Afterlife in 1 Thessalonians 4:14 and its Implications for Akan Christians in the Practice of Farewell to the Dead

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The adherents of many religions in the world – such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion (ATR) – believe that though the death of a person marks the end of his/her physical existence on earth, the dead continue to live in another world which is not visible to the living. Much as both Christianity and ATR believe in life after death, the content of their teachings on the afterlife and the rites they perform to bid farewell to the dead vary from one another. It appears that most African Christians are still attached to traditional African norms and practices such as extravagant funeral rites which turn out to be a yoke on their shoulders. The purpose of this study is to help Christians understand that the hope in the resurrection of the dead and the need to pray for the dead must hold a prominent place in bidding farewell to the deceased. Thus the study evaluated and compared some Christian beliefs and practices vis à vis African traditional norms and values. The method of comparative analysis was applied, and the case study involved the Akan people of Ghana. The paper concluded that while African Christians should cherish African values and culture, they must also acknowledge their new Christian identity and adhere strictly to measures put in place to avoid flamboyant funeral observance. The paper contributes to the debate on how to reconcile Christian values and practices with African traditional customs and practices. Keywords: Belief in the Afterlife, Farewell to the Dead, Akan Christians of Ghana, 1 Thessalonians 4:14

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