Kwesi Dickson

Academic, priest, writer and 7th President of the Methodist Church of Ghana

Professor

Kwesi Abotsia Dickson

Born| (1929-07-07)7 July 1929

Saltpond, Ghana

Died| 28 October 2005(2005-10-28) (aged 76)

Accra, Ghana

Resting place| Winneba, Ghana
Nationality| Ghanaian
Alma mater|

* Mfantsipim School
* University of Ghana
* Mansfield College, Oxford

Occupations|

* Academic
* Theologian
* Priest
* Author

Employer| University of Ghana
Organization| Methodist Church Ghana
Notable work| Theology in Africa
Title| President of the Methodist Church of Ghana
Term| 1990 - 1997
Predecessor| Jacob S.A. Stephens
Successor| Samuel Asante Antwi
Spouse| Mrs. Cecilia Dickson
Children| 4
Relatives| Kwamina B. Dickson (brother)
Notes

President of the All Africa Council of Churches

Kwesi Abotsia Dickson FGA (7 July 1929 - 28 October 2005) was a Ghanaian Christian theologian. He was the seventh President of the Methodist Church Ghana and a professor at the University of Ghana, Legon.

## Early life and education

[edit]

Kwesi Dickson was born at Saltpond in the Central Region of Ghana.[1] He was educated at the Mfantsipim School at Cape Coast. He completed his basic ministerial training at the Trinity Theological Seminary (then Trinity College in Kumasi) in 1951. He then attended the University of Ghana, then the University College of the Gold Coast. Next he went to the United Kingdom where his postgraduate education was at Mansfield College, Oxford at Oxford University.[2]

## Career

[edit]

Dickson was ordained into the ministry of the Methodist Church of Ghana at the British Methodist Conference of 1957.[2] He served in various capacities at the University of Ghana over three decades until 1989. He has been the Head of the Department for the Study of Religions, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Master of Commonwealth Hall, the first dean of students and the director of the Institute of African Studies.[2][3] when he was succeeded by Kwame Arhin.

At various times, he served as adjunct professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon. He was also a fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was its president on two occasions. He also worked at the University of Swaziland as a visiting professor.[2]

In 1989, he was elected as President of the Methodist Church Ghana. He served two consecutive 4 year terms ending in 1997. He has served as Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana and as All Africa Conference of Churches President of the All African Council of Churches.[2]

## Hobbies

[edit]

He loved tennis and music and was a good pianist.[2]

## Family

[edit]

He was married with four children.[2]

## Death

[edit]

Dickson died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra after a short illness.[4] His funeral and burial were attended by many notable Ghanaian citizens including John Agyekum Kufuor who was President of Ghana at the time and John Atta Mills who was a colleague at the University of Ghana and was to become the next Ghanaian president.

## Publications

[edit]

Kwesi Dickson has many publications to his name. He has authoritative works such as Theology in Africa and others on Religious exclusivism. Some of his texts were also used for GCE Ordinary Level and GCE Advanced Level curricula. Some of his works include the following:

* Williamson, Sydney George; Dickson, Kwesi A (1965). Akan Religion And The Christian Faith A Comparative Study Of The Impact Of Two Religions. Ghana Universities Press. ASIN B0018HTZ96. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
* Dickson, Kwesi A. (1968). An introduction to the history and religion of Israel. Darton, Longman & Todd. ASIN B0007IURR6.
* Aspects of religion and life in Africa (The J. B. Danquah memorial lectures). Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. 1977. p. 41. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
* Dickson, Kwesi A.; Paul Ellingworth (1969). Biblical Revelation and African Beliefs. Lutterworth P. p. 191\. ISBN 978-0-7188-1652-0.
* Dickson, Kwesi A. (1970). From Abraham to the Early Days of Israel in the Promised Land (History & Religions of Israel). Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. p. 164\. ISBN 978-0-232-51109-3.
* Dickson, Kwesi A (1969). From Hezekiah to the Return from Exile (History & Religions of Israel). Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. p. 144\. ISBN 978-0-232-51056-0.
* Dickson, Kwesi A (1968). From Samuel to the Fall of the Northern Kingdom (History & Religious of Israel). Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. p. 144\. ISBN 978-0-232-35697-7.
* Dickson, Kwesi A. (1982). Gospel According to Luke. Darton,Longman & Todd Ltd. ISBN 978-0232515565.
* Dickson, Kwesi A (1995). Prohibitions: A study in African traditional education. Macmillan Publishers in association with Unimax Publishers. ISBN 978-9964973100.
* Dickson, Kwesi A (1970). Religions of the world. Ghana Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-0876760574.
* Dickson, Kwesi A. (1976). Story of the early Church as found in the Acts of the Apostles. Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. p. 160\. ISBN 978-0-232-51333-2.
* Dickson, Kwesi A. (1976). The Human Dimension in the Theological Quest. Ghana Universities Press. p. 18\. ASIN B0000EE656. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
* Dickson, Kwesi A. (1984). Theology in Africa. Darton,Longman & Todd Ltd. p. 252\. ISBN 978-0-88344-508-2.
* Dickson, Kwesi A. (1991). Uncompleted Mission: Christianity and Exclusivism. Orbis Books (USA). p. 177\. ISBN 978-0-88344-751-2.

## See also

[edit]

* Alan Stewart Duthie
* Gilbert Ansre

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "President Kufuor and nation mourn Prof Dickson". General news. Ghana Home Page. 2005-11-17. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
2. ^ a b c d e f g "AASR BULLETIN 24 (November 2005)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
3. ^ "Report on the Institute for Congregation 1987-88" (PDF). Research Review MS Vol.5 Mo.l 1989. Institute of African Studies. 1989. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
4. ^ "Obituaries". Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 2010-06-28.

## External links and sources

[edit]

* AASRBulletin

Religious titles

Preceded by

Jacob S.A. Stephens

|  President of the Methodist Church of Ghana
1990-1997  | Succeeded by

Samuel Asante Antwi

* v
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Christianity in Ghana

Christian groups|

| Protestant|

* Assemblies of God Ghana
* The Church of Pentecost
* Church of the Province of West Africa
* Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana
* Ghana Baptist Convention
* International Central Gospel Church
* Methodist Church of Ghana
* Presbyterian Church of Ghana
* Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ghana
* United Denomination: Lighthouse Group of Churches

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Roman Catholic|

* Catholic Church in Ghana

Other|

* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana

Missionaries|

* John Bendor-Samuel
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Interdenominational organisations|

* Christian Council of Ghana
* National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches
* National Association of Evangelicals of Ghana

Seminaries|

* Akrofi-Christaller Institute
* Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation
* Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon

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