eological Seminary, PO Box LG 48, Legon, Accra, Ghana), J Kwabena Asamoah‐gyadu (autor correspondente)
Ano2007
Volume37
Fascículo4
Páginas437-460
Data de publicação2007-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Religion in Africa (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0022-4200 • E-ISSN: 1570-0666
EditoraWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1163/157006607x230535
OpenAlexW2089331924
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas15
Referências citadas4

Childlessness is an issue of deep religious concern in Africa. Men, women and couples with problems of sexuality and childlessness make use not only of the resources of traditional African religions but also of the many Pentecostal/charismatic churches and movements that have burgeoned throughout sub-Saharan Africa in the last three decades. Initially this was the domain of the older African independent churches, as far as the Christian response to childlessness is concerned; the new Pentecostals have taken on the challenge too. Based on the same biblical and traditional worldviews that events have causes, these churches have mounted ritual contexts that wrestle with the issues of sexuality and childlessness. In pursuing this salvific endeavor, however, the needs of those who may never have children seem to have been neglected by the churches considered here and represented by the Pure Fire Miracle Ministries, a Ghana/Nigeria charismatic church located in Ghana. is partial approach to 'healing' childlessness has led to one-sided interpretations of what it means to be fruitful and prosperous and deepened the troubles of the childless

Charisma · Childlessness · Christianity · Fertility · Human sexuality · Miracle · Political science · Population · Sociology · African cultural and philosophical studies · Demography · Gender Studies · History · Law · Philosophy · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Religion, Society, and Development · Religious studies