Just before the Holiday break, a conference took place sponsored by Kenyatta University titled, ‘An Exploration of Roho Christianity in the Globalized African Public Space.’  This conference was attended by OAIC’s Reverend Phyllis Byrd and presenter Reverend Nicta Lubaale (OAIC General Secretary). Various experts and participants on the subject of Roho Christianity offered their recent discoveries and findings.  While many scholars discussed the issues they observed through their studies with Roho Christianity, the OAIC focused on these churches history, theology, and the people behind the religion.

Roho Christianity parallels the Pentecostal Churches and are also known as the Holy Spirit Churches in Africa. They have had a history of rejecting Western culture and placing high significance on community empowerment. These churches are closely related to African culture, with a strong focus on spiritual gifts and powers. In the confrontation with European colonial and missionary value systems these churches created African communities of the Holy Spirit, in which people defined their own identity in ways fundamentally distinct from those valued by the missionary churches, whose members came to be more closely moulded in the individualist, instrumental values of colonial society (Padwick).

The OAIC has taken the responsibility to link the AIC visions to Africa’s social, political and economic realities in a process to generate critical engagement and to also discuss the history behind the OAIC and its AIC’s to get a clear understanding behind Roho Christianity. During his presentation, Reverend Lubaale discussed the beginnings of the formation of the OAIC which started in the 1970s. As a result of the formation of the OAIC, specific programs began to develop to address the issues or focus areas for the OAIC. For example, in 1990 the OAIC began to take note that the majority of their churches were in rural or poverty stricken areas and thus organized work against poverty which is still taking place today. Soon after beginning its fight against poverty, the organization began to question the methodology being used. At the time Reverend Lubaale said, the OAIC did not adequately engage the cultural customs and beliefs that could benefit the way of life of these member churches. This was an opportunity for the OAIC to engage specifically in the Roho Churches who embraced their cultures.

In 1995-1996 there was an attempt to develop an appropriate methodology for these AIC’s. As a result, the OAIC generated the theological and cultural beliefs around HIV and AIDS.  The founder’s vision was a process of reflecting on the context and realities at these AICs. There was a clear gap in the process in training in theology which did not effectively address Roho Christianity at the time. Also during this time, money that had once been rejected during colonial times began to be introduced into the AIC’s in Africa. However, one of the groups of AIC’s that rejected this money was the Roho churches which choose to continue their community development.

Additionally, the issue of community caring for one another along with the Holy Spirit involvement issues that were occurring during the time needed to be addressed. The organization decided to move on and continue to recognize the Holy Spirit church. They started reflecting on context and the issue of cultural domination and spiritual domination. AIC’s wanted to be different and challenge the mainline churches. They even attempted to create their own schools, rejected modern medicine and continued the struggle in Western Kenya with the issue of economic agenda as well. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, these churches saw the economic domination which they challenged by the rejection of medicine. They linked all of these issues to colonial and political domination. Roho Churches prayed, designed flags and robs for worship. The Roho churches process in fellowships in fasting, flags and attire through designed uniforms. They formed communities which they often felt were under attack. These communities were a safe haven for the members of the Roho Churches where they could feel at home. These communities formed were of fellowship where there was no influence of colonialism in the church.

The challenges for the Roho churches were evidently present said Reverend Lubaale. One in particular was the process of praying in relation to the realities was de-politicized after independence. The mobilization process in development and civic education which do not come with the resourcefulness of Roho Churches also was an issue these churches face. There are many Pentecostal churches which were started and are being started having no relationship at all with the struggles against the political and economic domination of the past. These churches lack the tools for our engagement, but similarly they can learn from the late older churches but we cannot impose that history on them. However, these churches are known to be resourceful in catching up with the opportunities that present economic environment presents.

This process has enabled us to look at the resources. There are many New Pentecostal churches currently. The new churches do not have a struggle with the politics that many mainline churches have. In these churches, there is an abundant life for all and they refuse poverty through their community empowerment. No poverty results in prosperity for their churches. The OAIC seeks to continue to work with these churches to turn victims into vectors which are our current mode of engagement.  The OAIC also seeks a role of critical solidarity as well as illuminating the realities. Also it seeks to recognize the theologies that come to the surface as people engage with present day realities, working with actors to transform their theology. For example, Roho Christianity is engaging with theology in Kibera mission among the poor in the slums is occurring. For us we collect money and get out and provide healthcare. Roho churches can deal with issues of evil, on Sunday they look for a procession and elders start naming the evils in the community. Acknowledging the realities and naming the evils including witch crafting, and wife beating. This acknowledgement of the evils creates accountability in the communities that we do not get at the mainline churches.

Reverend Lubaale concluded with giving testimonies from members of the Roho Churches themselves, discussing their religion and theological views. The first testimony stated, ‘We are realizing that we do not just sacrifice our time, we come to this ministry as sacrifices ourselves.’ Another said, ‘We realize salvation is not for the individual, but for the whole community, salvation from hunger, poverty and ill health.’ Finally, the last testimony stated, ‘As we go out to implement our work, we meet people who are struggling, we have to deal with the issue but it is the process of reflection that enables us to face realities in a different way.’ From these testimonies we can see how these churches understand the issue of caring for the community. These churches set an example for us to follow in that they care for the other, working together, working for justice with one another. The challenge is these communities have lost their voice. How do we relieve the pastoral communities from this silence? It is necessary to engage the Roho Christianity in the social, political and economic realities with their own theology.

 

 

 

Reference: Padwick, Timothy John. Spirit, Desire and the World: Roho Churches of Western Kenya in the Era of Globalization, University of Birmingham, March 2003.