Religion should not be a “cause for division,” according to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, but rather “a force for unification” among Ghanaians.
He urged Ghanaians to view and use their diverse religious inclinations as a force for good and a facilitator of national togetherness when he opened the 175th anniversary festivities of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana (EPCG).
We all believe in the God of Isaac, Jacob, and Abraham because we are all offspring of the one and only real God, whether we are Christians or Muslims. We all hold Mary’s virgin birth to be true. We all think that Jesus Christ is the world’s Savior and that He will return to save it, according to Bawumia.
“This is what ought to unite us as a people. Religion must be viewed as a force for harmony rather than a factor for conflict. As God’s children, we have a responsibility to uphold this, he remarked on Sunday (31 July 2022).
According to Dr. Bawumia, the world is envious of Ghana’s special acceptance and peaceful coexistence, which must be closely guarded as the nation continues to hold its reputation for peace in a recent global study.
The church and pulpit must be used as tools for a peaceful nation building in addition to the economic and development issues that the church must be concerned with. Ghana continues to rank as the second-most peaceful nation in sub-Saharan Africa and the most peaceful in West Africa, according to the most current Global Peace Index.
“This is a tremendous achievement that must be jealously guarded without any exceptions. The topic of peace is heavily emphasized in both the Bible and the Quran. And it is encouraging to see that in Ghana, where there is such a culture of religious tolerance and acceptance, it is simple for a Christian priest to lead worship alongside Muslims, and vice versa. In fact, a Muslim Chief Imam recently celebrated his 100th birthday in church alongside Christians.
In order to support his argument for harmonious coexistence, Bawumia used himself as an example. He continued, “We live in a society where a mother and some children could be Christians and a father and some children could be Muslims. I was born to a Methodist mother (then Susuana Mariama) and a Muslim father in Tamale when I was a small boy attending Sakasaka Primary School. Before my mother converted to Islam, I was an active member of the Methodist Boys’ Brigade. I believe I am the sole Muslim Boy’s Brigade member. I currently have 17 siblings, of which 9 are Christians and 8 are Muslims. That is the appeal of Ghana’s religious tolerance.
EP Ghana Church
As a “stable, trusted, and formidable instrument of the change, civilization, and growth of society,” Dr. Bawumia praised the church for its great contribution to national cohesion and development. Without the church’s active participation, it would not have been possible for our country to make the gains in moral, spiritual, and socioeconomic growth that we have both before and after independence.
In fact, it would be impossible to discuss any significant contributions made by the church to the development of a country without mentioning the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana. In addition to having established over 500 basic and tertiary institutions, including Mawuli, Mawuko, EP Senior High Schools in Hohoe, Saboba, and Tatale, as well as Vocational and Technical Schools and Colleges of Education, you have also established the Evangelical Presbyterian University College, the first university in the entire Volta and Oti Regions (EPUC).
“Your health centers in Wapuli, Ho, Dambai, and Blajai, among other places, along with your countless relief and development initiatives in the fields of agricultural development, climate change advocacy, HIV/AIDS & TB Programmes, among other things, have added to your endless list of accomplishments over the past seventeen and a half decades of your existence,” he said.
