New Publication: Sources of wealth and legitimacy in charismatic Christianity in Ghana

In a newly published research article in the Journal of Contemporary African Studies, Associate Professor and Director at the Centre of African Studies, Karen Lauterbach writes about:

The moral practices and principles of accumulating and (re)distributing wealth in charismatic Christianity in Africa and how they are controversial and contested. In Ghana, rich charismatic pastors are perceived as dubious figures and the legitimacy of their wealth is questionable. At the same time, a pastor’s wealth is a sign of his or her spiritual and charismatic gifts. Karen discusses the ways in which Ghanaian charismatic pastors, church members and the broader public understand different forms and shifting principles of wealth acquisition and (re)distribution within the religious field. The article highlights the dynamic and fluid nature of distinctions such as legitimate and illegitimate and argues that a moral economy approach is apt for capturing these tensions. Moreover, it is important to include religion and sources of spiritual power in the analysis of moral economies as these are crucial parts of social life and moral values in many African societies.

Read the full article here, in English.

The article is part of a special issue (soon to come out) on moral economies in Africa edited by Jorg Wiegratz, Tijo Salverda and Cristiano Lanzano.

 

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