C.R.

E FORM ONE LESSON NOTES

UNIT ONE
INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION
1. DEFINITION OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

 It refers to the study of religious beliefs and practices that are based on the
teachings of Jesus Christ.
 It is one of the academic subjects in the school curriculum in Kenya.
 The subject deals with the study of God and how He reveals Himself to humankind
through creation, the scriptures, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and life experiences.

2. REASONS FOR STUDYING CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

i. To help learners get a better understanding of God through the way He reveals
Himself to us in our daily experiences.
ii. To help learners use the knowledge and attitudes gained to make appropriate social,
moral and spiritual decisions.
iii. It makes learners to appreciate and respect their own religion and that of others.
This is important it we expect to live in peace and harmony with other people.
iv. To help learners acquire principles of Christian living such as the Ten
Commandments and in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
v. To help learners develop a sense of self-worth and identity.
vi. It promotes international consciousness.
vii. To help learners live new lives in Christ.
viii. It helps learners to contribute positively to the transformation of self and society as
a whole.
ix. It helps learners acquire knowledge for further studies in various career fields such
as teaching, law, Pastoral work, guidance and counseling etc.
x. It helps learners to deal with mysteries of life which are beyond human
understanding such as why people die and what happens after death.
xi. To help learners acquire and even apply moral values, e.g. love, honesty,
faithfulness, generosity/kindness/hospitality, Chastity, obedience, respect,
patience/perseverance, love, self-control and humility.
xii. It contributes in the achievement of the National Goals of education which include:
 National unity.
 National development (economic and social needs)
 Individual development and self-fulfillment.
 Social equity.
 Respect and development of cultural heritage.
 International consciousness.

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2. THE BIBLE

 The word Bible is derived from the Greek biblia which means ‘a book’.
 It refers to several similar collections of primary texts of Judaism and Christianity.
 It is the holy and sacred book of Christianity consisting of the books of both the Old
and the New Testaments.
 In Latin, the term biblia is the short form for biblia sacra which means a holy
book.
 The Bible is accepted by Christians worldwide as the word of God.
a. The Bible as the word of God (Hebrews1:1-2;2Timothy 3:16; Revelation
22:18)
 The authors of the Bible were inspired by God.
 The Bible contains God’s message to human beings.
 The Bible reveals the nature and power of God and how people respond to Him.
 The Bible contains the will of God for human beings.
 God Himself wrote part of the Bible, i.e. He wrote the Ten Commandments.
 The Bible is the word of God in human language.
 The Bible reveals God’s relationship with human beings.
 The Bible contains the words spoken by, .e.g. “let there be light…”
 The Bible contains the history of salvation through Jesus Christ, i.e. God speaks to
human beings through His son Jesus Christ.

Ways in which God speaks to us

i. Through prophets like Daniel, Jeremiah, Amos, etc.

ii. Through Jesus Christ
iii. Through dreams and visions.
iv. Through historical activities, .e.g. the Ten Commandments.
v. Through natural phenomena, e.g. God manifested Himself to Moses in the form
of burning bush.
vi. By answering prayers, e.g. Zechariah and Elizabeth and Abraham and Sarah.
vii. Through the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit went to help the apostles.
viii. Through other people, e.g. priests, teachers or evangelist.
ix. Through an audible voice, e.g. Abraham heard an audible voice from God
instructing hi to go where He would show him.

Ways in which Christians communicate with God

 Praying and fasting

 Praise and worship
 Singing and dancing in praise of God.
 Giving tithes.
 Religious ceremonies such as baptism and confession.
 Reading scriptures.
 Meditating.

Instances/occasions when the Bible is used today

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i. During evangelical works such as preaching the word of God in church, crusades
and fellowships.
ii. When witnessing in courts of law.
iii. During religious ceremonies such as baptisms, weddings, funerals, etc.
iv. In the teaching of Christian Religious Education, the Bible is the main reference book
by both teachers and students.
v. When composing Christian songs, plays and movies.
vi. During guidance and counseling sessions.
vii. During the swearing-in ceremonies of political and administrative leaders such as
the president, governors cabinet secretaries, members of parliament and judicial
officers who profess the Christian faith.

Places where the Bible is used in Kenya

 Schools
 Churches
 Crusades
 Courts
 Parliament
 Funerals

Reasons why Christians read the Bible.

i. It makes them understand the will of God.

ii. It helps them to understand their relationship with God.
iii. It helps them to understand the nature of God.
iv. It provides Christians with moral values.
v. It helps them to grow spiritually.
vi. To build and strengthen their faith in God.
vii. It gives inspiration and hope to Christians.
viii. It is a source of Christian beliefs and practices.
ix. It is the foundation of their faith.
x. It helps them acquire theological knowledge.

c. Human authors (2 peter 1:20-21)

 The people who wrote the Bible were guided by the Holy Spirit.
 The authors of the Bible were people from different backgrounds, lived at different
times in history, and were inspired by God.
 They used different approaches to narrate events, e.g. the synoptic gospels reflect
the life of Jesus Christ from different perspectives.
 The authors of the Bible used different styles of writing. This is because the authors
wrote at different times in history under different circumstances.
 The authors lived within certain historical periods and what they wrote was
influence by social-cultural circumstances.
 They wrote the Bible using the language, ideas and the situations of their time to
explain the truths God had revealed to them

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Books in the Bible Human author

Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, Moses
Deuteronomy
Jeremiah Jeremiah
Isaiah Isaiah
Amos Amos
Revelation, john, 1st and 2nd peter John
Job Moses/job
Psalms David
Proverbs Solomon/David.
Nehemiah Ezra
Song of Solomon Solomon
Matthew Matthew
Mark John/Mark
Luke Luke
1st and 2nd Corinthians ,Romans, Titus, Paul
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
Philemon James
James Peter
1st , 2nd and 3rd John and Jude Jude

c. Literary forms

 The writers of the Bible used different styles of writing known Literary Forms.
 The language and expression used differed from one author to another. This is
because the authors wrote at different times in history.
 The literary forms used are as follows:
i. Legislative texts, e.g. Leviticus.
ii. Wise saying, e.g. proverbs.
iii. Prophetic speeches, e.g. Jeremiah.
iv. Prayers, e.g. Nehemiah.
v. Love songs, e.g. songs of Solomon.
vi. Philosophical essays, e.g. Job.
vii. Religious epics, e.g. Exodus.
viii. Epistles, e.g. Romans.
ix. Gospel, e.g. Luke.

d. The Bible as a Library

 It contains many books, i.e. it has 66 books.

 The books of the Bible were written by different authors.
 The books of the Bible are arranged according to subjects.
 The books of the Bible were written over a long period of time.
 The books of the Bible were written at different at different places and at different
times.
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 The books of the Bible were written in different styles.

 The books of the Bible are arranged in an orderly sequence of time.
 Different books of the Bible are addressed to different groups of people and nations.
 The Bible is reference book.
 The Bible is divided into two main parts, i.e. old and new testaments.

e. major Divisions of the Bible

 The Bible is divided into two major sections namely:

i. The old testament which has 39 books
ii. The new testament which has 29 books.
 The word testament means ‘an agreement, a promise or a covenant’.
 The 66 books of the Bible are universally accepted by all Christians worldwide.
 The Old Testament is a collection of books from the Jewish tradition while the New
Testament consists of books written by some of the early Christians.
 Some Bibles, especially those used by the Roman Catholic Church, e.g. the common
Bible and he Jerusalem Bible contain extra books known as Deutero-Canonical or
books of apocrypha. The word apocrypha means hidden or secret. These are:
 Tobit
 Judith
 1st Maccabees
 2nd Maccabees
 Ecclesiasticus
 Baruch the book of wisdom
 The books are accepted by all Christians; make the Canon of old and New
Testament.
 The word Canon is a Greek word which means rule, standard or guidance.

THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS

 It has 39 books which are sub-divided into four major groups as follows:
i. Law books
 They are also known as Pentateuch a Greek word which means five.
 The Hebrew word for law is Torah. Moses is believed to have been given the Torah
by God at mt. Sinai to give to the Israelites
 These are the 1st five books of the Bible namely :
 Genesis.
 Exodus
 Leviticus
 Numbers,
 Deuteronomy

ii. Historical books

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 These books contain the history of the Israelites from the time they entered and
settled in Canaan (the Promised Land) up to the period after the exile of the
kingdom of Israel and that of Judah.
 The books are 12 in number namely:
 Joshua
 Judges
 Ruth
 1st Samuel
 2nd Samuel
 1st kings
 2nd kings
 1st chronicles
 2nd chronicles
 Ezra
 Nehemiah
 Esther
iii. Prophetic books
 These books contain the prophecies of various prophets in Israel.
 The prophecies revolved mainly around the lives of the Israelites and God’s
intention for them
 They are sub-divided into two, i.e. major and Minor Prophets.

