Voices from the Third World (EATWOT) Gender, Power and Theology

ARTICLE REVIEW

A.J.M Ndeda, "A Gender Analysis of the Dynamic of An African Independent Church: Nomiya Luo Church in Kenya (C. 1907 to 1963)" in VOICES FROM THE THIRD WORLD, Women Reflecting on Gender, Power and Theology, (December 1998, Vol. XXI, No. 2), 83-110.

Mildred, J. Ndeda ushers her reader into a Post-Christian and modern realities of gender and independency of Christian ideology, in the formation of new social relations, as well as affirmation of traditional relations of domination between men and women. The Nomiya Luo Church (NLC, henceforth) developed within a semi patriarchal set up hence Ndeda putting us in the perspective to analyze male dominance and its persistence in that church. Much of this church's tenets are based on religious doctrines, beliefs and value systems and their impactful consequences on the roles and values concerning how women are considered.
 

Roles of women in the independent churches, the opportunities for leadership, and their roles as healers and patients and in relation to their background and concerns of daily life are what the author tries to usher the reader into. What ought to be understood is that women also possess their hidden sub-cultures and practices, which influence the groups. This is what they want to build within the church hierarchy as a group that is able to roll the stones to reconstruct a new leitmotif.

M. Ndeba tells us that, the study of independent churches is creating a new paradigm shift in the understanding and interplay of power imbalances today in Africa and more so in Kenya in matters of wealth distribution, and responsibility in women roles who are waking up from the shackles of male domination and oppression. Because the older churches have been identified with nativistic, separatist, sectarian, messianic, Zionist, prophetic and cultic where these kinds of models do not involve or consider the gender of women.

These independent churches were first seen as reactionary in attitude towards colonialism; but when they continued to mushroom, new explanations had to be sought. Today we can talk of not anything less than 9000 African Independent Churches (AICs) with millions of followers estimated at 15 percent of Africa's total Christian population. Sometimes they are growing far beyond the studies about them. As Hoehler-Fatton (1995:98) says:

The actual number of Africans involved in various kinds of indigenous Christianity may be much higher still, for the figures published in large surveys frequently exclude small, local Christian groups that stand distinct from established religious denominations but are not officially listed or recognized by their respective governments.

These independent churches emerged before the world war to articulate their independency. The efforts of the colonial presence and became a vital part of the political history of Kenya, more so when the local had no any other way of expressing their feelings and the freedom to meet and talk of community matters, this to the colonial master meant rebellious minds to fight the invader. These churches rejected the paternalistic and monopolistic attitude of the mainline churches. They aimed to create a fraternal spiritual understanding as a means of arousing a sense of unity among the followers and fulfilling the fulfilling immediate needs of the communities. (Baeta 1962:6). By 1966, there were 166 independent churches in Kenya and by 1978 they had become a matter of concern to the post-independent state (Barret 1968:30).

The women who were ardent followers in these churches make up at least two-thirds of the non-missionary church members with the great attraction of religious faith and religious participation of women than men. Nearly every major studies have talked about women and comprised a majority of the adherents of the churches they studied. (Sundkler 1976:79). Women have played and continue to play significant roles, either directly or indirectly, in the troubled life of the church in recent years, especially in the independent churches.

 

There is little information about how gender shapes religious ideology in our understanding. In the academic circles, gender debate proceeds apace, in the church it is not taken seriously. Kretzschmar (1991:106-119) states "Can we afford to ignore the vital issues of gender?" We need to ask how those who are proclaiming the good news, respond to the oppression or subordination of women within its ranks? What is the reason for the subdued silence of women in the church and other areas? What does this convey of the church and its perception of women?

(Ramodibe 2000:255) carries this comment further:

There can be no argument that the church is one of the most oppressive structures in society today, especially regarding the church are women, but men make decisions affecting them alone (with very few exceptions). Once women are acknowledged as pastors, as the body of Christ, we can build a new church. I say a new church because the church as we have it today is a creation of male persons. As women, we have always felt like strangers in this make the church.

This always takes the form of male dominance and female subordination, where women are always excluded from positions of responsibility more so in matters of sharing in status because a great deal of decision-making and authority goes to men. A gender approach means analyzing the forms and the links that gender relations take, and the links between then and other wider relations in society. Ndeda says that sexual dominance prevails and men are privileged over women. Males retain exclusive access to key authoritative posts such as the pastoral office and eldership board membership. She quotes (Sered 1994:3):

Ethnographic and historical studies of women and religion have thoroughly documented patterns of women's exclusion from positions of significant religious leadership. In many societies, women have active religious lives, yet ecclesiastical hierarchies rarely include women and official or official or great tradition or religious concepts generally reflect men's and not women's priorities and life experience. But scattered throughout the world and centuries, there are instances are religious domination by women in which women have been the leaders, the majority of participants and in which women's concerns have been central.

