Africa
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When Christian Fasting Turns into Child Abuse
Introduction In late April and until end of May 2023, national and international media reported at least two hundred and twenty-seven bodies of children and adults discovered in shallow graves in a forest near Shakahola village of Magarini Constituency, Kenya.[1] The victims died from the religious directions given by Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, a taxi driver-turned-founder of the Good News International Church, that they must fast to death in order to meet Jesus. Those rescued were beyond recognition because of their emaciated conditions. Fundamental questions remain regarding the classification of religious movements. The issue now arises whether Makenzie’s organisation is a Neo-Pentecostal church or cult group, as it has now…
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Subverting Political Powers through the Power of Advent
Christianity has always been an act of translation. So argued the Gambian missiologist, Lamin Sanneh, who spent many of his years at Yale University. The tradition of advent, celebrated in many western Christian traditions, has travelled a long distance from medieval Europe to the urban towns and villages of the global South. Here in Africa, Christmas trees litter selfies on Instagram profiles. Christmas lights adorn various buildings in a way that enlightens the complicated courtship between faith and consumeristic ideals. Advent hymns ring through songs and prayers in liturgies across various churches in the city of Nairobi. What this act of translation has potential to do is to speak to…