Major Prophets

 They are five in number and their massages cover a long historical period of time.
They are:
 Jeremiah
 Isaiah
 Ezekiel
 Daniel
 Lamentations

Major Prophets

 They are 12 in number and their messages cover a short historical period of time.
They are:
 Hosea
 Joel
 Amos
 Obadiah
 Jonah
 Micah
 Nahum
 Habakkuk
 Zephaniah
 Haggai

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 Zechariah
 Malachi
iv. Poetic/poetry books
 They are sometimes known as books of wisdom or the writings. The authors of
these books used a variety of writing styles to record God’s message on the themes
such as God’s love, moral character and hard work.
 The styles used include poems, wise sayings and narratives.
 They are five in number. These are:
 Psalms
 Proverbs
 Job
 Ecclesiastes
 Song of songs/songs of Solomon

THE NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS

 This section has 27 books which are subdivided into four major groups.
i. The Gospels/Biographical books
 These books tell the history of the life and ministry of Jesus. They four in number.
These are:
 Matthew
 Mark
 Luke
 John
ii. historical book
 There is only one book in this category, i.e. The Acts of the Apostles.
 This book records the history of the early church.
iii. The Epistles/letters
 There are 21 letters written by different people and addressed to the early church
and also to certain individuals.
 The letters fall under three categories as follows:
The Letters of Paul (Pauline Letters)
 They nine in number namely:
 Romans
 1st Corinthians
 2nd Corinthians
 Galatians
 Ephesians
 Philippians
 Colossians
 1st Thessalonians
 2nd Thessalonians

The Pastoral Letters

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 They are addressed to shepherds or pastors, i.e. they show high regard for the
duties of pastors and how these duties should be carried out. They are five in
number namely:
 1st Timothy
 2nd Timothy
 Titus
 Philemon
 Hebrews
The Catholic Letters
 The word catholic means universal. They are seven in number namely:
 James
 1st Peter
 2nd Peter
 1st John
 2nd John
 3rd John
 Jude
iv. Prophetic book
 The Revelation is the only book in this category. It give account of the events that
will take place in future such as death, the final judgment and the 2nd coming of Jesus
Christ

3. TRASLATIONS OF THE BIBLE FROM ORIGINAL LANGUAGES TO LOCAL LAGUAGES

 To ‘translate ‘means to change something spoken or written from one language to

another without altering the original meaning.
 The Bible has been translated into many languages.
a. Bible translation
 The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, the language of the Jewish
people.
 The old testament Hebrew text was translated into Greek generally known as the
Septuagint
 The New Testament was originally written in Greek.
 The entire Bible was translated into Latin by a great scholar called Jerome
 The Bible translated into Latin was called vulgate which means for common use.
 The Bible was later translated into English by William Tyndale.
 The English version authorized by King James was translated into Kiswahili by Dr.
Kraft.
 The Bible Society of Kenya has translated the Bible into other local languages.
b. Versions of the Bible used in Kenya today
 The word version refers to the styles of the language used in the translation of the
Bible texts.
 A version attempts to make the Bible content better understood by the readers
 These versions are:
 The Revised Standard Version
 Good News Bible

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 The African Bible

 Common Bible
 King James Version
 New King James Version
 Jerusalem Bible
 New International Bible
 English Bible
 The Authored Version
 The Living Bible.
 The Gideon’s International Version

4. EFFECTS OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE INTO AFRICAN LANGUAGES

 Many people are now able to read the Bible in their vernacular.
 It has led to the development of the African languages.
 It has led to the development of the African independent churches.
 It has led to the creation of jobs for African translators.
 It has led to the participation of the Africans in church leadership.
 May Africans have been converted to Christianity.
 It has led to the development of Christian publishers/printing presses.
 It has led to easier evangelism of the church.
 It has led to increased research in African religious beliefs/appreciation of the
African culture.
 Foreign missionaries are able to learn local languages and spread the gospel faster.
 It has to the development of formal schools.

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UNIT TWO
CREATION AND THE FALL OF HUMANKIND
1. THE BIBLICAL STORIES OF CREATION AND THEIR MEANING (Gen 1 and 2)

 Biblical term, creation refers to how God made the universe and everything in it.
 The Bible contains two accounts of creation at the beginning of the book of Genesis.
 The first account in Genesis 1:1-2, 4 (a) and
 The second account in Genesis 2:4(b) -25.
The first account of creation
Gen.1-2: 4(a)
 In the beginning God created the heavens and earth.
 On the first day, God created light and separated it from darkness. He named light
day and darkness night.
 On the second day, God created the Firmament: the firmament separated the waters
that were above the sky and the waters below the sky.
 On the third day, God created the land and the sea then he created all types of
vegetation.
 On the fourth day, God created the sun, moon, and stars i.e. the sun to give light at
daytime while the moon and the star to give light during the night.
 On the fifth day, God created the birds of the air and sea creatures and ordered the
multiply.
 On the sixth day, God created both wild and domestic animals. On the same day
God created human beings male and female in His own image and likeness. God
blessed them and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply.
 On the seventh day God rested and blessed it as a special day of worship.
The second account of creation
(Genesis 2:4(b) – 25)
 The second account is centered on the creation of man.
 In the second account, man was created first.
 The creation of the earth and heavens is assumed to have already taken place.
 Man was created out of dust of the earth and God breathed into his nostrils.
 The creation of woman is brought out more clearly: The woman is made from the ribs of the
man.
 The total dependence of man on God is emphasized here.
 Man was then placed in the Garden of Eden from which he was to draw his livelihood.
 Man was expected to care and guard the garden so that it continues to be a source of
blessings.
 Man was commanded to use everything in the garden for his needs except the tree of
knowledge of good and evil which is planted in the middle of the garden. Eating from this
tree would result into death.
 It explains the special position that human kind occupies in God’s creation.

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Responsibilities given to human beings in the genesis stories of creation

 To procreate.
 To conserve the environment.
 To obey God.
 To rule over the creation.
 To cultivate land.
 To marry.
 To eat from the fruits provided in the garden.
 To give names to the animals that God created.
Similarities between the two accounts of creation
i. In both cases, God is acknowledged as the creator.
ii. In both cases God’s creation includes both the living and the non-living.
iii. In both cases human beings occupies a special position.
iv. In both cases human beings are given the responsibility to take of God’s creation.
v. In both cases human beings share I the life of God.
vi. In both cases God provides for his creation.
vii. In both cases God existed before creation.
Differences between the two accounts of creation
i. In the first account, creation is out of nothing while it is out of dust in second
account.
ii. In thefirst account, man is created last while in the second account man is created
first.
iii. In the first account, human beings were created for procreation while in the second
human beings were created for companionship.
iv. In the first account, human beings were created at the same time while in the second
account man and woman were created at different times.
v. In the first account, human beings were to eat the fruits of all the trees while in the
second account some are forbidden.
vi. In the first account, God gives names to His creation while in the second account;
God gives man the responsibility to give names to animals.

Ways through which human beings continue with God’s work of creation today.

 By procreating and bringing up children.

 By caring for the under-privileged in the society.
 By observing the commandments, e.g. do not kill.
 By caring for and conserving the environment.
 By respecting the rights of others.
 By participating in the making just laws.
 By providing education on environmental issues.
 By funding organizations that protect the environment.
 By improving and developing their talents.
 By establishing industries.
 By providing health care.
 By preaching the word of God.

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Ways human beings are a threat to the environment

 By carrying out deforestation.

 Through overstocking of animals.
 By discharging industrial waste in water bodies.
 Through air pollution.
 By using weapons of mass destruction.
 Through poaching of wildlife.
 Encroachment of water catchment areas.
 Noise pollution.

2. ATTRIBUTES OF GOD FROM THE CREATION ACCOUNTS

 These refers to the characteristics of God.
i. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere all the time.
ii. God is eternal. He existed before everything else.
iii. God is the sole creator. He created everything from nothing.
iv. God is good. He was pleased with his creation which He saw as good.
v. God is omnipotent/powerful. He used this power to create the universe.
vi. God is orderly. He created the universe systematically.
vii. God is the provider and sustainer of the universe. He provided man with necessities of
life.
viii. God is a spirit. He cannot be seen.
ix. God is moral. He gives rules to regulate humankind’s behaviour and demands obedience.
x. God is self-existent. He was there from the beginning.
xi. God is a worker. He worked for 6days.
xii. There is only one God.
3. THE TEACHINGS/MEANING FROM THE BIBLICAL CREATION
ACCOUNTS.
 God is the creator and sustainer of the universe.
 Everything that God made is good.
 God is a God of order. He created the universe and all that is in it in orderly manner.
 Human beings are special creatures for they made in God’s image.
 Human beings are to procreate for the continuity of their race.
 Human beings should take care of God’s creation.
 Human beings were made to have fellowship with God. This means that they are to
communicate with God through worship.
 God is a God of power. He calls things into existence by His spoken words.
 Plants and animals were made for the benefits of man.
 God ordained work. He told man to fill the land.
 Marriage is an institution ordained by God. For God said, “Be fruitful multiply and fill
the earth.
 The woman is created to be a happy companion of man for God said, “It’s not good for
man to live alone.”
 Human beings should continue with the work of creation.
 Human beings should obey God. Punishment comes as a result of man disobeying God.

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4 TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VIEW OF CREATION

 African communities have developed views of how their communities would have
come into existence.
 They are usually explained in myths.
 Myths are stories which explain the origin of people and how they developed their
culture.
 Myths are passed on from one generation to another in order to preserve important
beliefs of a community.
 Every African society has a myth that gives information on its origin.
 African communities believe that God existed from the very beginning of time.
 African acknowledges that God is the creator of the universe and everything in it.
 Africans believe that God brings into being and sustains whatever He creates
through active involvement.
 Africans do not agree on the same order of creation, i.e. some believe that God
created human beings first while others believe that the universe was created first.
 Africans believe that God established human customs and law of nature.
 Africans believe that God continues to create through humankind, i.e. child-bearing
is regarded as a blessing from God.
African creation myths
Bukusu
 They call their God Were Khakaba meaning the provider. Were Khakaba created the
world alone.
 First he created heaven as His dwelling place which was very bright and which was
supported on pillars like a hut to stop it from falling. Then He created His two
assistants Mukobe and Murumwa. Later on He made the moon and the sun; the two
quarrelled and fought. Moon was defeated and thrown down into the wind to prevent
him from shining brightly.
 Were ordered the sun to shine during the day on all people while moon was to shine
only at night.
 Were then made the clouds and the stars. He made a big red rock which crows
whenever it thunders warning people of the coming rain.
 He created rain and put it in the clouds. He created rainbow, female and male to stop
the unwanted rain from falling. Air was created next.
 Mysteriously were created the earth with mountains and valleys as a place for His two
assistants to work in.
 He created man for whom the sun would shine. Since man needed someone to talk
to, water to drink, were provided rain, which filled up the valleys to form lakes, rivers
and streams.
 Were then created plants, animals, birds and other creatures, which live on land,
water and in the soil.
 The Bukusu further believe that the whole work of creation was completed in six
days. On the seventh day, were rested because it was a bad day.

