Samuel Koranteng-Pipim
Encyclopedia
Samuel Koranteng Pipim is a US-based Ghanaian author, speaker, and theologian. Trained in engineering and systematic theology, he based his office in Ann Arbor, Michigan
, where, up until 2011, he ministered to students, faculty, and staff at the University of Michigan
. He has authored and co-authored more than a dozen books. He has spoken around the world at events for youth, students, and young professionals. He helped begin and has sat on the Board of Directors for the Generation of Youth for Christ
organization (GYC), a revival movement of Seventh-day Adventist youth in North America.
He resigned his ministerial credentials in May 2011 and was disfellowshipped by his local church on June 15, 2011..
, West Africa
. He holds a degree in engineering from the University of Science and Technology
, Kumasi
, Ghana, where he subsequently served as a research and teaching assistant. Having been a leader in a non-denominational, charismatic movement, Pipim later became a Seventh-day Adventist. After accepting the call to the gospel ministry, he worked in the Central Ghana conference as its Coordinator of Campus Ministries. He later went to the United States to pursue a ministerial training at Andrews University
where in 1998 he received a PhD
in systematic theology
, specializing in biblical authority, interpretation and ecclesiology. His doctoral dissertation, The Role of the Holy Spirit in Biblical Interpretation: A Study in the Writings of James I. Packer, was under the supervision of Raoul Dederen, with Clark H. Pinnock as the external examiner.
In 1998, his church leadership in Michigan appointed him to direct its newly created department of Public Campus Ministries to cater for the spiritual needs of students on secular university campuses. Since that time, Pipim's theological ideas and philosophy has had a significant affect on students and young adults the world over.
's Inspiration: Hard Questions, Honest Answers (1991). Perceiving this work “as the archetypical product of historical-critical methodology,” Pipim and six other scholars of the Adventist Theological Society
issued a rejoinder in their book Issues in Revelation and Inspiration.
An Evangelical publication, Reformation & Revival Journal, describes Pipim's Receiving the Word as “a provocative Adventist treatment which looks at the pros and cons of various methods of Bible study.” 'Seeking a Sanctuary
describes Pipim as a leading critic of what he deems "liberal Adventism."
In a work on “Adventist Views on Biblical and Prophetic Inspiration,” a colleague of Pipim's judged Receiving the Word as “one of the most influential landmarks in that debate” and one of “the two main conflicting poles around which gravitate[d] the contemporary discussions on [the Bible's] inspiration” during the second half of the 1990s.
In addition to challenging the method of moderate liberalism, Pipim's book also worked to make a strong case for his church's 1986 “Methods of Bible Study” statement, which “urge[ed] Adventist Bible students to avoid relying on the use of the presuppositions and the resultant deductions associated with the historical-critical method.” Receiving the Word also claimed the use of contemporary higher criticism (the historical-critical method) was undermining key Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and practices. The book generated considerable reaction—both for and against. Some took exception to the book, dismissing it as a "fundamentalist" view. Scholars who embraced the church's historical positions, however, were more supportive of the book.
Pipim contributed to the Biblical Research Institute
's book Interpreting Scripture, published in 2010, a work which attempted to provide answers to questions often raised concerning the Bible. Besides CAMPUS (Center for Adventist Ministry to Public University Students) and the Emmanuel Institute of Evangelism, Michigan Conference's outreach school, Pipim also regularly teaches intensive courses on hermeneutics to students enrolled at, AFCOE (Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism
), ARISE (A Resource Institute for Soul-winning and Evangelism), and LIFE (Lay Institute for Evangelism), supporting institutes run by Adventist supporting organizations.
and remarriage, certain worship
styles, church growth
methods that employ gospel gimmicks, prayer warriors and other trends in the church. Also through his reviews of some scholarly works and his foreword or endorsement of certain published authors, he has also articulated his own views on such topics as the atonement of Christ, abortion, and war.
Pipim's critique of what he calls "liberal" Adventism has been criticized. Charles Scriven, President of Kettering College, criticized Pipim because his writings provide “the energy” for the church's opposition to “the adventure of truth.” He went on to say Pipim is fueling the “drift” of the church “ever closer to religious fundamentalism”—characterizations that Pipim has contested, arguing that such criticisms are the resort of those who themselves have embraced “liberal fundamentalism.”
