Hilliard Kwashie Dela Dogbe (born April 5, 1970) is a Ghanaian clergyman and bishop in the

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

(A.M.E. Zion Church). He currently serves as the Bishop of the Western West Africa Episcopal District, which encompasses Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo.

Early life and education

Dogbe was born in

Accra Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

, to Presiding Elder Emile Doe Dogbe-Gakpetor and Mrs. Catherine Efua Dogbe-Gakpetor on 5 April 1970. He was baptized by Bishop W. A. Hilliard and received into full membership by Bishops Cecil Bishop and Ruben Lee Speaks in the A.M.E. Zion Church. Dogbe attended

Accra Academy Accra Academy is a Non-denominational Christianity, non-denominational Day School, day and Boarding School, boarding Single-sex education, boys' school. It is located at Bubuashie near Kaneshie in the Greater Accra Region. The school was establishe ...

for his secondary education and the

University of Ghana The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities. The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...

, where he completed his undergraduate studies. He furthered his education at various institutions, earning a Master of Arts degree in Practical Theology (Christian Education) from Princeton Theological Seminary in

Princeton, New Jersey Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...

, and a Master of Theology in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon in Accra, Ghana. He went on to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Practical Theology with distinction from

Luther Seminary Luther Seminary is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is the largest seminary of the ELCA. It also accepts and educates students of 41 other denominations and traditions. It is accredited ...

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...

USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. His dissertation was entitled; ''The Living Well: An Ecclesial Response to Alcoholism in Ghana.''

Career

Ministry and leadership

Throughout his career, Dogbe has held various leadership positions within the A.M.E. Zion Church, including serving as the Pastor in Charge of Aggrey Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Mamprobi. Additionally, he served as the Chief of Staff and Protocol to Bishop Seth Lartey. Dogbe's has also served as the Acting Presiding Elder of the Accra Central District and as a pastor in charge of various A.M.E. Zion Church societies, such as Aggrey Memorial Society in Mamprobi, Bishop Speaks Society in Accra New Town, Ebenezer Society in New Sempe, and Little Rock Society in New Achimota. He has also served in important administrative roles, including Chairman of the District Finance Board in the Accra Central District and Chairman of the Accra New Town Local Council of Churches under the Christian Council of Ghana. In 2016, Dogbe was elected Presiding Bishop of the

for the Western West Africa Episcopal District. He became the 104th presiding bishop of the church since its inception in 1821 and the first Ghanaian to be elected to serve in that capacity.

Academic pursuits

Dogbe engages in academia, focusing on the development of ministers and leadership enhancement programs. He has served as an Adjunct Lecturer in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon,

. He also held the position of Adjunct Instructor in Congregation and Community Care Leadership at

. Dogbe was also a teaching assistant at Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon and the A.M.E. Zion Institute of Theology and Conference Studies in Ghana.

Boards and affiliations

Dogbe is a member of the Society for Pastoral Theology, an international professional organization for pastoral theologians based in

Decatur, Georgia Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in ...

. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Governing Council at Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon,

. He is also a member of the Governing Council of

Livingstone College Livingstone College is a private, historically black Christian college in Salisbury, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Livingstone College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Sout ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, and serves on the advisory board of the Bible Society of Ghana. Furthermore, he holds a position on the executive committee of the Christian Council of Ghana.

Christian Council appointment

During the Annual General Meeting of the Christian Council of Ghana held on April 19, 2023, Dogbe was elected as the new Chairman of the council. He succeeded

Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante also known as J.O.Y. Mante (born 9 November 1957) is a Ghanaian theologian and Presbyterian minister who currently serves as the 18th Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), equival ...

, who had served as chairman for two years.

Publications and presentations

Dogbe has written two books. The first, titled ''Alcoholism in the African Family: A Christian Perspective'', was published by Woeli Publishing Services in

. His second book, ''The Church and Alcoholism in Ghana: A Practical Theological Interpretation'', was published by Print Logistics in Ghana. He has also made several notable presentations, including those on topics such as ''Congregational Response to Alcoholism'', ''The Trinity and Ecclesial Identity'', ''The Place of the Family in Contemporary Christian Educatio''n and ''Overcoming Challenges of Ministry in the New Millennium''.

Personal life

Dogbe is married to Cynthia Serwaa Dogbe, and together they have two sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dogbe, Hillard Kwashie Dela Living people 1970 births Ghanaian theologians Ghanaian Presbyterians 21st-century Ghanaian clergy People from Volta Region Claremont Graduate University alumni Academic staff of Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon Ewe people