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 Were Khakaba gave restrictions to the first human beings on some of the things for
instance, they were not supposed to eat animals with single hooves, like donkeys and
horses, crawling animals like snakes, lizards, chameleons and scavengers such as
vultures hawks and eagle.
Agikuyu
 They call their God Ngai or Mugai, which means the divider of the universe.
 Gikuyu the founder of Agikuyu community was called by God and was given land with
forests, rivers, valleys, animals and all other natural things.
 The same time Ngai made a big mountain called Kirinyanga also known as Mount
Kenya; The Mountain of mystery. He also dwelt on the mountain when He was on
inspection tours. It was also a sign of His splendour and mystery. After calling Gikuyu,
He took him to the top of this mountain and showed him the land he was to give him.
 It was beautiful and full of fig trees (Mugumo) in the centre of the country. God then
ordered him to go and establish his homestead at the place he had showed him. This
place was called Mukuruwe wa Nyagathanga that is in Muranga District.
 Before Gikuyu parted with God, he was advised to make a sacrifice and raise his hands
towards Kirinyaga if he wanted anything or had problems.
 When he went to the Promised Land, he found a wife called Mumbi (creator or moulder)
that god had provided for him.
 They lived happily and were blessed with nine daughters. Gikuyu was so disturbed by
the fact that he did not have sons to inherit his property.
 He then remembered what Ngai had told him to do. He decided to make sacrifice and
told God his needs. God told him to take his family home and come back alone. On the
process God revealed to Gikuyu that he would provide young men would be willing to
marry his daughters.
 When he came back, he found nine handsome young men and took them with him home.
The next day in the morning the issue of marriage was discussed and the young men
agreed to marry Gikuyu’ daughters.
 Gikuyu ordered that the young men would go with the daughters if they agreed to live in
his homestead. The young men could not resist the beauty and the hospitality offered to
them. They all agreed to marry them. All the nine daughters were married and each
established their own family set. These were joined together under the name Nyumba ya
Mumbi (The House of Mumbi).

5. THE BIBLICAL TEACHING ON THE ORIGIN OF SIN AND ITS

CONSEQUENCES
 Sin is the willful or knowledgeable violation of a norm.
 Sin means rebellion against God.

The origin of sin (Gen 3;1-6)

 Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the fruit from
the forbidden tree.

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 The serpent visited Eve and portrayed God as a liar.

 There was a great desire to unsurp God’s power and be like Him.
 Adam and Eve did not have complete trust in God and instead fall into temptation of
the serpent.
 They willfully chose disobey God and ate the forbidden fruit.

The consequences of sin (Gen 3:7-24)

i. Human beings are alienated from God. The friendship changes to fear of God.(Gen
3:8)
ii. Man started feeling guilty because of his behaviour, they were naked and were
ashamed.(Gen 3:10)
iii. The serpent was cursed above all animals.(Gen 3:14)
iv. God caused enmity between man and the serpent, (Gen 3:15).
v. The woman was to feel pain during child birth. (Gen: 3:16).
vi. The woman was put to be subordinate to man and to have the desire for the man.(Gen
3:16)
vii. The ground was cursed and human beings had to sweat to provide for their daily
needs.(Gen 3:17)
viii. Death sentence was passed upon all people. (Gen: 3:19).
ix. Human beings were chased from the Garden of Eden. (Gen 3:23-24)
x. Murderous feeling began to enter man’s heart for example Cain killed Abel. (Gen:
4:8).
xi. The life span of man was reduced to not more than 120 years (Gen: 6:3).
xii. God confused man’s language after the flood. (Gen: 11:1-7).
xiii. God regretted for having created human beings.(Gen 6:6-7)
6. GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION
i. After Adam and Eve committed sin in the Garden of Eden, God drove them out of
the garden. However, He initiated a plan to reconcile them back by providing
clothes and food Gen 3:18, 21:23
ii. God created enmity between man and the serpent to deter man from being
tempted again, the snake is a symbol of evil. (Gen 3:13)
iii. God through Noah, preserved human life by saving some people from the flood.
iv. The covenant that God made with Abraham showed His commitment to fulfilling
the promises He made to Abraham, which was a continuation of His plan for
salvation of humankind.
v. Through Moses and Aaron, God saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and
delivered them to the Promised Land. This was still part of God plan for salvation
of humankind.
vi. God sent His prophets and kings to guide and counsel the Israelites
vii. The coming of Jesus Christ was meant to bring salvation to mankind
viii. Finally, God sent the Holy Spirit to guide Christians to be close to God
7 TRADITIONAL AFRICAN CONCEPT OF EVIL
 Evil in the African understanding may mean an offence against another person or
community.
 It can also mean an offence against God, spirits and ancestors.

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 Africans are aware of evil in the world and they make effort to avoid it.
 Most of African communities believe that God is good and, therefore, did not create
evil.

Causes of evil in traditional African communities

i. Evil spirits.
ii. Malicious ancestral spirits who have a grudge against the living.
iii. Evil people like witches, wizards, sorcerers who are able to tap mystical power
and use it for evil. .
iv. Breaking of taboos, which results in becoming ritually unclean.
v. Curses from parents and other older relatives like aunts, uncles and
grandparents.
vi. Breaking of oaths and failure to keep secrets or any agreements.
vii. Bad omen, e.g. from people, animals or birds believed to have evil eyes such as
owls.
Consequences of evil in the traditional African communities
i. Evil causes death as the affected sometimes suffered to death.
ii. Evil causes diseases to the living.
iii. It causes misfortunes such as barrenness and madness.
iv. Evil causes drought and famine.
v. Causes barrenness and childlessness.
vi. Evil causes suffering, agony and misery.
vii. It causes unstable families where there is no peace e.g. rebellion of children.
viii. It causes environmental disasters such as floods and earthquakes.
ix. It causes birth of physically and mentally handicapped children.
x. Evil cause’s war between clans.
 Sinners and offenders are treated according to the seriousness of the offence. Corporal
punishment, capital punishment, banishment, payment of fines, public humiliation,
indecent burial ceremonies, failure to be named after children, denied food for some time,
Denied leadership roles and isolation
Similarities between African concept of evil and the biblical concept in Genesis
i. Both agree that God did not create evil or sin. God is portrayed as good.
ii. In both cases sin is related to human disobedience.
iii. In both cases it results in man suffering or epidemics and other calamities.
iv. In both it destroys the good relationship between man and God.
v. In both Biblical and African belief of evil brings death.
vi. In both cases it does not only bring suffering to the individual but to the whole
community.
vii. Sometimes it is shown to come to people through Satan or evil spirits.
Differences
i. In African traditional religion, there is communal responsibility over sin as opposed to
biblical teaching, where individual responsibility is emphasized.
ii. Biblically, sin is intrinsic whereas in traditional African belief, it is extrinsic.
iii. Sin is wholesomely punishable in African traditional religion, but is redemptive
biblically.
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iv. Biblically, the punishment of sin is not everlasting due to the resurrected Christ.
However, in African traditional religion, sin claims irreversible doom.

Cause of evil in Kenya today

 Bribery and corruption.
 Diseases.
 Poverty.
 Negative influence from mass media.
 Unemployment.
 The influence of drugs and alcohol.
 Poor leadership.
 Lack of guidance and counseling.
 Permissiveness.
 Destruction of the environment.
 Poor parenting.

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UNIT THREE
FAITH AND GOD’S PROMISES: ABRAHAM
1. BACKGROUND TO THE CALL OF ABRAHAM (Gen 11:24-32)

 Abraham was the son of Terah

 He had two brothers: Haran and Nahor and a nephew called Lot Haran’s son.
 They lived in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East at a place called Ur.
 Abraham and his wife Sarah had no children as Sarah was barren.
 The people of Ur practiced polytheism, .i.e. worshipping of many gods such as moon
god
 At the time of his call Abraham was known as Abram his wife Sarai. The names were
later changed to Abraham and Sarah
 Abraham’s father Terah migrated from Ur to Haran with his family.
 Abraham’s people practiced nomadic pastoralism and irrigation farming.
 Sacrifices of both animals and human beings were to the gods.
 Terah died in Haran at the age of 205 years and Abraham was left in charge of the
family.

The call of Abraham (Gen 12:1-9)

 Abraham was 75 years old when God called him.

 He was called after the death of his father while in Haran.
 God commanded Abraham to leave his country Haran and go to the land where God
would show him.
 Abraham obeyed God’s call and went as the Lord directed him.
 Since Abraham obeyed God’s command, God made the following promises to him.
 God would make a great nation out of him
 God would bless him
 God would make his name great so that he would be a blessing to
humanity.
 God would bless those who bless him.
 God would curse those who cursed Abraham.
 Through Abraham, all families of the earth would be blessed.
 His descendants would be given land
 God appeared to Abraham again in Shechem where he told him once more that he
would give land to his descendants.
 Abraham built an altar for God at this place and moved to the land between Bethel
and Ai where he built another altar and worshipped God.

Lesson Christians learn from the call of Abraham

i. Christians should obey God’s command.

ii. They should have faith in God.
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iii. They should set aside places of worship for God.

iv. They should honour and respect God.
v. They should be responsible for their families.
vi. They should be ready to leave their culture and traditions to serve God.
vii. They should worship God only/to practice monotheism.
viii. They lead other to God regardless of age and race.

2. FAITH IN GOD (Heb 11:1-6)

 Faith refers to complete trust and confidence in somebody or something.

 To have faith is be sure and confident of something we cannot see without
demanding proof.
 Faith in God is absolute trust and total reliance on Him. It is absolute certainty in
God and strong belief that whatever God promised, He will fulfill.

ABRAHAM’S ACTS OF FAITH (Gen 12: 1-9 ; 15:1-6; 17:23-24; 21:1-7; 22:1-19)

i. He obeyed God’s command by moving from Haran to Canaan despite the fact
that Canaan was unknown land to him.
ii. He built two altars for God, one at Bethel and another art Shechem. These
were His holy meeting places with God as he worshipped Him.
iii. He obeyed God’s command of circumcision at an old age. He also circumcised
every mal in his household.
iv. He believed in the promises God made to Him.
v. He dropped polytheism in favour of the worship of one true God.
vi. He entered into a covenant with God and offered sacrifices.
vii. He agreed to change his name that of his wife. He changed his name from
Abram to Abraham and his wife’s name from Sarai to Sarah.
viii. He was willing to offer his only son, Isaac, as a burnt sacrifice to God.

Assignment: Describe the event when Abraham’s faith was tested by God

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UNIT FOUR
SINAI COVENANT: MOSES
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO THE CALL OF MOSES (Genesis 37:1-36, 50:1-26,
exodus 1 and 2)

 The Israelites went to Egypt during the times of Joseph because of the famine in
Palestine.
 They settled there and increased in number.
 During the reign of pharaoh, they were made slaves because of their huge
population
 Moses was born at the times when pharaoh had issued an order to have all Israelite
male children killed to reduce their political influence.
 The baby Moses was rescued by pharaoh’s daughter and was brought up as a prince
under the care of his mother.
 Moses killed an Egyptian as a sign of identifying himself with Israelites.
 He fled to the wilderness of Median for fear of being arrested.
 In median, he lived with Jethro as a shepherd and married his daughter Zipporah.
 Moses experiences in Egypt and in the wilderness prepared him for future work of
leading the Israelites out of slavery.