, Hope Channel and Amazing Discoveries. Pipim has also spoken in many African Universities giving a lecture series, dubbed the "Why" lecture series which largely consists of him asking a series of “Why” questions intended to illustrate his points.
Pipim has authored a number of books including Must We Be Silent? and Here We Stand.
in Ann Arbor
.
CAMPUS was the department through which the Michigan Conference
birthed, sponsored and directed the beginnings of Generation of Youth for Christ, then known as the General Youth Conference or GYC.
Pipim has also been active in the Adventist Church's young adult ministry in other parts of the world. One of the ways he has done this is through an organization in Africa, ALIVE (Africans Living In View of Eternity). ALIVE is sponsored by CAMPUS and is a movement that intends to “change the face of Africa,” by mobilizing “committed and dedicated young people with the courage to do ordinary things extraordinarily well.” In the words of a leader of ALIVE, this new breed of Africans are responding to the call “to lead by principle and conviction . . . [and to] to cease settling for mediocrity and become an agent of positive change.”
In response to loud clamor for words from him, Pipim maintains a low-keyed, albeit effective ministry to young people through a facebook 'weekly nugget' posting that is titled 'Songs in the Dark'.
. Writing in Spectrum magazine, Andrew Hanson wrote that GYC was an "emotional, anti-intellectual [and] conservative movement" with little long-term accomplishments that can be "spiritually harmful" to young people. Ervin Taylor, writing in Adventist Today
agreed, observing that GYC was a "well-financed means to advance fundamentalist North American Adventism supported by well-known very conservative and even reactionary forces who also support and advance the Adventist Theological Society."
Until his voluntary resignation in 2011, Pipim continued to play a largely public role in shaping the direction of the youth movement through sitting on GYC's board of directors and being a regular presenter at GYC's annual conventions. During the 2008 convention, GYC stated that Pipim had "developed a reputation for his bold messages and commitment to the ultimate authority of God's Word.”
reported that Pipim had resigned his employment with the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
and canceled all his speaking appointments following a "moral fall" during one of his overseas travels.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, where, up until 2011, he ministered to students, faculty, and staff at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He has authored and co-authored more than a dozen books. He has spoken around the world at events for youth, students, and young professionals. He helped begin and has sat on the Board of Directors for the Generation of Youth for Christ
Generation of Youth for Christ
Generation of Youth for Christ, formerly the General Youth Conference, is an annual conference and expression of Adventist theology which organizes and cordinates Bible studies, online sermons, regional youth conferences, mission trips, global networking opportunities for young people, week of...
organization (GYC), a revival movement of Seventh-day Adventist youth in North America.
He resigned his ministerial credentials in May 2011 and was disfellowshipped by his local church on June 15, 2011..
Biography
Pipim was born in GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. He holds a degree in engineering from the University of Science and Technology
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology is a university located in Kumasi, Ghana.It is the second public university established in the country. The University has its roots in the plans of the Asantehene Agyeman Prempeh I to establish a university in Kumasi as part of his drive...
, Kumasi
Kumasi
Kumasi is a city in southern central Ghana's Ashanti region. It is located near Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about northwest of Accra. Kumasi is approximately north of the Equator and north of the Gulf of Guinea...
, Ghana, where he subsequently served as a research and teaching assistant. Having been a leader in a non-denominational, charismatic movement, Pipim later became a Seventh-day Adventist. After accepting the call to the gospel ministry, he worked in the Central Ghana conference as its Coordinator of Campus Ministries. He later went to the United States to pursue a ministerial training at Andrews University
Andrews University
Andrews University is a Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College in Battle Creek, Michigan, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists, and is the flagship university of the Seventh-day...
where in 1998 he received a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in systematic theology
Systematic theology
In the context of Christianity, systematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs...
, specializing in biblical authority, interpretation and ecclesiology. His doctoral dissertation, The Role of the Holy Spirit in Biblical Interpretation: A Study in the Writings of James I. Packer, was under the supervision of Raoul Dederen, with Clark H. Pinnock as the external examiner.
In 1998, his church leadership in Michigan appointed him to direct its newly created department of Public Campus Ministries to cater for the spiritual needs of students on secular university campuses. Since that time, Pipim's theological ideas and philosophy has had a significant affect on students and young adults the world over.
