The Department is dedicated to the promotion of the scientific study of religions but also continues with the promotion of high-quality theological education for a just, peaceful and humane society. The academic training provided by the Department is intended to equip students to understand and interpret the world and society, and to enable them respond creatively to the challenges presented by the multicultural local and global environments. There is also a serious academic engagement with African Indigenous Religions and Cultures with the aim of making a distinctive African, and for that matter Ghanaian, contribution to religious and theological studies.
Brief History
The Department for the Study of Religions of the University of Ghana is the oldest in the country, and one of the oldest in Africa. It started as the Department of Divinity in 1948 as one of the original units of the Faculty of Arts of the then University College of the Gold Coast. Its current name was adopted in 1962 to reflect the secular and multi-religious character of the country. The change of name was also to reflect the orientation of the Department as a sub-unit of a public secular university committed to the academic rather than confessional approach to the study of religion.
Vision
The Department for the Study of Religions seeks to become a globally recognized centre of excellence in Africa which provides high quality scientific study of religions and theology.
Mission
An essential goal of religion is the pursuit for peace and well-being of humanity. The mission of the Department is therefore to train people, irrespective of their religious affiliations or otherwise, to be knowledgeable about religion and to have a critical, open-minded and analytical attitude about their or other people’s religion.
Strategy
To recruit qualified and committed staff, and to ensure that the programme structure reflects the multicultural and religiously pluralistic nature of the contemporary Ghanaian and global society.
Administrative Leadership
See AllProf. Ben-Willie K. Golo
Head of Department
Prof. Ben-Willie K. Golo is an associate professor of religious studies.
Prof. George Ossom-Batsa
Chair of Graduate Studies Committee
Professor George Ossom-Batsa is an associate professor in Biblical Studies.
Dr Godfred Nsiah
Examinations Officer
Dr Godfred Nsiah is a Biblical Studies scholar and a Senior Lecturer at the department
Prof. Nicoletta Gatti
Undergraduate Programme Coordinator
Professor Nicoletta Gatti is an associate professor in Biblical Studies.
