Sacralising Natural Spaces: Competitive Performances in Contemporary Ghanaian Religiosity

Abstract

This paper investigates the proliferation of sacred spaces in contemporary Ghanaian religiosity. It examines three renowned sacred spaces of nationwide patronage -Moment of Glory Prayer Army (MOGPA), Atwea Mountains and Achimota Forest, and raises three pivotal themes that build on three related arguments. First, it contends that through sacralization, religion domesticates natural spaces and expands urban landscapes. Secondly, the development demonstrates the enduring influence of indigenous religious understandings in shaping the ongoing modernity project of Ghana's Pentecostals, and finally, while such sacred places have become or are believed to be charged with spiritual abilities to solve an adherent's problems, the actions of the founders are deeply rooted in economic motivations, often inciting competition on the religious market of Ghana. The ethnographic research method was used in data gathering and the data was interpreted using the metaphor of the religious market place. The findings indicate that the domesticated spaces allow cross-faith access, which confirms an indigenous religious attribute, whereby devotees seek solutions anywhere they can find one. Also, urban spaces are domesticated for the sake of cost and convenience and finally, religious leaders of those spaces to offer solutions to clients, sell religious products to obtain both economic as well as social capital.