The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Ghana, Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu, has urged compassion and pastoral support for women recently linked to a sexual exploitation case involving a Russian tourist. In a Facebook post on Monday, February 16, he voiced concern over the public shaming of the women, whose alleged encounters were circulated online without regard for the damage to their personal and family lives.
“Over the past few days, some women have been in the news for unfortunate reasons,” he wrote, emphasising that while he does not condone inappropriate conduct, he cannot pass judgment without hearing their side of the story. He strongly criticised media commentary that labelled the women as “cheap,” stressing that such demeaning language is unjustifiable. “My heart sank when one media outlet described the ladies as ‘cheap,’” he stated. “No human being, regardless of mistakes or failures, deserves to be spoken of in that way.”
The Presiding Bishop warned that in Ghanaian society, such incidents can have lasting repercussions, especially for married women who may risk losing their marriages. He noted that the matter has found its way into sermons and media discussions across the country, potentially compounding the emotional distress of those involved.
From what he described as a “purely pastoral viewpoint,” the Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu said he sees the women as victims of what he termed the Russian man’s “beastly and vain sexual pursuits.”
He urged media practitioners and preachers to refrain from intensifying the women’s agony by repeatedly discussing the issue without hearing their side of the story. “The women need our pastoral support, not condemnation,” he emphasised. Drawing on biblical examples, he referenced the stories of Mary Magdalene, the woman caught in adultery, and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well as models of compassion and restoration. He also offered words of hope to anyone directly affected by the controversy.
Source: Elizabeth Kabukie Ocansey
A response to the statement by Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu:
While compassion is an essential Christian virtue, mercy must never be separated from moral accountability. Publicly calling for the suspension of criticism without equally emphasising repentance and responsibility risks sending the wrong theological signal. When church leaders appear to focus solely on shielding offenders from shame, without clearly reaffirming biblical standards of sexual purity, it can be interpreted as tacit tolerance of misconduct.
Scripture balances grace with truth. Christ forgave, but He also commanded, “Go and sin no more.” If the Church minimizes the gravity of sexual immorality under the banner of compassion, it may unintentionally lower moral boundaries. The crisis in many congregations today—from pulpit to pew—does not stem from excessive correction, but from weakened discipline and selective preaching.
Pastoral care is necessary. However, restoration must be grounded in repentance, accountability, and clear moral instruction. Without that balance, the Church risks normalizing behavior that Scripture explicitly calls sin.
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