How the power of God was manifested in the early life of Moses before he was called.

i. Moses was not killed by Pharaoh when he was born because his mother hid him.
ii. Moses was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter and she decided to adopt him as her son.
iii. He was welcomed by Jethro in Median when he ran away from Egypt.
iv. Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s palace as a prince.
v. When Moses killed an Egyptian while they were fighting with an Israelite, he was
not killed by the Egyptian.

1. THE CALL OF MOSES. (Exodus 3:1-22)

 Moses looking after the flock of his father-in-law Jethro when the angel of the lord
appeared to him in form of a burning bush.
 The bush was burning but was not being consumed.
 He became curious and went to see what was happening.
 God called him by his name from the burning bush and Moses responded.
 He told him to remove his shoes for the ground he was standing on was holy.
 God revealed himself to Moses as the God of his ancestors, i.e. Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
 Moses hid his face for he was afraid.
 God revealed to Moses about the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt.
 He informed Moses of his intention to deliver the Israelites from the bondage.
 Moses was sent to go back to Egypt and rescue the Israelites

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 Moses protested and told God that he was not worthy to go before the pharaoh.
 God assured Moses that he would be with him.
 God directed Moses to bring the Israelites to Mt Sinai for worship as a proof that He
had sent him
 Moses asked God what His name was.
 God gave him his name as I AM WHO I AM.
 God instructed Moses to go and gather the elders and disclose what God had told
him.
 God assured Moses that the Israelites would respond positively to this message.
 God told Moses to go to Pharaoh with elders to seek permission to go and worship
God in the wilderness.
 God told Moses of Pharaoh’s reluctance to let the Israelites go until he experienced
terrifying incidents.
 God promised to favour the Israelites with jewellery and clothing from the
Egyptians as they left.

Lessons Moses learnt about God from his call

i. God is loving and caring

ii. God is beyond human understanding(transcendent)
iii. God is omnipresent.
iv. God chooses whoever He wills to carry out His plans.
v. God demands total obedience and faith.
vi. God has power over nature.
vii. God is all knowing (omniscient).
viii. God is merciful.
ix. God is just.
x. God is Almighty.
xi. God keeps his promises.
xii. God is holy.
xiii. God provides.

2. THE TEN PLGUES ( Exodus 7:14- ,1-10)

 A plague refers to contagious disease or unfortunate occurrence that affects people.
 Yahweh sent ten plagues in Egypt which eventually forced the Pharaoh to soften his
heart and let the Israelites go from Egypt.
 The plagues were as follows:
i. The plague of blood, i.e. turning waters of the Nile into blood. (Exodus 7:14-
20)
ii. The plague of frogs, i.e. Frogs covered the whole land of Egypt.(Exodus 8: 1-
3)
iii. The plague gnats, I.e. Gnats biting people and animals. (Exodus 8:16-17)
iv. The plague of flies, i.e. swarms of flies covering the whole land of Egypt
(exodus 8:20-22)
v. The plague of death of animals, i.e. their cows, donkeys, camels, sheep, and
horses were all killed. (exodus 9:5-7)

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vi. The plague of boils, i.e. boils, sores and open wounds on the Egyptians and
their animals. (exodus 9:8-11)
vii. The plague of hail, i.e. severe hailstones that destroyed everything and
people who in the open. (9:23-26)
viii. The plague of locusts, i.e. the locust destroyed all vegetation in Egypt.
(exodus 10: 12-14)
ix. The plague of darkness, i.e. darkness covered the whole of Egypt for three
days. (exodus 10:21-23)
x. The death of the male first borns of the Egyptians, sons i.e. the first born
sons of the Egyptians and those of their animals starting with son Pharaoh
died. (exodus 11:4-6)

Attributes of God from the ten plague

i. God is more powerful than the Egyptian gods.

ii. God is merciful.
iii. God answers prayers.
iv. God demands total obedience from his people.
v. God is just and punishes wrong doers.
vi. God fulfills His promises.
vii. God is patient.
viii. God protects his people.
ix. God reveals Himself through nature.
x. God id a savior.
xi. God is all knowing.
xii. God is omnipresent.

3. THE PASSOVER
 The term Passover is derived from the Hebrew word Pasach meaning to “pass
over” with the aim of sparing or protecting.

Preparations for the Passover (exodus12:1-15)

 God told Moses to prepare the Israelites for the tenth plague.
 Moses called all the elders of Israel and gave them the following instructions:
i. On 10ththe day of the month, each man had to choose either a lamb or a
young goat without blemish for his family. Using young animals signified the
innocence of the sacrifice while animal without blemish signified the purity
of the sacrifice.
ii. The animal chosen was to be slaughtered on the evening of the 14thday of
that month
iii. The blood was to be smeared on the two door posts and lintel of the
Israelites houses. The blood was to distinguish the Israelites houses from
those of the Egyptians so that the angel of death would spare them when he
killed the first-born sons of the Egyptians.

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iv. The meat of the sacrificial lamb was to be roasted whole to show that they
were in a hurry
v. The meat was to be eaten that with unleavened bread and bitter herbs to
show that there was no time to ferment the dough. The bitter herbs signified
the bitter experience of slavery in Egypt.
vi. They were to eat while standing, dressed up and ready for the journey.
vii. The Israelite women were to borrow jewelry, silver and clothing from
Egyptian women to act as a compensation for the free labour they had given
the Egyptian.
viii. Everyone was to remain indoors till morning in order to be protected from
the angel of death.
ix. The Passover was be commemorated annually and its importance taught to
the coming generation.

4. EXODUS (Exodus 14:5-17)

 Exodus is a Hebrew word which means “going out”
 Biblically, exodus refers to the Israelites journey from Egypt through the
wilderness to the promised land
 During the journey, the Israelites faced many problems but God took care of
them in the following ways:
i. God guided and protected the Israelites by a pillar of cloud during day
and a pillar of fire at night.
ii. God separated the waters of the Red Sea to create a dry path for them to
cross.
iii. God sent an angel who engulfed the Egyptian soldiers in darkness to
delay their attack on the Israelites.
iv. He drowned the Egyptian soldiers in the Red sea.
v. God changed bitter water into sweet water for them to drink at Marah.
vi. God provided drinking water in the wilderness by instructing Moses to
strike the rock at Mt. Sinai.
vii. He provided Manna and quails as food for them when they were hungry.
viii. Go gave them victory over the Amalekites.
ix. God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments to guide them.

5.THE MAKING OF THE SINAI COVENANT

a.i. Preparation( exodus 24:3-4)
 God promised to meet the Israeliteson the 3rd day.
 The Israelites prepared to meet God by:
 Making themselves Holy by washing their garments.
 Making a boundary on the foot of Mt. Sinai to prevent any person or
animal going up the mountain.
 Abstaining from sexual intercourse.
 On the 3rd day, God appeared to them in form of thunder, lightening, earthquakes,
trumpet blast, thick cloud, fire and smoke.
 This experience frightened the Israelites.
 They asked Moses to act as their mediator.
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ii. The sealing of the covenant (exodus 24:3-8)

 Moses prepared for a special ceremony to seal the covenant.
 He built an altar at the foot of Mt. Sinai and set 12 pillars to represent the 12 tribes
of Israel.
 He then sent young men to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings to the lord.
 Moses divided the blood into two halves and poured into basins.
 He took half of the blood and poured it on the altar, a place of meeting God.
 Moses then took the book of the covenant and read it to the Israelites.
 The people responded that they would be obedient to God’s law
 Moses took the remaining blood and sprinkled it to the people.
 The sprinkling of the blood implied that the covenant was binding the Israelites to
God.
 God concluded the covenant ceremony by giving Moses the two stone tablets on
which the laws were written.

b.The ten commandments (exodus 20:1-17)

 These are the main laws that God gave Moses.
 In Greek they are called Decalogue.
 The ten commandments are divided into two major groups which include:
 Those which define people’s duty towards God, i.e. the 1st four
commandments.
 Those which define one’s duty towards others, i.e. the last 6
commandments.
 The ten commandments are as follows:

i. You shall have no other gods before me

 It is given as a safeguard against the worship of false gods in Canaan.
 It emphasizes the worship of one God (monotheism).
 Christians should have faith in one true God.

ii. You shall not make for yourself a graven image

 God is unique and cannot be described in any human form or language.
 Idols reduce God to a creature yet He is the creator.
 Christians are warned against indulging themselves in practices that drive them
away from true worship of God such as :
 Abuse of drugs and alcohol.
 Devil worship.
 Sexual immorality.
 Struggle for power.
iii. You shall not take the name of your lord God in vain.
 The Israelites are to use Yahweh as God’s name to praise and honour.
 God’s name was not to be abused in oaths, magic or cursing.
 Those who misuse God’s name will be punished.
 Christians should not swear in God’s name.
iv. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy
 The Sabbath was instituted by God at creation.
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 The Israelites kept the Sabbath day as:

 A day of rest from work.
 A day of worship.
 A day dedicated to God.
 To recall God’s mercy of liberating the Israelites from Egypt.
v. Honour your father and mother that your day may be long
 This is addressed not just to children but adults, who in the extended family system
of Israel continued to live under the authority of parents for many years.
 Christian children are expected to Honour their parents by:
 Obeying their instructions.
 Taking care of parents in old age.
 Giving them respect.
 Taking care of their property.
vi. You shall not kill
 God is the giver of life and is the only one with authority to take it away.
 Life is sacred and no human being has right over it.
 Christians are called upon to preserve, respect and protect life.
 Acts of murder and abortion are condemned by the church.
vii. You shall not commit adultery
 It is wrong to have sexual intercourse with somebody else’s wife or husband.
 It demands that husband and wife remain faithful to each other.
 Those who committed adultery among the Israelites faced death sentence.
 The church condemns adultery because of the following:
 It creates instability in the family.
 It leads to separation and divorce.
 It leads to mistrust.
viii. You shall not steal
 The commandment affirms that God provides human beings with all that is required
to maintain life.
 Stealing indicates lack of trust in God’s providence.
 Christians should avoid stealing and trust in God’s providence.
 They should use God-given abilities to cater for their needs.
 The church condemns all forms of theft such as robbery with violence, land
grabbing, underpaying workers and cheating in business.
ix. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour
 False accusations destroy respect and love among God’s people.
 False witness may spoil a person’s good name.
 False witness may lead to unjust punishment of a neighbour.
 Christians should show love to one another.
x. You shall not covet your neighbour’s property
 The law forbids the general attraction and deliberate will to possess what is
coveted.
 The Israelites were cautioned against greed and selfishness.
 Christians should avoid coveting other people’s property and work hard to satisfy
their needs.

