The Bible and Family Relationships Among the Asante People of Ghana

By Anthony Yaw Badu

Abstract

Family relationships in Africa for many years have been communal in nature and vital for human existence. The family is considered as the basic unit of human society responsible for nurturing of her members in healthy living; providing economic, emotional and spiritual support to members within the family and society at large. The communal nature of this family relationships have been instrumental and permeates all relationships within the African society. However, this virtue notwithstanding, families shirk their responsibilities due to political, economic and other challenges, giving rise to moral and other social vices. Using a qualitative research approach, this study sought to examine the impact of the Bible on family relationships, particularly among the Asante people of Ghana. Findings show that the rapid growth of Christianity and Bible translation in mother-tongues have made an enormous contribution, shaping the understanding and improving family relationships considerably among the Asante people of Ghana.