Executive Director of the Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa, Rev Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong has cautioned Christian leaders in Ghana against “over-spiritualising” the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has issued a warning to all pastors to desist from taking undue advantage of unsuspecting congregants to enrich themselves, indicating that the disease is a global problem which should be tackled with all seriousness.
According to the former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, making citizens believe the pandemic is spiritual and dissuading them from taking the necessary and prescribed preventive measures will wreak havoc.
“Let me say that pastors in this country must not over-spiritualise the virus. It is a global challenge. What I mean is nobody should jump into it and give the impression [that] you can ignore what the medical people are saying or I have anointed oil and whatever.
“Caution is the key so let us pray, let us hold on to our faith and let’s listen to the health professionals,” he said.
Following the President’s recent ban on all social gatherings including church activities, Rev Dr Opuni Frimpong, has reached out to the heads of all churches across the country and various Christian groups to fix a date for this year’s Easter celebration other than the global date.
That he said is to that ensure the celebration of the festival does not violate the President’s orders albeit it is very important.
The Reverend Minister cum lecturer maintained that Easter is a sacred and must-celebrate festival for all Christians and as such should not be prevented by any hurdle.
“I am using your platform to call on all heads of churches; the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Christian Council, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council to meet and fix our date; Ghana’s date for the celebration of Easter,” he said on Class FM.
“Easter, normally the date is fixed globally but now in our context, our President has given four weeks and therefore Easter celebration Ghana must respond to the instruction of the president.
“It should not be that the President has given four weeks and Easter is 10th April which is part of the four weeks so we are not going to celebrate Easter. Ghanaian must celebrate our Easter but this time it must be an Easter that the day is fixed, and it must be collectively done. All the churches must fix a date and Ghana can still celebrate Easter,” he intimated.
Source: ABCNewsgh.cobm