Method
In the 1990s, Pipim played a role in the Adventist debate over the Bible's authority and interpretation, an issue that came into greater prominence with the publication of Old Testament scholar Alden ThompsonAlden Thompson
Alden Lloyd Thompson is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian theologian, author and popular speaker and seminar presenter. He is the professor of biblical studies at Walla Walla University in Washington, United States...
's Inspiration: Hard Questions, Honest Answers (1991). Perceiving this work “as the archetypical product of historical-critical methodology,” Pipim and six other scholars of the Adventist Theological Society
Adventist Theological Society
The Adventist Theological Society is an international nonprofit organization of Seventh-day Adventist scholars and lay-people. The society holds its annual meeting in connection with the Evangelical Theological Society. It describes its theology as "balanced and conservative Adventist theology"...
issued a rejoinder in their book Issues in Revelation and Inspiration.
An Evangelical publication, Reformation & Revival Journal, describes Pipim's Receiving the Word as “a provocative Adventist treatment which looks at the pros and cons of various methods of Bible study.” 'Seeking a Sanctuary
Seeking a Sanctuary
Seeking a Sanctuary: Seventh-day Adventism and the American Dream is a book about the Seventh-day Adventist Church coauthored by Malcolm Bull and Keith Lockhart...
describes Pipim as a leading critic of what he deems "liberal Adventism."
In a work on “Adventist Views on Biblical and Prophetic Inspiration,” a colleague of Pipim's judged Receiving the Word as “one of the most influential landmarks in that debate” and one of “the two main conflicting poles around which gravitate[d] the contemporary discussions on [the Bible's] inspiration” during the second half of the 1990s.
In addition to challenging the method of moderate liberalism, Pipim's book also worked to make a strong case for his church's 1986 “Methods of Bible Study” statement, which “urge[ed] Adventist Bible students to avoid relying on the use of the presuppositions and the resultant deductions associated with the historical-critical method.” Receiving the Word also claimed the use of contemporary higher criticism (the historical-critical method) was undermining key Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and practices. The book generated considerable reaction—both for and against. Some took exception to the book, dismissing it as a "fundamentalist" view. Scholars who embraced the church's historical positions, however, were more supportive of the book.
Pipim contributed to the Biblical Research Institute
Biblical Research Institute
The Biblical Research Institute is a service department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with the three stated functions of research, apologetics , and service to the church. It serves as a theological consultant to the General Conference...
's book Interpreting Scripture, published in 2010, a work which attempted to provide answers to questions often raised concerning the Bible. Besides CAMPUS (Center for Adventist Ministry to Public University Students) and the Emmanuel Institute of Evangelism, Michigan Conference's outreach school, Pipim also regularly teaches intensive courses on hermeneutics to students enrolled at, AFCOE (Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism
Amazing Facts
Amazing Facts is an American Christian ministry. Beginning as a single radio program in 1966 it has expanded into television programming, training, health, prophecy seminars and online Bible study ministries. Its theology is largely that of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.-History:Amazing Facts...
), ARISE (A Resource Institute for Soul-winning and Evangelism), and LIFE (Lay Institute for Evangelism), supporting institutes run by Adventist supporting organizations.
Positions
Other than his contribution to Adventist discussions on biblical methodology, Pipim has also been involved in some of the most contentious issues in his church. For example, Pipim contributed to the book Prove All Things (2000), the most extensive critical appraisal of Women in Ministry, a book by scholars at Andrews University such as Gerard Damsteegt. He actively participated in the church's creation-evolution discussions during the “Faith and Science Conferences” in 2002 and 2004. He has spoken out against the black and white racially-based church structures in North America, the biblical legitimacy of homosexuality, what he calls "unbiblical" divorceDivorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
and remarriage, certain worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
styles, church growth
Church growth
Church Growth is a movement within evangelical Christianity which emphasizes mainly missionary work combined with sociological awareness of the target population. The "seeker sensitive" label for this approach characterizes the would-be converts as "seekers".-History:Church Growth began with the...
methods that employ gospel gimmicks, prayer warriors and other trends in the church. Also through his reviews of some scholarly works and his foreword or endorsement of certain published authors, he has also articulated his own views on such topics as the atonement of Christ, abortion, and war.
Pipim's critique of what he calls "liberal" Adventism has been criticized. Charles Scriven, President of Kettering College, criticized Pipim because his writings provide “the energy” for the church's opposition to “the adventure of truth.” He went on to say Pipim is fueling the “drift” of the church “ever closer to religious fundamentalism”—characterizations that Pipim has contested, arguing that such criticisms are the resort of those who themselves have embraced “liberal fundamentalism.”
