The History of the Salvation Army in Ghana: 1922-2006

ABSTRACT

Ghana is a pluralistic religious country. The religions in Ghana includc Christianity, African Traditional Religion, Islam and some Oriental Religions. Islam is the first foreign religion that came to the Gold Coast/Ghana. However the 2000 Housing and Population Census indicated that majority of Ghanaians profess to be Christians. The Salvation Army (The Army) is a protestant church. It started in London in 1865 as a Christian Fellowship. In 1878 it changed its name from The Christian Mission to The Salvation Army and started using military terms. In Ghana, The Salvation Army is one of the mainline churches. These mainline churches are the churches that have church polities, liturgical practices and theological traditions handed down to them by their founding Western missionaries.1 The Salvation Army was introduced into the Gold Coast/Ghana by King Hudson (Amoako Atta), a native of Agona Duakwa in the Central region. Currently, the Army has spread to all the regions in Ghana since its introduction in 1922. The Army in Ghana now has a membership of nineteen thousand, one hundred and eighty eight (19188). From 1922 to 1960, the Army in Ghana was part of the West African Territory, with the Territorial Headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. From 1960 when the Army in Ghana separated from Nigeria, it has had eleven national heads. Only one of the national heads of the Army in Ghana has been a Ghanaian, a man. The Army in Ghana, however, 1 N. Cephas Omcnyo (2006), Pentecost Outside Pentecostalism, a study of the Development of the Charismatic Renewal In the mainline churches in Ghana. The Netherlands, Boekcnccntrum Publishing House, p. ff. iii practices women ordination. The Army has a Medical and Social Services Department which runs clinics and rehabilitation centres. This department also gives aid to disaster victims and refugees. The Salvation Army International was practicing the sacraments of Water Baptism and Holy Communion, but has it stopped. The study found out that some people have left the Army to join other churches for the sake of participating in these sacraments. Renewal Movements (with their Pentecostal style of worship) are gradually gaining roots in the Army in Ghana. This is creating some challenges for the Army that need to be met The research found some weaknesses of The Salvation Army in Ghana. Recommendations have been made as corrective measures to address these weaknesses