Authors: George Samuel Okoth1 and Julie Christine Nabwire2
1Department of Theology and Counseling Psychology,
Great Lakes University of Kisumu
P.O Box 2224, Kisumu, Kenya
Email: gegesamuel@yahoo.com
2Department of Educational Psychology, Kibabii University, Kenya
P. O. Box 1699 -50200. BUNGOMA.
Abstract:
Inculturation as a concept has dominated the African theological landscape for nearly five decades now. Theological practices and articulations remain foreign and irrelevant if not translated to convey the indigenous African meaning. The impact of the traditional elements of the eucharist is insignificant to indigenous communities, calling for a paradigm shift in the indigenous theological fabric that propagates the gospel. The notion of African indigenous communities importing the concept of the deity to the African soil is tantamount to theological dictatorship, a move that attracts theological dialogue and censorship. The research adopts two theories: translation theory by Lamin Sanneh and identity theory by Kwame Bedicako as fulcrums to reinforce the indigenous thought. The study is conducted among the Luo community of Nyanza, Kenya. The study therefore becomes an indigenous binocular that draws closer far-looking Biblical concepts to a local context for synthesis and awarding of meaning to make the gospel speak the language familiar to the consumers.
Keywords: Inculturation, African theology, Indigenous communities, Holy Eucharist, Theological practices, Translation theory, Identity theory, Luo community, Biblical contextualization, Theological dialogue, Cultural relevance
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Suggested Citation
Okoth, G. S., and Nabwire, J.C. (2025). A Flip Side of The Eucharist in the African Indigenous Community: A Focus on ‘Kuon’ Among the Luo, Kenya. African Research Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 12(1), 1-18. Available at http://arjess.org/social-sciences-research/a-flip-side-of-the-eucharist-in-the-african-indigenous-community-a-focus-on-kuon-among-the-luo-kenya.pdf
