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The New Testament and Politics in Ghana (2017–2023) : Analysis of the “biblification” of Ghanaian Political Discourse by Ken Ofori-Atta (Ghana’s Finance Minister)
Wandusim, Michael F.; Boateng, Abraham (2024): The New Testament and Politics in Ghana (2017–2023) : Analysis of the “biblification” of Ghanaian Political Discourse by Ken Ofori-Atta (Ghana’s Finance Minister), in: Masiiwa Ragies Gunda, Kathrin Gies, Ezra Chitando, u. a. (Hrsg.), Going the Extra Mile : Reflections on Biblical Studies in Africa and the Contributions of Joachim Kügler, Bamberg: University of Bamberg Press, S. 121–144, doi: 10.20378/irb-96591.
Author:
Title of the compilation:
Going the Extra Mile : Reflections on Biblical Studies in Africa and the Contributions of Joachim Kügler
Publisher Information:
Year of publication:
2024
Pages:
ISBN:
978-3-98989-012-1
Language:
English
DOI:
Abstract:
This chapter investigates a political reception of the New Testament in Ghana from 2017–2023 which is tentatively labelled as Ofori-Atta phenomenon. In the stated years, Ken Ofori-Atta, then Finance Minister of Ghana, made consistent recourse to biblical texts during his presentations of annual government budget statements to the Ghanaian Parliament. From a postcolonial biblical reception hermeneutical analytic framework, research for the chapter examined the budget statements he presented over the period. Subsequently, it argues that the Ofori-Atta phenomenon is, on the one hand, a biblification of Ghanaian political-economic discourse through economic planning instruments such as national budgets and, on the other hand, a sermonisation of national budget presentation speeches. It projects the Bible, the sacred scripture of Christianity, as a national Holy Scripture which speaks to the entire nation of Ghana through such economic management instruments. Furthermore, Matt 14:13–21 is invoked programmatically and re-interpreted in a secular, political context. The study thus concludes that the Ofori-Atta phenomenon presents a potential political leveraging on an existing high Ghanaian religiosity as it presents
the minister as a God-fearing public figure to be admired by all. Consequently, it has negative implications for public accountability in the management of the Ghanaian economy.
the minister as a God-fearing public figure to be admired by all. Consequently, it has negative implications for public accountability in the management of the Ghanaian economy.
GND Keywords: ; ; ; ; ;
Ofori-Atta, Ken
Ghana
Öffentlicher Haushalt
Bibel. Neues Testament
Diskurs
Rhetorik
Keywords: ; ; ; ; ;
Ghanaian politics
Ken Ofori-Atta
Matt 14:13–21
Bible and Politics
Postcolonial Biblical Reception Hermeneutics
New Testament
DDC Classification:
RVK Classification:
Type:
Contribution to an Articlecollection
Activation date:
August 19, 2024
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https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/96591