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 They should be satisfied with whatever God has given them and trust in His
providence.

c. The breaking of the covenant (Exodus 32:1-35)

 The Israelites broke the covenant when Moses had gone up the mountain to seek
God’s guidance.
 When Moses delayed on the mountain, Israelites thought that he had abandoned
them.
 Aaron had been left in charge of the people.
 They became impatient and asked Aaron to make them a god that would lead them.
 Aaron made a golden calf from the rings of gold and silver which he received from
the people.
 They worshipped the golden calf thus breaking the Sinai covenant.
 Aaron built an altar for their god and proclaimed a day of worship.
 This annoyed God who set to destroy the Israelites.
 Moses interceded on behalf of the people and God changed His mind.
 Moses came down the mountain with 2 stone tablets on which the Ten
Commandments were written.
 Moses was angry and threw down the stone tablets breaking them.
 Moses gave the Israelites a chance to choose to follow Yahweh or reject Him.
 Those who chose to follow God were spared while those who chose the golden calf
were destroyed.

d. The renewal of the Sinai covenant (Exodus 34:1-35)

 God decided to renew the covenant with the Israelites who had repented.
 The Ten Commandments were re-written on two stone tablets that God asked
Moses to cut.
 God revealed His nature to Moses as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, faithful to His
promises, loving, forgiving, just and jealous.
 He promised to take the Israelites to the Promised Land and protect them against
the Canaanites.
 The Israelites were given specific conditions to fulfill as follows;
 To obey what God commands them.
 Not to make any treaty with those who live in the land where they were
going
 To destroy altars and worship places of false gods of the Canaanites.
 Not to worship any other god.
 Not to make cast idols.
 To keep the feast of unleavened bread.
 To rest on the 7th day.
 To dedicate all their first-born male children and first-born male of their
domestic animals to God.
 To offer to God the first fruits of their crops.
 After all these commands ,God promised the Israelites that He would:
i. Protect and preserve them.
ii. Bless them.
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iii. Make them prosper so much than the surrounding nations.

The attributes of God which the Israelites learnt from the renewal of the Sinai
covenant

i. God is slow to anger.

ii. God is merciful
iii. God forgives those repent their sins
iv. God punishes wrong doers.
v. God is all knowing.
vi. God is holy.
vii. God id loving.
viii. God is faithful.
ix. God is jealous.
x. God demands obedience.

6. HOW THE ISRAELITES WORSHIPPED GOD IN THE WILDERNESS

 Worshiprefers to the means of communicating with and honouring God.
 The Israelites worshipped God in the following ways:
a. Sacrifices and offering
 In a sacrifice, animals were used whereas in an offering agricultural produce was
used.
 Sacrifices included:
i. Burnt offering holocaust: Here the sacrificial animal was completely burnt
and therefore entirely removed from human possession and given to God.
ii. Atonement/sin offering: The one who had sinned brought an animal
before God and it was offered as a sacrifice, i.e. the animal died on behalf of
the person who had sinned.
iii. Peace offering: part of theof the sacrificial animal was eaten by people and
other parts which consisted of fat and blood were burnt on the altar for
God.
iv. Gift offering: The best animal and grains were offered to God as a
thanksgiving.
v. Meal offering/drink offering: This involved offering both animal and
vegetable.
vi. Incense offering: Incense was burnt before God as a sign of God’s holiness.
b. Festivals
 A festival is a celebration commemorating a past event such as a day of
independence in a given country.
 There were a number of festivals in Israelite community which included:
i. The Passover Feast of the unleavened bread: It was held annually as
commemoration of the Israelites liberation from Egypt.

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ii. The feast of weeks/Pentecost: It originally marked the end of wheat harvest
and later was conducted 50 days from the Sabbath following the Passover
hence the name Pentecost.
iii. The feast of Tabernacles: It marked the end of the Agricultural year and
took place during autumn when the fruits had been harvested.
c. Altars
 The Israelites built altars in the places of worship.
 Sacrifices were offered on these altars.
d. The tent of meeting
 This was a portable structure in which the Israelites worshipped God.
 It was also called tabernacle.
 The Ark of the Covenant was kept here.
e. The prayed to God.
f. They sang and danced for God.
g. The paid tithes.

7. THE ISRAELITES NEW UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE OF GOD

 Through the teaching of Moses and their experience, the Israelites learnt the
following about the nature of God.
 He is the God of their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
 God is more powerful than other gods.
 He fulfills His promises as evidenced by their release from Egypt.
 God is holy as seen in the restriction from contact with the holy mountain.
 God uses his chosen people to carry out His mission, e.g. Israel.
 God is the provider as seen in His provision of food and water in the
wilderness.
 God is a personal God who initiates a covenant relationship with individuals,
e. g. the Sinai covenant.
 God is just as He punished the idol worshippers.
 He is the only God.
 God is beyond human understanding as seen in the revelation at Mt. Sinai.
 God demands total obedience from His people form His instructions during
the making and renewal of the covenant
 God is omnipresent.
 God is jealous as expressed in the Ten Commandments.

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UNIT FIVE
LEADERSHIP IN GOD’S PLAN-DAVID AND SOLOMON
 The term Leadership refers to the manner in which a community’s way of life is
ruled or controlled.
 When the Israelites settled in Canaan for the 1st 200 years, they were ruled by
judges. The 1st judge was Joshua who took over from Moses.
 The judges were believed to have been appointed by God when need arose.
 These judges included:
i. Othniel (judges 3:9-10)
ii. Ehud (judges 3:15)
iii. Shamgar (judges 3:31)
iv. Deborah (judges 4:4)
v. Gideon (judges6:11-24)

Duties of judges in Israel

i. They led the Israelites to war against their enemies.(judges 7:8-18)

ii. They settled disputes among the people. (1samuel 7:15-17)
iii. They acted as religious leaders and led the Israelites in worship. (judges 6:19-24)
iv. Some acted as God’s prophets.
v. They guided the Israelites to live according to the covenant way of life.

1. REASONS FOR KINGSHIP IN ISRAEL (1SAMUEL 8:1-9)

i. Samuel’s sons, Joel and Abijah, were corrupt and took bribes.
ii. The Israelites wanted a warrior king who could lead them to the war against
their enemies and bring victory to Israel.
iii. The Israelites wanted to be like other nations around them who had kings.
iv. The Israelites wanted a physical leader whom they see and approach.
v. They wanted a stable political governmentruled by law and order.
vi. They wanted a stable hereditary leadership.
vii. Their failure to recognize Yahweh as their unseen king.

2. REASONS AGAINST KINGSHIP IN ISRAEL (1 SAMUEL 8:10-20)

i. It showed that the Israelites had rejected Yahweh as their unseen leader.
ii. The Israelites would lose their identity as the covenant people.
iii. The king would recruit Israelites’ sons forcefully into army.
iv. The king would introduce forced labour
v. The king would grab their land for government use.
vi. The king would force the people to pay high taxes for the government.
vii. The king would force their daughters to work for his wives, sons and for the
royal house in general.
viii. Yahweh would reject them when they cried to Him.

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ix. The king would make them slaves.

3. KING SAUL’S SUCCESSES AND FAILURES (1samuel 13:8-14, 15:7-25)

a. Background to king Saul’s reign
 When the elders of Israel went to Prophet Samuel and demanded for a king, he
prayed for God’s guidance.
 God sent Samuel to anoint Saul as the 1st king of Israel.
 He was filled by the holy spirit of God and was able to defeat the enemies of Israel
like philistines Amalekites and Ammonites.
b. King Saul’s failures
i. He was not patient to wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice.
ii. He offered sacrifices instead of waiting for Samuel to do so.
iii. He did not listen to the command of God to destroy all the loot they had got from the
Amalekites.
iv. He wanted to kill King David out jealousy because King David had become popular.
v. He took the best sheep and cattle from the Amalekites for selfish gain.
vi. He cheated Samuel that he wanted to offer the animals as sacrifices to God.
vii. He consulted the medium.
viii. He killed the priests of the Lord.
ix. He committed suicide.

Lessons Christians learn from failures of King Saul

i. They should be patient when handling challenging situations.

ii. They should take time when making crucial decisions.
iii. They should acknowledge that they are God’s servants.
iv. They seek advice from people with integrity.
v. They should be transparent and accountable.
vi. They should not abuse their positions.
vii. They should avoid being jealous of others.

4. KING DAVID’S IMPORTANCE(1samuel 16:1-23, 2samuel 6:1-15)

i. He was chosen by God to be the king of Israel.
ii. He was publicly anointed and accepted as the king by all tribes of Israel.
iii. He killed Goliath, the Philistine’s warrior.
iv. He united the twelve tribes of Israel.
v. He established peace by defeating enemies of Israel.
vi. He extended the geographical boundaries of Israel through conquest.
vii. He established a powerful army.
viii. He captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it hiscapital city.
ix. He improved the economic status of Israel by encouraging trade with other
nations like Tyre.
x. He carried out census to ensure fair taxation and distribution of resources.
xi. He composed many religious songs and wrote psalms.
xii. He repented when he sinned.
xiii. He established the longest serving dynasty spanning over 400 years.

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xiv. He respected the prophets of Yahweh and consulted them

5. DAVID AS AN ANCESTOR OF JESUS CHRIST

i. Joseph, the father of Jesus was a descendant of David.
ii. At the time of census, Mary and Joseph went to be registered at Bethlehem,
David’s home.
iii. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, David’s hometown.
iv. Angel Gabriel revealed to Mary that her son would be given the throne of his
father David.
v. The angels announced to the shepherds that a savior had been born in David’s
city.
vi. The blind beggar in Jericho referred to Jesus as the son of David.
vii. Angel Gabriel revealed to Mary that her son would rule over Israel.
viii. Jesus was referred by the crowd as the Messiah descended of David during the
triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

Promises made to David by God

i. To keep David and his descendants safe from all enemies.

ii. To give David’s descendant a place to settle.
iii. To rise up an heir from the house of David to sit on the throne.
iv. To let his son be the one to build a temple for Him.
v. To establish an everlasting kingdom for David.
vi. To make David’s name great and famous among other leaders on the earth.

6. QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER DRAWN FROM KING DAVID

i. Courage/bravery: David was a courageous military commander who led his people
wars.
ii. Faith: David was a God fearing man and expressed his total trust in God by
consulting Him before engaging in any adventure.
iii. Gratitude: David always thanked God for any success or favors he received from
Him.
iv. Loyalty: David always did the will of God.
v. Justice: David administered justice to all his subjects without favoring anyone.
vi. Wisdom: David was a wise man and was careful in choosing legal advisors to assist
him in his rule.
vii. Humility:King David was ready to admit his mistakes and accepted criticism and
rebuke from religious leaders such as prophets.
viii. Kindness: King David had a forgiving heart towards some of his offenders.

7. KING SOLOMON’S ACHIEVEMENTS AND FAILURES

 Solomon was the son of King David.
 The name ‘Solomon’ is synonymous to the Hebrew word shalom which is similar
Kiswahili word, salaam meaning peace.
 He was appointed by his father to succeed him.
 He was anointed by Zadok, the priest, in the presence of Prophet Nathan.

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 When David was about to die he called his son Solomon and gave him his last
instructions on what to do if he was to succeed as a king of Israel. He advised him as
follows:
 To be confident and be determined.
 To do what the lord commands him.
 To keep the laws of Moses.
a. Achievements of king Solomon
i. Solomon succeeded King David to the throne.
ii. He enriched Israel by establishing trade relations with neighboring nations.
iii. He created a large, well equipped army, which ensured that Israel remained a very
strong nation.
iv. Solomon built a magnificent Temple for God as a fulfillment of God’s promise to
David.
v. He ruled with great wisdom. For instance, he was able to judge wisely in the case of
the two women fighting over a child.
vi. He used his great administrative skills to create various departments and put wise
leaders’in charge of them.
vii. Solomon ensured continued peace by establishing friendly ties with neighboring
nations.
viii. He composed many proverbs and songs.
ix. He brought the Ark of the Covenant to the temple in Jerusalem. This represents
God’s presence among the people.
x. He built himself a palace that took 13 years to complete.

b. Failures of king Solomon

i. He married many foreign wives who worshipped other gods. (exodus 20:4-5)
ii. He built temples for the pagan gods worshipped by his wives.
iii. He killed his own half-brother, Adonijah because he suspected that he could be his
rival to the throne.
iv. He introduced forced labour.
v. He introduced high taxation.
vi. He practiced nepotism, i.e. men from his tribe were exempted from forced labour.
vii. He valued himself more than God, i.e. He spent only seven 7 years in building the
temple, but 13 years in building his own palace.
viii. He was extravagant in the way he used the wealth that belonged to the state of
Israel, i.e. He maintained a very high standard of living in his royal palace.
ix. He sold part of Israel territory, i.e. he sold 20 towns of Galilee in repayment of a
debt he was unable to settle.
x. He hired the skills of Pagan craftsmen who designed,decorated and furnished the
Temple of God.

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8. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TEMPLE IN ISRAEL

i. It symbolized God’s presence among His people through the Ark of the Covenant
which was kept in the Temple.
ii. It was a dwelling place for God. ( 1 kings 8: 12-13)
iii. It a house of worship and prayer. (Isaiah 56:7)
iv. It was a place where all 1st born male children were dedicated to God.(exodus 13:1)
v. It was a place where all Jewish religious festivals or feasts such as Passover and
Pentecost were celebrated.
vi. It was a training place for the Jewish religious teachers.
vii. The Temple was a place where the prophets and priests lived.
viii. It was a place where sacrifices were offered to God by priests.
ix. It was a place all rites of purification were carried out.
x. It was a judicial Centre where religious disputes were settled.
xi. It was a trading Centre where animals for sacrifices were bought.

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UNIT SIX
LOYALTY TO GOD- ELIJAH
DEFINITION OF IDOLATRY

 It refers to the worship of idols.

 An idol is an image representing a god and usually made or cast using precious
materials such as gold, bronze, stone or hard wood.
1. FACTORS THAT LED TO THE SPREAD OF IDOLATRY IN ISRAEL
i. The Israelites were attracted to the Canaanite gods whom they could see.
ii. They wanted to be like other nations.
iii. They intermarried with foreign wives who brought in their gods.
iv. Change from pastoral life to agricultural life made them turn to the god of fertility.
v. King jeroboam introduced idol worship in the northern kingdom by setting up
places of worship at Dan and Bethel.
vi. Their defeat in wars made them turn away from Yahweh.
vii. Kings such as Solomon and Ahab allowed the worship of idols.
viii. The great influence of the Canaanite religion on the people.
ix. There was syncretism, i.e. they worshipped Yahweh alongside other gods.
x. The Israelites worshipped Yahweh in the magnificent Canaanite temples.
xi. They ignored the commandments God gave them through Moses.

a. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CANAANITE RELIGION

i. It was polytheistic, i.e. they worshipped many gods and goddesses.
ii. They had elaborate rituals for their gods.
iii. Both human and animal sacrifices were offered to their gods.
iv. They had both gods and goddesses.
v. The gods were represented by images and symbols, e.g. Baal was
represented in form of a Bull.
vi. They built high places for their gods and goddesses.
vii. They had feasts to honour their gods, e.g. the feast of the unleavened bread,
feast of weeks etc.
viii. The religion had prophets, prophetesses and priests.
ix. They also practiced temple prostitution.
x. The religion was nature in character, i.e. it was related to forces of nature, e.g.
rain and drought.
xi. It comprised of a family of gods such as Baal, Asherah and Baalath.
xii. It was cyclic, i.e. the seasons were repeated.
b. Religious schism between Judah and Israel ( 1kings 12:26-33)
 Schism refers to a division within or separation from an established
church/religion not necessarily involving a difference in doctrine.

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Ways in which Jeroboam contributed to religious schism between Judah and Israel

i. Jeroboam made two golden calves to be worshipped by the people.

ii. He made Bethel and Dan places of worship to replace Jerusalem.
iii. He built other places of worship on hill tops.
iv. He chose priests from ordinary families to serve Yahweh at the centres of worship.
v. He instituted religious festivals or feasts in the month of his choice.
vi. He offered sacrifices to the golden calves in Bethel and Dan.
vii. He made people of Israel to worship idols.
viii. He burnt incense at the altar of idols, thus breaking the 1st commandment.

Forms of idolatry in Israel

a. Idol worship: The Israelites worshipped idols such as Baal and Asherah
b. Temple prostitution: Those who wanted their spouses to be productive had
relations with priests and priestesses of Baal and Asherah the same way the
Canaanites did.
c. Materialism: King Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard and acquired it forcefully
through his wife Jezebel.
d. Some Israelite kings idolized themselves: King Jeroboam for example,
exalted himself in the same way the Canaanite kings did. He also offered his
own sacrifices and burnt incense, which was the work of the priests.

2. THE EFFECTS OF IDOLATRY IN ISRAEL

i. It led to the development of syncretism, i.e. the Israelites mixed the worship of
Yahweh and the Canaanite gods.
ii. Names of the Canaanite gods were also used for Yahweh, e.g. El; the name of the
father of all gods was applied to Yahweh.
iii. There emerged false prophets and prophetesses because Yahweh’s prophets were
persecuted.
iv. Prophets of Yahweh were killed because they were against Baalism.
v. High places of worship were constructed for worship of false gods and goddesses.
vi. Parents began naming their children after Baal, e.g. one of the judges Gideon was
named Jerubaal which means let Baal contend or perhaps, may Baal multiply.
vii. Baalism was made a state religion. King Ahab through the influence of Queen Jezebel
declared Baalism a compulsory state religion.
viii. Human sacrifices were offered to gods and goddesses.
ix. The Israelites dropped the covenant way of life.
x. It led to the emergence of powerful prophets of Yahweh.
xi. The Canaanite agricultural calendar was adopted by Israel for the timing of the
pilgrimage.
xii. God withdrew His blessing from the Israelites because they angered Him by
worshipping idols.
xiii. The Israelites practiced temple prostitution.
xiv. Queen Jezebel ordered the destruction of the altars of Yahweh.

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3. ELIJAH FIGHT AGAINST FALSE RELIGION(1 kings 18:1-16)

 God called ProphetElijah during the time when idolatry was spreading in Israel.
 He had to stress to the Israelites of their commitment and loyalty to God.
 He warned them against compromising the worship of Yahweh, their only one and
true God.
 He urged the Israelites to be loyal to God.
 Loyaltyis the act of being faithful. The Israelites had promised to be loyal to God and
worship him only.
 Elijah fought for the Israelites to stick to the worship of the true God, Yahweh who
had delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
 Baalism appeared to be the official religion in the kingdom during the reign of King
Ahab.
 The religion of Yahweh was endangered by Baalism.
 Prophet Elijah arose to challenge false religion in Israel.
 Elijah prophesied a three years drought.
 This was to be God’s punishment to the Israelites for breaking His commandments
and worshipping idols.
 This was to teach the Israelites that Yahweh, and not Baal, was in charge of nature.

a. Circumstances which led to Mt. Camel contest

i. The Israelites had turned away from the covenant way of life.
ii. Yahweh’s altar at Sheldon had been broken down.
iii. Prophets of Yahweh had been persecuted and killed.
iv. King Ahab and his foreign wife Jezebel had promoted idol worship in Israel.
v. Syncretism had taken root in Israel.
vi. The three-year drought had caused great suffering to Israel as a nation.
vii. There were 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah serving in the king’s
palace and promoting the worship of Baal.
viii. The contest was to prove whether Yahweh or Baal was the true God.

b. The contest at Mt. Carmel(1kings 18: 17-46)

 Elijah requested the king to order all the people to meet him at Mt. Carmel to hold a
contest.
 Elijah asked the king to invite 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah.
 He wanted to prove who the true God was.
 Elijah would sacrifice one bull to Yahweh and the pagan prophets and prophetesses
would sacrifice one to their gods.
 The one who sent down the fire to consume the sacrifice would be regarded as the
true God.
 The prophets of Baal were the first one to make their offering.
 They prayed until noon but Baal did not sent fire.
 They cut themselves with knifes and daggers and prayed louder but nothing
happened.
 Elijah then prepared the altar of Yahweh with 12 stones representing the 12 tribes
of Israel.
 He put all the items for sacrifice on the altar.
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 He ordered for the water to be poured around the trenches of the altar until it
flooded.
 When it reached the set time for evening sacrifice, Elijah prayed and called upon
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to send fire.
 Fire came and consumed the whole sacrifice including the water in the trenches.
 Consequently, all the Israelites bowed down and declared that Yahweh was the true
God.
 Elijah then ordered the Israelites to kill all prophets of Baal for misleading the
people to worship idols.
 Elijah went to the top of Mt. Carmel and prayed to Yahweh for rain.
 He sent his servant to look at the sky for the sign of rain.
 When the servant looked towards the sea for the seventh time, he saw a small cloud
the size of a human hand forming.
 Rain falling heavily, signaling the end of the drought.

