The growth of Secular Humanism and Christianity in Ghana (1980-2015)

Abstract

Secular humanism has found roots in a country as religious and Christian as Ghana. Since secular humanism denies the existence of and the reliance on the supernatural, it is mutually exclusive of Christianity and presents a challenge to it. Though secular humanism is a threat to Christianity in Ghana, Christians in the country seem not to pay much attention to it. This may be because work has not particularly been done into the inception of this philosophy into the Ghanaian society and how it is growing. The study is a historical-theological study into secular humanism in Ghana to establish its roots and determine its influence on Christianity in the nation. The analytical methodology was used in this study. The work relied heavily on bibliographical research. It analyzed literature to understand the Ghanaian view and position on humanism. It also relied on journals, magazines, newspapers, and news sites to trace the trends of events in the country to understand how Christianity has been faring and interacting with secular humanism. It also looks at how receptive, or otherwise, Ghanaians have been to secular humanism and how this philosophy has been doing on the Ghanaian scene. The study discovered that, indeed, secular humanism received reception in Ghana first through the philosophical foundations that Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, laid for it. It was further nurtured by Hope Tawiah and has in recent times been popularized by the Humanist Association of Ghana. The Humanist Association of Ghana has done much to promote this philosophy and it is warming its way into the hearts of the Ghanaian community. It was also discovered that perhaps the strength of secular humanism in Ghana is in the weakness of Christianity in the country lately. This work seeks to add voice to creating awareness about the existence of secular humanism in Ghana, providing some historical data to that effect. It has also provided knowledge into how secular humanism is growing; documenting the activities of secular humanist organizations and some fallen standards in Ghanaian Christianity. Finally, it has provided recommendations and practical ways by which the Christian community in Ghana can stem the tide.