Reverend Dr. Joyce Aryee, Executive Director of Salt and Light Ministries, has urged the clergy to promote principles of stewardship and economic justice among their members to combat the galamsey menace.
‘No one who cares for creation will find gold the way some of these people are doing. They come to church, though, and pay their tithes.
‘And so, as a body of Christ, we need to find ways in which we go beyond expecting government to find solutions to using Christian principles to let people know that it is actually a slap in the face of God to say you love Him and to destroy what He’s given for your use and for the use of generations after,’ she said.
Rev. Dr. Aryee made the remarks at a symposium co-organised by the National Cathedral of Ghana and the Jakes Divinity School on Monday in Accra.
The symposium aimed to explore the development of Christianity in Africa, the institutional actors and churches driving its growth, and the challenges posed by the shift of the faith’s center of gravity to Africa.
The event was on the theme ‘New Directions in African Christianity: Understanding and Celebrating the Church in Africa.’
It brought together theologians and Bible scholars, and formed part of the programme for the Ghana visit of graduate students and faculty from the Jakes Divinity School in Texas, USA.
Rev. Dr. Aryee, a member of the National Cathedral of Ghana (NCG) Board, stated that Christian leaders had the potential to convey messages that help citizens understand that their pursuit of wealth should not come at the expense of God’s creation.
‘When we turn the narrative and not focus just on making money, people will realise that yes, God is one who wants us to have wealth and not at the expense of His creation because His creation is meant to support generations after us.
‘This is something that we have to couch in such a way, and we are the only ones who can do it. The people of God are the only ones who can couch it that way and help those who run Governments to deal with it,’ she emphasised.
Rev
. Dr. Aryee highlighted the significant role that African Christianity has played in providing a moral and ethical framework for many communities, particularly in Ghana.
She noted that churches had become centres not only for spiritual nourishment but also for social services, education, and healthcare.
Rev. Dr. Aryee said many Ghanaians viewed their churches as institutions that uphold moral integrity, justice, and social harmony.
However, she pointed out that despite the efforts of Christian leaders to promote ethical leadership, the African continent continued to face challenges such as corruption, ineffective governance, and political instability.
‘Poverty remains endemic in many parts of the continent and the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen.
‘Many African countries continue to rely heavily on foreign aid and debt, making it difficult to achieve sustainable economic independence.
‘High levels of unemployment, particularly among young people, have led to increased levels of crime
, drug abuse and social unrest,’ she stressed.
Rev. Dr. Aryee noted that the Church’s response to social challenges had often been reactive rather than proactive, emphasizing the need for more strategic engagement with these issues.
She suggested that Africa’s political leaders should be held to higher standards of accountability, drawing on Christian values of integrity, honesty, and service to the common good.
Rev. Dr. Aryee urged the Church to collaborate with civil society to advocate more strongly for transparent governance and the equitable distribution of resources.
She said that African Christianity must confront the status quo of corruption and nepotism by fostering the emergence of ethical leaders who prioritise the well-being of their citizens.
Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah, Associate Professor and Executive Director of the National Cathedral of Ghana (NCG), explained to the participants that the vision for the National Cathedral project was to create a space that includes 5,000 chapels and prayer roo
ms, expandable to 15,000.
The infrastructure aims to fill the gap for solemn national occasions such as state funerals, presidential inaugural services, and national thanksgiving services.
He said that the Cathedral would also serve as a platform for Christian unity among the over 70 per cent of Ghana’s population who identify as Christians, thereby promoting national cohesion.
Dr. Opoku-Mensah stated that the National Cathedral represented a symbolic architectural expression and celebration of the remarkable growth of Christianity on the African continent.
He announced that construction of the Cathedral would resume by the end of the year and called for support from stakeholders.
Source: Ghana News Agency