Lessons learnt about the nature of God from the Mt. Carmel contest.

i. Yahweh is the only true God. He answered Elijah’s prayer.

ii. Yahweh is the living God.
iii. Yahweh is a powerful God. He controls all the forces of nature.
iv. Yahweh is a holy God and does not condone sin.
v. Yahweh is a merciful and forgiving God.
vi. Yahweh is a Jealous God.
vii. Yahweh is a God of justice since he rightfully punishes those who break His
commandments.
viii. Yahweh listens to His people and answers their prayers.
ix. Yahweh is the provider and protector of his servants.

4. ELIJAH FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION (1 kings 21: 1-29)

 Corruption refers to any form of injustice done to the innocent by those in
leadership position.
 In a corrupt society, wealthy and powerful people tend to take advantage of the
weak and the poor by exploiting them and denying them their rights.
 King Ahab of Israel desired a fruitful vineyard owned by a man named Naboth.
 King Ahab approached Naboth to sell him the vineyard or exchange it with another
vineyard.
 Naboth declined the offer because in Israel, selling ancestral land was against the
covenantal laws. The land belonged to God.
 When Jezebel Ahab’s wife learnt about Naboth’s refusal, she arranged for his
murder.
 After Naboth was killed, Ahab possessed the vineyard.
 God commanded Elijah to go and declare His judgment on Ahab for committing such
an evil act in Israel.

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 Elijah declared the following on Ahab:

 Dogs would lick Ahab’s blood at the same place where they licked
Naboth’s blood.
 Ahab’s dynasty would fall like those of the kings before him who had
disobeyed God.
 All members of Ahab’s family would face violent deaths like that of
Naboth.
 On hearing this, Ahab humbled himself before God and repented.
 The lord postponed Ahab’s punishment to the days of his son because he repented.

King Ahab’s weaknesses

i. He failed to protect the property of the poor.

ii. He broke the tenth commandment by coveting Naboth’s vineyard.
iii. He corruptly acquired Naboth’s vineyard through jezebel his pagan wife.
iv. He allowed his wife to bear false witness against Naboth. He thus broke the 9th
commandment.
v. He broke the 6th commandment by allowing his wife to go ahead with her plan to
stone Naboth to death.

Lessons learnt from Naboth’s story

Christians learn the following about Yahweh from the story of Naboth:

i. Yahweh is the protector and defender of the weak and the poor in the society.
ii. Yahweh punishes those who engage in corrupt deeds or oppress others.
iii. Yahweh is a just and fair God.
iv. Yahweh owns everything on earth, including land, and Christians are His stewards.
v. Yahweh is merciful and forgiving God.

Forms of corruption in our society today

i. Tribalism.
ii. Bribery.
iii. Cheating in business.
iv. Stealing.
v. Robbery with violence.
vi. Dishonesty.
vii. Misuse of public property/funds.
viii. Grabbing of personal and public property.
ix. Nepotism
x. Discrimination.

How Christians can help reduce corruption

i. By applying the life skills of critical thinking, creative thinking, self-esteem,

assertiveness, problem solving, etc.

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ii. Pray for the corrupt to change their behaviour.

iii. Set a good example by acting as good role models for others.
iv. Educate people on evils of corruption.
v. Report those who are engaged in corrupt practices to the relevant authorities.
vi. Choose morally upright leaders in all areas.

5. REASONS ELIJAH FACED AND HOSTILTY AS A PROPHET OF GOD(1kings 18 1-

46)
i. Elijah prophesied a three-year drought in Israel which resulted into severe famine
in Israel. The worshippers of Baal attributed their suffering to him.
ii. Elijah opposed to the worship of Baal.
iii. The prophets of Baal were very many compared to Elijah who was alone.
iv. Elijah declared God’s judgment on Ahab when the king possessed Naboth’s
vineyard.
v. There was persecution of Yahweh’s prophets.
vi. Elijah ordered the killing of 450 prophets of Baal which annoyed Queen Jezebel
resulting in threats to kill him.
vii. In the wilderness, Elijah starvation due to lack of food.

6. THE RELEVANCE OF ELIJAH’S PROPHETIC MISSION TO CHRISTIANS TODAY

i. Christians should remain faithful to God at all times.
ii. Christians should condemn all forms of evil in the society.
iii. Christians not covet other people’s property.
iv. Christians should be prepared to face opposition and rejection in their work.
v. Christians should propagate the worship of one God.
vi. Christians should lead exemplary righteous lives to avoid God’s punishment.
vii. Christians should a prayerful life.
viii. Christians should trust God’s providence.
ix. Christians should encourage their fellow Christians to uphold their faith.
x. Christians should remain courageous and firm in condemning any form of social
injustice in the society.

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SECTION II

AFRICAN REIGIOUS HERITAGE – MORAL AND CULTURAL

VALUES

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UNIT SEVEN
SELECTED ASPECTS IN AFRICAN RELIGIOUS
HERITAGE
1. THE AFRICAN CONCEPT OF GOD, SPIRITS AND ANCECESTORS

(a)God
 Most African communities believe in God as the Supreme Being who is the origin
and sustainer all things.
 He is the creator of the universe and that it contains.
 All Africans agree that nobody has ever seen God. Therefore nobody can really
describe Him.
 The following are some of the attributes of God according to the African people:
i. God is the Creator of the universe. They believe that the world was created
by God, i.e. God existed from the beginning and is the source life.
ii. God is a Provider. He provides life, water good health, fertility, food and
protection.
iii. God is Merciful. His mercy or kindness is felt in situations of danger, illness,
difficulty or anxiety. He is believed to deliver them form such situations.
iv. God is Holy and Pure. Africans believe that God is holy and pure.
v. God is All-Powerful (omnipotent). They believe that God is capable of
doing all things that man cannot do such as making the sun to rise and set.
vi. God is All-Knowing (Omniscient). God is believed to know all things and
nothing can be hidden from Him.
vii. God is All-Understanding. He is believed to see everything in the universe.
viii. God is All-Present (Omnipresent). Africans believe that God everywhere at
all times.
ix. God is Immanent. Africans believe that God is close to His creation, i.e. He is
actively involved in every activity of human beings.
x. God is Transcendent. They believe that God is beyond human
understanding and cannot be limited.
xi. God is Self-Existent. This means that God exists on His own.
xii. God is a Spirit. Africans believe that God cannot be seen, touched or smelt.
xiii. God is everlasting (Eternal). God is believed to live beyond the lifetime of
any individual person, plant or animal. He never dies.
xiv. God is Good. He is neither evil nor the author of evil. His goodness is seen in
the fact that He created the world.

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(b) The spirits

 These are invisible beings second in seniority in the hierarchy of beings.
 Some of the spirits are believed to have been created by God as spirits, while others
are spirits of people who died long ago and are no longer remembered by the living.
 The spirits are subordinate to God and depend upon Him.
 God sometimes uses them to perform certain things such as causing floods and
lightning.
 Spirits are generally categorized into two, i.e. nature spirits and human spirits.
i. Nature spirits
 They are believed to live in nature. Most African religions teach that nature spirits
comprise both the earth and sky spirits.
 The earth spirits
 They control the forces of the earth and are close to human life.
 These spirits are connected with physical features such as hills, mountains, forests,
rivers, lakes, waterfalls, animals, insects and diseases.
 Some may be manipulated by human beings for good or evil purposes.
 The sky spirits
 They are associated with objects and forces in the sky such as the moon, the stars,
rain, storms, wind, thunder and lightning.
 There are sky spirits which are stronger than others.
ii. Human spirits
 They are in two categories namely: The ghost spirits (common spirits), belonging to
those who died long ago and the ancestral spirits, those whose identity is still alive
in the memories of people.
 Africans believe that life is not terminated at the death of an individual, but
continues beyond death.
 These spirits are believed to appear to the living in visions and dreams.
 People fear ghosts more than the ancestral spirits.
 Ghosts are believed to cause harm to the living when they possess them, e.g.
diseases like madness are directly attributed to the work of ghosts.
 Ancestors are believed to be close to their clans and families and are generally
interested in their welfare unless offended by the living in a particular way.

(c) The ancestors

 They are the fore-fathers/fore-mothers or founders of the African clans and tribes.
 They are people who died and whose names and identity are still remembered by
the family or clan members.
 They are close to their immediate families, which they belonged while alive.
 They speak the language of human beings when they appear to them in either a
dream or a vision.
 Many of them were once clan or tribal heroes while they lived.

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2. THE AFRICAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE HIERARCHY OF BEINGS

(a)Hierarchy of beings

 The hierarchy of beings refers to the order in which beings are ranked or placed in
the universe.
 The order is based on the myths of creation, the experiences of the spirit world and
daily human relations.
 Africans view all beings, whether human or not in a hierarchical order in accordance
to their kind, importance and the role they play in ontological order.

