Dr. Genevieve Nrenzah is currently an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Rostock. In Ghana, she is a Research Fellow in the Religion and Philosophy Section of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana. Her research and teaching interest include Africa's diverse indigenous religious beliefs and ceremonies and their extensions in the African Diasporas, Abrahamic religions, Religion and Economics, Sound/Music in Indigenous religions and Christianity, Sacred Spaces, Sexuality, Religion, and Human rights, Neo feminism in Ghana and Religion, Oil and the Beach Front.

Nrenzah is an editorial member of the Contemporary Journal of African Studies, Institute of African Studies (CJAS June 2018-Date), Editorial review board member- The journal of Black Women and Religious Cultures-- University of Minnesota Press. July 2021 to 2024 and Editorial Advisory Board member, Journal of Religion in Africa, --Brill. January 2022 - December 2024. She has professional affiliations with African Studies Association of Africa, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Missionswissenschaft, American Academy of Religions, Golden key International Honour Society and International Association for the History of Religions.

Education

•  2015: PhD in Religious Studies, Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies, University of Bayreuth, Germany.
•  2008: Masters in Religious Studies, Florida International University, Miami, USA.
•  2008: Graduate Certificate in Women Studies, Florida International University, Miami, USA.
•  2005: Bachelors in Political Science and Religion, University of Ghana, Legon.
•  2002: Diploma in the Study of Religions from University of Ghana, Legon.
•  1995: Certificate in Education from University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Publications

• Nrenzah, Genevieve. (2021) Doing Feminism on the Street: Culture, Media Perspectives, and Neo-Gender Groups in Ghana, Journal of Black Women and Religious Cultures, vol.2, no.2] Published by University of Minnesota Press. DOI: 10.53407/bwrc2.2.2021.100.09

• Nrenzah, G.  (2019). Sacralising Natural Spaces: Competitive Performances In Contemporary Ghanaian Religiosity,Ghana Journal of Religion and Theology Vol 9 No 1. 51-67 https://journals.ug.edu.gh/index.php/gjrt/index
• Nrenzah, G.  (2019). Polished Violence: Changing Notions about the Spirituality of the Todↄlε (Vagina) in Popular Nzema Indigenous Religious Philosophy. Nyangweso M. and Olupona J.K. (eds), The Role of Religion, Gender-Based Violence, Immigration and Human Rights, Routledge:London.  
• Nrenzah, G. (2019). Tapping the Powers of the Gods: Rituals, Sacrifices and Indigenous Religious Adherents” Interkulturelle Theologie / ZMiss.5-15.
• Nrenzah, G. (2015). Gender Dimensions of Wealth and Health in Ghanaian Indigenous Religious Thinking: Narratives of Female Clients of Pensam Shrine. In A. Heuser (Ed), Pastures of Plenty: Tracing Religio-Scapes of Prosperity Gospel in Africa and Beyond (pp.203-216). Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Peter Lang, Berlin.
• Nrenzah, G. (2013). Gatekeepers, Priests and Shrines – “accessing” an African Indigenous Religious Research Site.” In C.Hoffman, A. Heuser, and T. Walther (Eds), Empirische Zugange Zur Religionsforschung (pp. 267-280). Rosch-Buch, Schesslitz.

Current Project

Suffering in God’s Kingdom on Earth: Rights, Ritual, Discourse and Abuse in Ghanaian Pentecostalism

Rights are entitlement a person claims by being human (Mwaura 2012) and (UHR, 1948) and must be enjoyed everywhere. However, it has become a 'relative' concept, as the enjoyment depends on the position one finds him/herself. In a sense, the concept has two operational sides in Ghana- the right of a person in public and the 'no' right for the same person in the sacred space. Even though all religious forms in Ghana are complicit in these acts, the most common incidences occur within the Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches (PCC) religious settings. The project's goal is to examine what constitutes the act of abuse across the Pentecostal religious landscape of Ghana, identifying the individuals and groups involved. I argue that the Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches are a haven of both virtues and vices diversely and contend that the worldview of the Ghanaian is a massive contribution to this anomie. It employs the cyber/traditional ethnographic and river of life methods to the inquiry of religious leaders, clients/members, and the communities.