Very Rev. Livingstone Komla Buama

• Moderator(2001 – 2009)

The Very Rev. Dr. Livingstone Komla Buama is a native of Klefe Dome in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana.  After his elementary education in his home town, he was appointed a pupil teacher for a short period of time.

In 1960, he gained admission to the E. P. Training College at Amedzofe, Ghana to pursue a two year basic course in education leading to the award of Certificate ‘B’.  A year after, he was called for a top-up programme at the Presbyterian Training College, Akropong Akwapim in Ghana leading to the award of Certificate ‘A’.  He taught for five years at various stations and received a call into the holy ministry to be trained as a minister of the gospel in the year 1970.  Before his admission to the Trinity College, Legon, he sat as a private candidate for the GCE ‘O’ level and passed all six subjects.  He graduated with Licentiate in Theology (L.Th) from the University of Ghana, Legon in 1973.

He could not be ordained in 1973 when he completed his theological education.  The reason is that in 1974, he gained admission into the Lakeland, College, Wisconsin, U.S.A. to further his education.  He studied diligently and obtained a B.A. (Summa Cum Laude) Degree in Philosophy and Religion in 1976 from Lakeland College.

In 1977 he graduated with a Master of Theology (M.Th) Degree in Systematic Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A.

He returned to Ghana in 1977 and was appointed a full lecturer at his alma mater, Trinity College as it was then called.  In the same year (1977), he was ordained into the priesthood.

He went back to the U.S.A. to continue his education in the year 1980. From 1980 to 1985, he studied at Drew University, Madison, N.J, U.S.A. where he obtained his M.Phil in Systematic Theology, (1983) and Ph.D Systematic Theology (1985).

Very Rev. Dr. L.K. Buama’s Ph.D dissertation topic was on “The Relevance of Jones Cone’s Black Theology for the Ghanaian context”.  The main thrust of the dissertation is A critique of Cone’s work from the Ghanaian perspective and the Projection of a Theological option for the Ghanaian context, namely, “A Theology of Holistic Exuberance”.  Before his return to Ghana in 1985, The Very Rev. Dr. Buama was appointed as a Teaching and a Research Fellow in Basic Theology at Drew University, Madison, New Jersey, U.S.A. where he taught Basic Theology.

From 1985 to 1989 and 1996 to 2000 he was full-time lecturer at the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon in Ghana. He also served as the Principal (President) of the Trinity Theological Seminary, Ghana from 1989 to 1994.

In 2001, he was elected the Moderator of his Church, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana and served for two terms which ended in 2008.  While still at Trinity Theological Seminary, he was an adjunct lecturer (1985-1986) in Systematic Theology at the University of Cape Coast. In 1993, he was a visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, U.S.A.  In 1994 and 1995 he taught “African Christian Theology” and “The Christian Life in Africa Today” as an Adjunct Professor at the School of Theology, Virginia Union, U.S.A.  In 1995 and 1996, he was at the Mission Resource Centre, Atlanta, where he taught African Christian Spirituality as International Church Person in Residence, and served as a Resource Person in Mission.  During the same period, he also taught in Candler School of Theology and Columbia Theological Seminary, all in Atlanta U.S.A. as Adjunct Professor.  He was the Acting Academic Dean of the School of Theology at the Central University College, Accra from 1997 to 1998, and as Adjunct Faculty member of Central University College up to 2000, where he taught the following courses among others:  African Christian Theology, Christology, The Doctrine of God, African Traditional Religion, Philosophy and Cultural Values, Logic, Principles of Teaching, and Contemporary Theology.

As a Pastor, Very Rev. Dr. L.K. Buama served in the following capacities: He was the District Pastor in charge of the Madina, Mamprobi, Adenta and Mempeasem congregations of the E. P. Church all in Accra.  He was the Associate Pastor, Rosevile Church in the Presbyterian Church of U.S.A., PCUSA.  He was the Chairman of Board of Governors for the E. P. Church Seminary situated in Peki in the Volta Region.  He was also the Chairman of the West Volta Presbytery of the E.P. Church, stretching from Kpong to Kitampo.  He was a Synod Committee Member of the Church, a Standing Committee Member of the Christian Council of Ghana and then the Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (2001-2008).  In addition to his pastoral services, he was also appointed by the Government of Ghana as the chairman for the Nkonya-Alavanyo Conflict Mediation (Peace Building) Committee, the committee that brought a lasting peace to the two traditional areas in the Volta Region.  The Very Rev. Dr. L. K. Buama was a Member and the Acting Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Education, Winneba from 2004 to 2008.  He is currently a Scholar in Residence at the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon. In 2010, he was appointed by the E. P. Church as the Honorary Chancellor of the Premier University of the Volta Region, the Evangelical Presbyterian University College.

The Very Rev. Dr. Livingstone K. Buama contributed immensely to knowledge by way of publications.  The following are some of his publications:

• Our Christian Understanding of God published by the Asempa Publishers in 1991,
• The Person of Jesus,
• Christian Understanding of Human Existence,
• The Holy Spirit, and
• The Trinity and the Cross of Christ. 

He has also got the following seven articles to his credit: 

• The Ever-creating God, Norddeutsche Mission Theological Consultation, Bremen 1988;
• Christian Witnessing in a Religiously Plural Climate;
• A Reflection on Prayer in the Trinity Journal of Church and Theology, Vol.1 No.2 (Dec. 1991);
• Christian Worship within the Ghanaian Context in the Trinity Journal of Church and Theology Vol.2 No.1 (June 1992);
• Vision in Life and for Life-Trinity Journal of Church and Theology, Vol.2 No2 (Dec.1992),
• The Theological Moral Spiritual Significance of the Lord’s Supper in the Trinity Journal of Church and Theology Vol.3 No.2 (Dec. 1993);
• “The Worship Experience of the Reformed Family in Ghana/West Africa:  The Cry and Quest for Liturgical Reform” in Christian Worship in Reformed Churches Past and Presented, Lukas Vischer (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge U.K., 2003.  

His book The Agenda for Christianity in Africa Today will soon be presented for publication.

The Very Rev. Dr. Buama received three awards and honours: In 1976, he was presented with the most outstanding Student Award in the Department of Religion – Lakeland College in the U.S.A.  For his meritorious service in religion, he was honoured in 2006 by the Ghana Government with the enviable national award called The President’s National Award for meritorious Service in Religion “COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF THE VOLTA”.  In 2008, he was presented with an international award, “The World Medal of Freedom” for significant accomplishment in Church and Society by the American Biographical Institute.

The Very Rev. Dr. L. K. Buama, is an inspirational speaker.  He is married to Mrs. Janet Buama (née Akande); the marriage is blessed with four adult children, three males and a female – Elorm, Setri, Kafui, and Fafa.