Inculturation of Luhya Birth and Naming Rituals in Christian Worship: A Study of The Baptist Church in Vihiga County, Kenya
Abstract
African Christians are in a dilemma of whether to fully embrace western-prejudiced Christianity or to stick to their traditional forms of faith. Influenced by the fear of syncretic worship, the Baptist church in Vihiga County, which is out rightly committed to Western Christianity condemns and opposes Africans who embrace their traditional religious rituals and rites. Despite this, the Luhya community who profess the Christian faith secretly are adamant in practicing their birth and naming religious rituals in worship. The paper argues that inculturation of Luhya birth and naming rites and rituals in Christian worship in the Baptist church in Vihiga County, Kenya has a significant impact on the survival of Christian message among its membership. The faith that does not become culture is not a lived faith. The study was informed by animism and sociological theories. Descriptive research design was employed with qualitative approaches of analysis. The sample size of the study was 221 participants comprising 183 Lay Christian and 38 Key informants (16 Pastors and 22 Church Leaders). The findings revealed that many Baptist Christians are resistant to inculturate Luhya rites and rituals of birth and naming into their worship, instead they condemn them and those that perform such rituals. This resistance makes them live inauthentic Christian life within their cultural context. The study recommended the Church leadership, theologians, and scholars to advocate for values in Luhya birth and naming rites and rituals that are consistent with Christian worship
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