(ANALYSIS) American gospel musician Kirk Franklin and his Maverick City shook off negative perceptions from Kenyan skeptics to stage a show. As fans gathered at the Ulinzi Stadium in Nairobi to dance to Franklin, critics chose to stay away. Those who believe they are defenders of the Christian faith warned that Franklin was no longer representative of Jesus.
Read MoreDaystar University, a Kenyan school whose academic programs started with a certificate course from Wheaton College and later rose to be a leader in the training of communicators in Africa, has been forced to defend its Christian identity after a Muslim member of parliament accused it of discriminatory practices.
Read More(TRAVEL) Sitting snugly at the start of the escarpment taking visitors up from the floor of the Great Rift Valley, not far from Kenya’s capitol Nairobi, is Mai Mahiu Catholic Church, otherwise known as the “Travelers’ Chapel.” Older generations call the place as “Msikiti,” which means mosque. One of Africa’s smallest churches, in fact, dates back to World War II when it was built by Italian prisoners of war.
Read MoreViolence by Islamic extremist groups such as Fulani militants, Boko Haram and Islamic State in West African Province increased during the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, putting Nigeria at the epicenter of targeted violence against the church. The West African nation of 226 million is divided evenly between Christians and Muslims.
Read MoreTemitope Balogun Joshua (better known as T.B. Joshua) was a Nigerian charismatic pastor and televangelist whose ministry was dogged by one controversy after another until his death on June 5, 2021. Now it seems controversy has followed the man to grave. A BBC expose has former church members accusing the pastor of all sorts of wrongdoing.
Read MoreOver the next few weeks, a team of pastors will organize events in Ivory Coast — with plans to involve players, coaches and fans — throughout the Africa Cup of Nations, which ends on Feb. 11 with the final. The host nation — along with Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt — are among the favorites to win Africa’s premier soccer tournament for national teams.
Read MoreThe decision by Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo to become a Christian was one of the biggest stories involving athletes and their faith in 2023. He’s one of five athletes who have been vocal about their Christian faith who now serve as a role model to millions around the world.
Read More(REVIEW) In his new book, “Heartbeat: An American Cardiologist in Kenya,” Dr. David Silverstein, who is Jewish, recounts the highs and lows of being Moi’s personal physician. It meant that he was privy to some of the biggest secrets and decisions ever made in Kenya.
Read MoreOver the past few days, the Israeli war against Hamas has dominated conversations. Although this debate is going on practically everywhere in the world, for Kenyans it is a bit more personal since the country has been the target of militant Islamists. In addition, the East African nation was once proposed as a possible settlement for the then-stateless Jews.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It was an attack that not only exposed Kenya’s lackluster security in public places — but changed the way Kenya’s churches handled worship services. For the first time ever, churchgoers were subjected to metal detectors, sniffer dogs and armed policemen camped outside buildings while services went on.
Read MoreOn the morning of Aug. 7, 1998, two powerful explosions ripped apart the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, sending debris and glass shrapnel across the central business district and beyond. In the end, some 200 Kenyans lay dead and another 4,000 people injured as a result of the attack. At the same time, another attack at the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam in neighboring Tanzania killed 11.
Read MoreThe Rev. Evans Omollo has been installed as the provost of Kenya’s oldest Anglican house of worship. As the new head of All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi, the 45 year old takes over from the Rev. Sammy Wainaina, who is moving to the global Anglican Church headquarters in the United Kingdom as an advisor.
Read More“We are now going to have two Communions of Anglicans going forward, the Global South Anglicans who are keeping to the teachings of the scripture and the Global North Anglicans who are preaching and practicing a watered-down gospel,” said the Rev. Tom Otieno, the vicar of Saint Barnabas Anglican Church of Kenya in Nairobi.
Read MoreNow the woman, known as Betty, is among the 98 people who fasted to death in the doomsday cult headed by Pastor Paul Mackenzie which has left Kenyans — and the world — shocked. With the Kenya Red Cross reporting more than 100 people still missing, the toll could reach 200 and beyond. From President William Ruto to church leaders and the public, Kenyans are now calling on the government to tighten laws governing the opening and operation of churches.
Read MoreLifesong is a halfway house that takes in young men who have left prison. It was founded by James Ouma in 2018. They are taught life skills and helped to reintegrate into society. It is the only one of its kind offering such services to that age group in Kenya.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As a child, the late Mwai Kibaki was taken to school by Consolata Missionaries because he did not have the strength for the back-breaking tasks of peasant farming and looking after animals. Those early interactions with Catholics became evident in Kibaki’s moderate dealings as a lecturer, politician and eventual president of Kenya.
Read MoreFrom Oklahoma to New Jersey to Nairobi, faith communities are taking up collections, helping refugees and voicing opposition to the military invasion of Ukraine. Many recognize that part of the motivation is for the Russian Orthodox Church to gain power in the Orthodox world. And Putin, at age 70, is making a desperate move to regain territory Russia once held during the Soviet Union. Both motivations create waves of anger, fear and the will to resist such totalitarian behavior.
Read MoreThe Kenya Film Classification Board recently banned the documentary film “I am Samuel” about a religious gay man’s struggle for acceptance from his family and country, sparking debate on the rights of the LGBTQ community as well as interpretations of the Bible on same-sex relationships.
Read MoreTanzania’s President John Pombe Magufuli died of a heart attack on March 17 after frequently citing prayer as the best way to ward off the coronavirus. His political opponents are claiming he died of COVID-19, there is not evidence of that claim.
Read More(OPINION) Mozambique’s poorest province, Cabo Delgado, has suffered violent attacks since 2017. For the most part, no action has been taken to stop it.
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