Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams whose marital issues have become one of intense public debate, is touted as the ‘Father of the Charismatic Movement’ in Ghana. He began his Ministry, The Christian Action Faith Ministries, at the Airport Residential Area in the 1970s. The Ministry became popular with mostly the middle class in Ghana. It also became the breeding ground for some other preachers who established churches around the country and other parts of the world. Archbishop Duncan-Williams’ marital problems started in 2001, but the matter came into the open about three years ago in 2005. He was married to Francisca for almost 26 years and they have four children. The 50 year-old Archbishop announced his marital woes to his congregation at the Prayer Cathedral on the Spintex Road in these words: “As many of you know, my wife and I parted in 2001. After much prayer and counselling, I accepted her back with the understanding that we would give ourselves an additional two years to make the marriage work. Instead of two years, we have remained together for four years.” “Unfortunately,” he said, “the broken bone is not healing and the pain is increasing. After deep and prayerful consideration, I am sorry to announce that it has become expedient to go our separate ways and to remain as brother and sister in Christ. This has been a painful decision for me to make at this time.” “I strongly believe in marriage and hold firm to my belief that couples should subject their marriages to prayer and Christian counselling and exhaust all available means of reconciliation. This is what I have counselled other couples in the church to do when experiencing difficulties and I am satisfied that the principles of this conviction have also guided me.” He added. Some efforts were made according to reports by a renowned US Evangelist and friend of the Archbishop, T. D. Jakes and others to repair the marriage, but as things stand now it meant they were unsuccessful. In the middle of it all, the couple’s children publicly sided with their father and denounced their mother. After divorcing Francisca, who has not spoken publicly yet on the matter, the archbishop has gone to court seeking custody of their children. Then last Saturday April 19, 2008, news came out that Archbishop Duncan-Williams was remarrying in Maryland in the United States of America. He got married to a successful African American public official and entrepreneur, Ms. Rosa Whitaker, who wields so much influence in the United States and across Africa as the Chief Executive Officer of The Whitaker Group. This new development has sparked a hot debate over whether divorce was the best way out of a difficult marriage, especially for a Christian leader of the archbishop’s calibre. While one group says, the man should be left alone because he is responsible for his actions, and that he is also entitled to his private life, there are others who argue that because he is a ‘Man of God’, no one has the right to judge him. Another group argues that, by his actions he has set a bad example for the flock, by breaking the scripture which is against divorce. But one of his employees, Rev. Dr. Ben Adjei Anum, in the light of all the debate, says, “divorce is not necessarily evil,” arguing that “divorce is not an event but the result of things that have remained unresolved for a long time.” He went on to argue that the misinterpretation people are making of the scripture on divorce is a result of their ignorance resulting from lack of education by the clergy. And he therefore asked that church leaders should do sufficient teachings on family life to educate their members. This position has angered some people who think that the clergyman is twisting the scriptures to suit himself because his boss was involved. When two respected marriage counsellors were asked what their positions on the matter were this morning on Joy FM, they were uncommitted. They steered clear of any value judgement. The two were Rev. Dr. Samuel Kissiedu and Mr. James Ebo Whyte. Giving his position, Mr. Whyte said, “The one who reaches that point and walks away is to be commended rather than the one who has reached that point but stays in there and is still living like a hypocrite, covering all the stress and problems and its effects on their children and ministry.” Rev. Dr. Kissiedu, when asked to comment on the situation had this to say, “Am very careful about saying he or she is wrong. It is only the two of them who know other things that we may not know. And let’s leave it between them and God.” As matters stand now, no one is willing to speak authoritatively on the matter. Does it matter what anyone thinks? While, it is true that opinions might differ on the matter, is it not possible to have a clear Biblical position on the matter? By and large, for some others, the debate will go on for a long time and the incident could possibly have ripple effects on other marriages. But can we argue and say that in the light of the arguments that we are hearing and the stances that some people are taking, Ghana as country is heading towards a moral precipice? I don’t know. Author: Emmanuel K. Dogbevi Email: edogbevi@hotmail.com