Dear Friends,
Thank you for interceding with us this week for Emmanuel Kwame Tettey from Ghana.
The Republic of Ghana has long enjoyed political stability, religious tolerance, and peace among its diverse population of 34 million. Among Ghana’s multiethnic and multilinguistic populace, around 71% identify as Christians and 20% as Muslims, while 3% follow traditional faiths. Currently, Ghana faces economic crisis as the pandemic and war in Ukraine have exacerbated financial woes from years of government overspending. In late September, hundreds of Ghanaians took to the streets in Accra, the capital, to protest the unsustainable living costs and job shortage.
Emmanuel is pursuing a PhD in Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh (UK). For his dissertation, Emmanuel is investigating and comparing Christian and Islamic theologies of finance and banking practices in Ghana. His research will guide Christian and Muslim financial institutions in collaborating for national development and the common good.
Since 2019, Emmanuel has served as Research Fellow at the Center for Interfaith Studies and Engagement in Africa at Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture (Ghana). He also serves as Research Associate at The Sanneh Institute (Ghana), established in 2019 after a successful feasibility study led by Dr. John Azumah, Scholar Leaders Board Member, in partnership with Scholar Leaders through Catalytic Ventures – Religions. Emmanuel and his wife Cecilia have two children: six-year-old Jesse and three-year-old Maukeni.
Emmanuel shares the following message:
Pray for Ghana
Ghana is historically regarded as a beacon of hope for interreligious coexistence, political stability, and economic progress in Sub-Saharan Africa. While we are still doing well with religious tolerance, our democratic processes need to do more for our people than just ensuring peaceful elections.
Of greater concern now is the serious economic crisis that has befallen the nation. There is record-high inflation, fallen currency, and unsustainable national debt, resulting in debt restructuring that has caused many to lose their investments and many more to fall below the poverty line.
In such difficult times, many look to the Church for pastoral and welfare support, as well as a prophetic voice calling for integrity in public service. It is in these circumstances that we ask for prayers for:
- Wisdom, willpower, and good conscience for duty bearers to act rightly for the economic well-being, dignity, and progress of the Ghanaian people.
- The Church to continue to grow not only in numbers, but much more so in positive social impact.
- Church leaders to courageously and prophetically call to order political leaders and public servants whose conducts have led the nation astray.
Pray for My Research
My PhD research seeks to examine Church-based and Islamic financial institutions in Ghana to explore mutual learning opportunities for Christians and Muslims in the areas of theology, ethics, and practice as they participate in financial services for societal good. It is my hope that my work would help develop appropriate Christian theology and ethics to guide the many Church-based financial institutions in Ghana.
I am grateful to Scholar Leaders for the care and support in this work. I am currently at the stage of writing my chapters and seek prayers for:
- Divine wisdom to make good sense of the data gathered.
- Progress and enhanced speed in writing my thesis.
- Divine protection and provision for me and my family.
Emmanuel Kwame Tettey