The most puzzling issues for Ndeda is the immense power and influence which female leaders often wielded in these churches contrary to male dominance in the mainstream churches. In some of these churches, she says that prophetesses have left indelible marks on the African continent, for example, Alice Lakwena of Uganda, Mother Jane Bloomer of Freetown. In Ivory Coast, Marie Lalou was inspired by a dream to start a cult so that women have ceremonial leadership and a clear sense of gender roles is maintained. Such independent churches believe that it is the Holy Spirit that raises people to positions of authority, irrespective of gender. Locally in the Kenyan scene, we have Mary Akatsa of Kawangware and Maria Aoko of Legio Maria who carved niches for themselves in Kenya's religious history.

Independence and the Subordination of the Luo Women

Owalo the founder of NLC established what seems as a paramount chief type of leadership, in that the leadership went beyond clan boundaries. He mingled with Luo leadership pattern and the Christian one. His church was an ethnic group and he insisted that the only true Luo could be his followers. Ndeda states:

In the NLC titles, marital status and age assumed significance in conferring status. The ideal leader in addition to being male has to be at least middle age and married. The leadership, literacy was a requirement but nor necessary a high level of education. Before assuming a position of spiritual leadership ordination and proper consecration was done in the presence of many adherents. During the ordination, the leader's responsibilities were delineated to avoid conflicts. The dominion of leadership roles by men shows evidence that in the NLC, women were subordinated. This subordination simply means to put a person, or group, in a less important position, the subordination of women refers to relations between men and women within the social process as a whole and the way those relationships work to the detriment of women.

She always quotes (Collins, 1971) in his argument from the Freudian perspective that women's subordination is fundamental as a result of men's sexual lust and men have used their size and strength to coerce women, while Tiger, on the other hand, asserts that men dominance arises from their social bonding.

 

The argument here is that their subordination was not solely the result of policies imposed by foreign capital and other forces of colonialism. Rather, patriarchal value systems borrowed patriarchal control and reinforced and transformed one another evolving into new structures and forms of domination. These structures were not questioned. The inequality between men and women remained rooted and perpetuated and determined and distorted traditional traditions. Women continued to be victims of male dominance. Patriarchal value systems, borrowed from the Luo patterns and colonial system. Were supported by religious beliefs of the NLC and exerted social belief in male superiority and female inferiority. Hence the subordination of women was rubber-stamped by the NLC.

Ndeda says

As in the rest of society, the major decision-makers and functionaries were men. The main figures in the church were the bishops, elders, and administrators. This religious movement was viewed as everyone's concern but with the specific responsibility and privilege of men. Women were extremely important, absolutely important, essential and highly regarded but primarily as facilitators of the men's religious activities. Most of the women were not aware of their giftedness, dignity and potential and self-worth because they were unconsciously victims of male dominance, social prejudices, and discrimination. Their valuable contribution to the church was either insignificantly appreciated, or not at all.

In the churchmen regarded themselves as superior to moment and as their roles increased in number importance so women were denied equal opportunities in the church. Women were not appointed into the critical areas of decision-making and participation like the NLC gatherings of leaders. They were excluded from the leadership role in public rituals, for example, no women officiated as elders during ordination and baptismal ceremonies. Women were seemingly excluded from positions of authority, for at the death of Owalo (founder) his close adherents and the bearers of his mantle and vision were men. Cleaning the church, cooking and serving during the ceremonial functions and organizing prayers for the sick but were never assigned priestly functions, they directed the church singing on Sundays and other occasions because music as a form of presentation and expression was greatly appreciated by women.

Women's religious lives are often closely linked to their interpersonal concerns: the network of relationships that seem most relevant to the understanding of women's religiosity is the family. An intense concern with the well-being of the extended family characterizes the religious life of many women. (Ndeda 1991) says that: NLC needs to address the issue of the liberation of women must be given roles in decision making and this will help towards equality. It should always come to grips with its concept of vocation and perhaps develop a consciousness of gender-related issues. There is a need for increased education for women. Men also need to be liberated from the attitudes and structures that bind them. This implies that male and female liberation and wholeness in the church.

 

 

Bibliography

Baeta, C.G., Prophetism, London: SCM 1962.

Barret, C.D., Interdisciplinary Theories of Religion in African Independency, Nairobi, East African Publishing House, 1970.

Colloins, R. Conflict Sociology: Towards an Explanatory Science, New York: Academic Press 1971.

Hoehler- Fatton, CYNTHIA. Women of Fire and Spirit: History, Faith and Gender in Roho Religion in Nyanza, New York: Oxford University Press 1995.

Kretzschmar, L., “The Relevance of Feminist Theology within the South African Context”, in Women hold up Half the Sky, (ed,) D, Ackermann, J.A Drapper and E. Mashini, Pierermaritizburg: Cluster Publication, 1991, 106-119.

Ramodibe, Dorothy, AIC Women in Mission, Missionalia, 28 (2/3), August/November, 2000, 255.

Sundkler, B., Bantu Prophets in South Africa, London: Oxford University Press, 1961.