The Bible and Politics in Africa

Gathaka, The Bible and Democracy in Africa

word, must be able to transmit the right knowledge that will liberate
people and promote the common good of all, so that God’s love, justice
and righteousness can reign over the whole creation – even in the pre-
sent world.^15 While myriads of publications have been produced on the
subject a balanced summary could be found in Kwame Bendiako’s chap-
ter on ‘Christian religion and African Social Norms, Authority, Desac-
ralisation and Democracy, in Christianity in Africa, the Renewal of a non-
Western Religion.^16 The work of Bishop Gideon Githiga, The Church as
the Bulwark against Authoritarianism discusses in detail this subject,
the contribution of the Church in Kenya in this field.^17
We must acknowledge that the Church or the body of Christians is grow-
ing fast in Africa. In deed Christianity and Islam are two religions that
are growing fast in Africa. There may even be more Christians in Africa
than they are in the countries where missionaries came from. Both the
political leaders and the citizens in these countries the majority are those
who subscribe to Christianity. Therefore the Bible will continue to be
relevant in promoting and as well as influencing good governance. Many
people will appeal to its teachings on many social economic and political

matters democracy being one. We agree with Aloo Osotsi Mojola that,

The Christian Bible is a complex text capable of being read, interpreted and

used in any number of ways- for example as a master –text functioning to

give base and support for apartheid, slavery, racism, colonialism or as the

master text functioning to anchor and motivate liberation movements and

struggles for anti - colonialism and anti-racism, for civil rights and human

rights struggles, for anti-war and anti-poverty etc. Its message of the infinite

value and dignity of all humans, our oneness, unity and brotherhood/ sis-

terhood, love and self-sacrifice for the other, are more often spoken about

than lived out.^18

Indeed it is true that the Bible is still a relevant tool in the quest for en-
gendering plurality. Professor Mugambi rightly argues that:

(^15) Zablon Nthamburi, Theology and Politics in Africa, in L. Magesa and Z. Nthamburi,
eds, Democracy and Reconciliation, A Challenge for African Christianity, Nairobi, Acton
Publ., 1999, p 137.
(^16) Kwame Bediako, Christianity in Africa, The Renewal of a Non-Western Religion, Orbis
Books, Edinburgh Univ. Press; 1995.
(^17) Bishop Gideon Githiga, The Church as the Bulwark against Authoritarian, Oxford,
Regnum, 2001.
(^18) Aloo Osotsi Mojola, The Challenge of Ngugi wa Thing’o in African Bible Translators
and Biblical Scholars’ Biblical Texts and African Audiences, Ed. by E.R. Wendland and
Jean-Claude Loba- Mkole, Nairobi, Acton Publ., 2004.