‘Walking in the light’ and the missio Dei: Perspectives from the Anglican Church of Kenya

Johannes J Knoetze,Robinson K Mwangi

doi:10.4102/hts.v74i1.4868

Abstract

The East African Revival Movement’s (EARM) socio-ethical belief and practice of walking in the light pervades mainstream Protestant churches in Eastern Africa with its emphasis on public confession of sin, which breeds severe relational consequences. Indeed walking in the light of the EARM has long plagued the Anglican Church of Kenya’s participation in the missio Dei, which brings to the fore two categories of Christians, the saved and unsaved. While walking in the light has been buttressed in the Anglican Church of Kenya it is critical to recognise that the mission of God ought to be the heartbeat of the EARM’s very existence. Accordingly, this article demonstrates that it is not the church that has a mission, but the Triune God that challenges the place of walking in the light in the Trinitarian God. This study, therefore, champions practical holiness by positioning walking in the light in the mission of God. As a result, it redefines the EARM’s religious identity, illustrated by a proper exposition of scripture, Trinitarian worship, discreet confession of sin and moral legalism that provides for informed evangelism and social responsibility.

Highlights

This article specially elucidates the concept of walking in the light in the East African Revival Movement (EARM) in the Anglican Church of Kenya and in the missio Dei
This study investigates the EARM in the Anglican Church, viewing the relationship between the two as that of a daughter to a mother
In this article the EARM has been evaluated against the missio Dei and to define the movement’s religious identity

Summary

Introduction

This article specially elucidates the concept of walking in the light in the East African Revival Movement (EARM) in the Anglican Church of Kenya and in the missio Dei. A concept of walking in the light is needed that operates within a comprehensive mission framework, which helps the church participate fully in the missio Dei. Daugherty (2007:165) argues that if the church’s mission is to extend the missio Dei, it can be nothing short of continuing that embodiment of God in Christ among the people of the world.

Results

Conclusion