Public speaking and writing
Pipim has travelled extensively, speaking in churches and church gatherings, at schools, civic events and other venues. He has also appeared on various Christian TV channels including 3ABN3ABN
Three Angels Broadcasting Network, or 3ABN for short, is a nonprofit, 24-hour television and radio network that primarily focuses on Christian and health-oriented programming...
, Hope Channel and Amazing Discoveries. Pipim has also spoken in many African Universities giving a lecture series, dubbed the "Why" lecture series which largely consists of him asking a series of “Why” questions intended to illustrate his points.
Pipim has authored a number of books including Must We Be Silent? and Here We Stand.
Youth ministry
Between 1999 and 2011 Pipim served as the director of CAMPUS (Center for Adventist Ministry to Public University Students), a division of Michigan Conference Public Campus Ministries department. It is located near the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
.
CAMPUS was the department through which the Michigan Conference
Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
The Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is the organizational body of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the State of Michigan in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Lansing, Michigan. It is organized as a part of the Lake Union Conference, one of eight such unions within...
birthed, sponsored and directed the beginnings of Generation of Youth for Christ, then known as the General Youth Conference or GYC.
Pipim has also been active in the Adventist Church's young adult ministry in other parts of the world. One of the ways he has done this is through an organization in Africa, ALIVE (Africans Living In View of Eternity). ALIVE is sponsored by CAMPUS and is a movement that intends to “change the face of Africa,” by mobilizing “committed and dedicated young people with the courage to do ordinary things extraordinarily well.” In the words of a leader of ALIVE, this new breed of Africans are responding to the call “to lead by principle and conviction . . . [and to] to cease settling for mediocrity and become an agent of positive change.”
In response to loud clamor for words from him, Pipim maintains a low-keyed, albeit effective ministry to young people through a facebook 'weekly nugget' posting that is titled 'Songs in the Dark'.
Generation of Youth for Christ
Writing about the history of GYC, a retired communication director of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, states the leaders of GYC were attracted to Pipim's “can-do, tell-it-like-it-is, traditional Adventism” and his “‘higher than the highest’ philosophy: of excellence that he advocated through CAMPUS. Empowered by Pipim's conservative theology and ideals, “these scattered students began dreaming what they called the great experiment in 1999.” Critics however, saw GYC as nothing more than another manifestation of reactionary, Historic AdventismHistoric Adventism
Historic Adventism is an informal designation for conservative individuals and organizations affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church who seek to preserve certain traditional beliefs and practices of the church. As a general rule, Historic Adventists feel that the church leadership has...
. Writing in Spectrum magazine, Andrew Hanson wrote that GYC was an "emotional, anti-intellectual [and] conservative movement" with little long-term accomplishments that can be "spiritually harmful" to young people. Ervin Taylor, writing in Adventist Today
Adventist Today
Adventist Today is a bimonthly Christian magazine representing a progressive Seventh-day Adventist perspective. First published in 1993, it is currently edited by J. David Newman, the former editor of Ministry...
agreed, observing that GYC was a "well-financed means to advance fundamentalist North American Adventism supported by well-known very conservative and even reactionary forces who also support and advance the Adventist Theological Society."
Until his voluntary resignation in 2011, Pipim continued to play a largely public role in shaping the direction of the youth movement through sitting on GYC's board of directors and being a regular presenter at GYC's annual conventions. During the 2008 convention, GYC stated that Pipim had "developed a reputation for his bold messages and commitment to the ultimate authority of God's Word.”
Resignation
On May 31, 2011, SpectrumSpectrum (magazine)
Spectrum is the official publication of Adventist Forums, published four times a year. It was established "to encourage Seventh-day Adventist participation in the discussion of contemporary issues from a Christian viewpoint, to look without prejudice at all sides of a subject, to evaluate the...
reported that Pipim had resigned his employment with the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
The Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is the organizational body of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the State of Michigan in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Lansing, Michigan. It is organized as a part of the Lake Union Conference, one of eight such unions within...
and canceled all his speaking appointments following a "moral fall" during one of his overseas travels.
External links
- CAMPUS
- Articles by Koranteng-Pipim as cataloged in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index (SDAPI)