Joseph Boakye Danquah (1895-1965): The First African Theologian and Pan Africanist

Abstract

The research that is culminating into this paper was undertaken to explore the way three West African theological educators were influenced by Joseph Boakye Danquah, himself not a Christian theologian, but a Pan Africanist, in their theological presuppositions. These three theological educators are Harry Sawyerr (Sierra Leone), Bolaji Idowu (Nigeria), and Kwesi Dickson (Ghana). Danquah’s significance lies in helping the reader not only to understand but also to appreciate the possibility of an African theologian and a Pan Africanist informing and inspiring the theology of church theologians. In this they provided intellectual reflections on a range of issues—the doctrine of God, ancestorhood, clan relations, the belief in things African, the important place of mother tongue in theology, culture, and financial independence among others. To describe Danquah as the first African theologian is not out of place, then influencing pioneer Christian theologians.