TY - JOUR
T1 - I'm Here because of Christ and Worshipping God
AU - Kpobi, Lily
AU - Sarfo, Elizabeth Anokyewaa
AU - Yendork, Joana Salifu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Many people like to identify as belonging to one church or another. Previous studies have explored the process of switching from one religious group to another, and this process has identified various factors that determine the likelihood and reasons for switching. Although this has been explored, little is known about the factors that influence switching among charismatic Christians in Ghana, and the potential implications of such switching on mental well-being. Our study therefore explored the reasons given by members of selected neo-Pentecostal/charismatic churches in Ghana for their decision to switch to these churches. The study was conducted in six neo-Pentecostal churches in Accra and Kumasi through the use of individual and focus group interviews as well as observations of church activities. A total of 86 respondents cited reasons such as geographic mobility, marriage, answers to prayer, as well as miracles and prophecies as their determining factors. These are discussed with emphasis on the potential implications for mental health such as psychological distress, blind faith, and individual agency.
AB - Many people like to identify as belonging to one church or another. Previous studies have explored the process of switching from one religious group to another, and this process has identified various factors that determine the likelihood and reasons for switching. Although this has been explored, little is known about the factors that influence switching among charismatic Christians in Ghana, and the potential implications of such switching on mental well-being. Our study therefore explored the reasons given by members of selected neo-Pentecostal/charismatic churches in Ghana for their decision to switch to these churches. The study was conducted in six neo-Pentecostal churches in Accra and Kumasi through the use of individual and focus group interviews as well as observations of church activities. A total of 86 respondents cited reasons such as geographic mobility, marriage, answers to prayer, as well as miracles and prophecies as their determining factors. These are discussed with emphasis on the potential implications for mental health such as psychological distress, blind faith, and individual agency.
KW - Ghana
KW - mental well-being
KW - neo-Pentecostal church
KW - religious switching
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038627989&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1163/15736121-12341342
DO - 10.1163/15736121-12341342
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85038627989
SN - 0084-6724
VL - 39
SP - 295
EP - 311
JO - Archive for the Psychology of Religion
JF - Archive for the Psychology of Religion
IS - 3
ER -