Take thy selfie and follow me: The image of Christianity and how it attracts or repels youth in Ghana
Date
2015-4
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The largest religion in Ghana, the world's most religious country, is Christianity.
Here, the pervading belief in God's existence fosters religious involvement. With
globalization causing a mirroring of trends, the drop in Western religious participation
signifies the potential decline of religion in Ghana. Noting that religion is a major part of
the lives of many Ghanaians, it is evident that ascertaining what is responsible for the
popularity of Christianity in Ghana could hold key insights for religious and non-religious
institutions alike as to what traits individuals value in the organizations that they choose to
identify with. This paper reflects opinions of the youth on Ghana's most followed religion
and acts as a pointer about traits young Ghanaians value in the organizations they
associate with.
In this study, data was collected from ninety individuals using a set of methods
including semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion and an online
questionnaire. From empirical evidence, authenticity ranked highly in deciding whether to
belong to a religion's sub-branch. Full participation of the youth in Christian activities was
therefore greatly affected by perceptions of the church's split between professed ideals
and actual actions as well as the desire for a personal connection to drive their religious
participation.
This research suggests that where the projected image of Christianity does not
match reality, there would eventually be declines in participation. In essence, it asserts
that the Christianity that respondents want to associate with is one whose deeds are
motivated by a deep empathy for others and that is authentic in its communications and actions.
Description
Thesis submitted to the Department of Business Administration, Ashesi University College, in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, April 2015
item.page.type
Thesis
item.page.format
Keywords
Ghana, church activities, young people