GOD

DIVINITIES

COMMON SPIRITS

LIVING DEAD

HUMAN BEINGS

ANIMALS & PLANTS

NON-LIVING THINGS
 God occupies the top position. He is the Supreme Being, the creator and sustainer of
the whole universe.
 The divinities occupy the second level below God. They are believed to be God’s
personal assistance who controls the forces of nature.
 The common spirits occupy the third level. They comprise the spirits of human
beings who are long-dead and those of dead animals. Common spirits can either be
good to the people or evil.
 The fourth level is occupied by the living-dead (ancestors). This group forms an
intermediate stage between the human beings who are alive and the spirit world
and acts as intermediaries between the two.
 The fifth level comprises the human beings. They include those who are physically
alive and those who are yet to be born.
 Animals and plants occupy the sixth level. They are used by human beings in the
natural and religious life as food and sacrifices.
 The lowest level is occupied by non-living things such as rivers, caves, mountains,
and valleys. Some of these features are believed to be sacred since they are believed
to be dwelling places for the divinities or God.

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3. THE ROLES OF GOD, SPIRITS ANCESTORS

a) The role of God

i. God creates and sustains life.
ii. God gives order to the universe and controls.
iii. God punishes the wrong doers.
iv. He blesses good people.
v. He protects human beings from evil.
vi. He comforts the sorrowful and heals the sick.
vii. He controls the spirits.
viii. He gives power to the religious specialists to perform their duties.
ix. He is the guardian of moral and ethical issues.
x. He gives victory to people in time of war.

Way in which the people show their appreciation to God as the source of life in
traditional African communities.

 They pray to God for good health and protection.

 They offer sacrifices as thanksgiving to God for His blessings.
 They attribute success to God as the provider.
 They accept that it is God. Who gives life and it is Him who takes it away.
 They care for their own life and for those entrusted to them.
 They contribute positively towards improving lives of others in the community.
 They take care of the environment.
 They pass on the gifts of life through procreation.
b) The role of spirits
i. They act as intermediaries between God, divinities and humankind, i.e. they are
believed to communicate God’s will to the living through dreams and visions.
ii. They bless the living and receive the living-dead into unseen world.
iii. They protect the people from evil such as misfortune, disease, epidemics, curses,
drought, famine and death.
iv. They help explain certain mysteries about the life to the living.
v. They assist the healers and diviners in their work.
c) The role of ancestors

i. They act as intermediaries between human beings, the spirits and God.
ii. Ancestors help to preserve and sustain traditional standards of the community.
iii. They are used regulate the behaviour of those who are still living e.g. would punish
the living.
iv. They protect the living against all forms of danger and evil.
v. Give instructions to the family as what should be done on certain issues affecting the
family.
vi. They warn the living about impending danger/punishment to those who fail to carry
out their wishes.
vii. They participate in community ritual ceremonies e.g. burying the dead.

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viii. Ancestors also welcomed the dead in the world of the living dead.
ix. They are believed to encourage initiates during initiation ceremonies.
x. They provide names to the newborns in the family.
xi. They are custodians of Traditional African moral, cultural and religious values.

4. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LIVING TOWARDS GOD, SPIRTIS ANCEDTORS

 The term responsibility refers to the duties or obligations that one has to fulfill.
a. The responsibility of the living towards God.
 The living have the responsibility of thanking God for whatever he has done.
 They honor God through praying to Him and honoring Him as the provider.
 They also sing and dance in worship of God.
 They respect the name of God and is not to be mentioned carelessly.
 They teach the young ones about God.
 They take care of God’s creation e.g. in some Communities it is a taboo to kill young
animals.
 They maintain a good relationship with God through prayer.
 They protect and value human life.
b. The responsibility of the living towards the spirits
 They observe and uphold the authority of the spirits.
 They show concern for the spirits by offering libations and giving them food.
 They take care of sacred places and animals.
 They consult the spirits for advice and guidance.
c. The responsibility of the living towards the ancestors
 They protect the community land from any form of destruction and misuse.
 They request the living-dead to welcome the recently dead into the spirit world.
 They honour their wishes at death.
 They respect and protect the culture of the community.
 They name their newborn babies after the living-dead as a way of honouring them.
 They give offerings and make sacrifices to appease the ancestors so as to avert danger.
 They invite the ancestors to take part in their ceremonies such as birth and naming,
marriage, funeral and initiation.
5. TRADITIONAL AFRICAN WAYS OF WORSHIPPING GOD

 Worship refers to an act of showing respect, honor and love for God.
 The methods of approaching God differ from one community to another.
(a) Offering of sacrifice: It involves shedding of blood whether human beings, birds or animals. The
sacrificial animals are carefully selected. Sacrifices are usually offered by religious specialists like the
diviners and priests. They roast the animal and believe the smoke reached God.
(b) Offerings: Offerings are gifts given to God other than those that involve shedding of blood. Offering
include things like food stuffs milk or harvest from the firm.
(c) Prayers: People may also communicate to God through prayers. African prayers are usually short and
to the point. Prayers are usually offered before sacrifices.
(d) Religious specialists: such include diviners, mediums, prophets or elders. The specialists act as
intermediaries between the people and the spirits
(e) Songs and dances: The Africans also worship God through singing and dancing especially
during communal act of worship.

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(f) Places of worship: Communal worship is carried out at particular places known as Shrines. The
Agikuyu have a sacred tree known as the Mugumo tree. Other Communities have shrines like rocks,
mountains and caves.
(g) Pouring of libation:
This is meant to appease God. Before one starts eating, some food would be thrown down
for the ancestors.
(h) Ancestral spirits: Ancestors and the living dead are believed to have to have a lot of
influence on the living.
(i) Spirits: People would also communicate with God through the use of spirits. This is done
through diviners and medium.

Reasons why traditional African communities offer sacrifices

 To thank God for the good He has done for them.

 To appease God for the wrongs they have done.
 To petition for help from God during difficult times.e.g. During a drought, epidemic.
 To invite God to participate in the family affairs.
 To acknowledge that God as the source of life.
 To ask for God’s protection.
 To ask blessings from God.
Occasions when prayers are offered in Traditional African communities.

 When breaking new ground for cultivating.

 During planting seasons.
 During times of calamities such drought, earthquakes, floods.
 During rites of passage.
 When preparing warriors for war.
 When making treaties.
 During cleansing ceremonies.
 During times of abundant harvest.
 At day break and sunset.
 Before setting off for a journey.
 During installation of a leader.
Places of worship in Traditional African Communities

 In forests.
 Under sacred trees.
 In caves.
 At river banks/shores/springs.
 On big rocks
 On hill tops and mountains.
 At waterfalls.
 In shrines.
 At grave yards
 At crossroads.

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Traditional African traditional ways of venerating ancestors and Spirits

 Veneration simply means the ways in which the Africans show respect and honour to
God. These include:
i. Offering sacrifices: This is done to maintain good relationship between the living and
the dead.
ii. Pouring out of libation: The Africans pour libations to the ancestors in form of grains,
piece of meat, milk or beer
iii. .Inviting them to participate in the community rites such as marriage, birth and burials.
iv. Through naming: Some communities venerate ancestors through naming new born
babies after them.
v. Calling their names in prayers: The ancestors are also venerated or calling their names
in prayers.
vi. Giving the dead a decent burial: The graves of the dead are well maintained and the
Body is carefully placed in the grave.
vii. Honoring the will and wishes of the dead. It is believed that if the will and wishes are
honored, the dead would bring bad omen to the living.
viii. Taking care of sacred places which are believed to be dwellings places of the spirits.
ix. Protecting and taking care of the ancestral land in the community.

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UNIT EIGHT
THE MEANING OF LIFE AND ITS WHOLENESS
IN TRADTIONAL AFRICAN SOCIETY
1. MEANING OF LIFE

 Life originates from God.

 Human life has three domains which are; the unborn, the living and the living dead.
 Life is sustained by God.
 Life progresses through the rites of passage.
 Life is a rhythm which recycles itself.
 Life exists in the physical and the invisible world.
 The relationship between the physical and the invisible world is maintained through
worship.
 All aspects of are believed to be religious.
 Human life is sacred.
 Life is also seen as communal. Everybody is a part of the other.
 Life is enhanced through observance of rituals, taboos and regulations.
 Death is a transition to a superior form of life.
 Life is perpetuated through marriage and procreation.
2. THE AFRICAN CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY AND KINSHIP SYSTEM

a. Meaning of community
 The term community refers to a group of people who share the same religion, race, job or
any other common interests.
 African community therefore refers to a group of people of African origin found in a
specified geographical area, who share a common ethnic and ancestral background and
have a sense of togetherness.
Characteristics of an African community

i. They are people who claim a common ancestry and are related by blood.
ii. They live in one Geographical area commonly referred to as ancestral land.
iii. It is made up of smaller units called clan. A clan is a social unit comprising of
families who share the same forefather. The size of the clan could differ from one to
the other.
iv. A community has distinct beliefs, customs and cultural practices. The taboos of one
community are different from those of another.
v. Each community has a distinct political and social organization.
vi. Members of a particular community speak a common language.
vii. It comprises both visible and invisible members. These include the unborn, the living
and the ancestors.

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b. African concept of kinship

 Kinship refers to the relationship between people through either blood or marriage or
both.
Importance of kinship system in traditional African communities.

i. It determines how members relate to one another thus controlling the behaviour one
person to another.
ii. Kinship binds together the entire life of a community, the departed and those yet to be
born.
iii. Kinship ties assist people to live peacefully and in harmony with others.
iv. Kinship ties also provide security to all concerned. All the members come together in
times of need.
v. It also regulates marriage relations, before marriage one has to find the back ground of
the other. It is also a taboo to marry close relative. The tie reduces cases of incest.
vi. Kinship gives individuals a sense of belonging since everyone is a relative in one way or
the other, one feels comfortable in any company.
vii. Kinship helps to prevent the spread of hereditary diseases.
viii. Kinship helps to care for the less fortunate members of the society e.g. in cases of death,
the whole community mourn.
ix. Kinship defines and enforces duties and responsibilities of individuals.
x. Kinship system provides the peaceful ways of settling disputes in a community as all are
treated as brothers and sisters.

3. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO HARMONY AND MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY IN

THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY

i. Division of labour in African societies, labour is divided according to sexes.

Grandparents are charged with the duty of counselling.Grandmothers teach girls their
roles and grandfathers maintain law and order. Young unmarried men provide security in
form of warriors while boys look after the animals. Girls take care of the babies and
fetch firewood.
ii. Communal worship – prayers are offered to God to thank Him for whatever he has
done. Prayers are offered also during time of calamities. Prayers also connect the living
and the dead.
iii. Leisure Activities: This is the time that one has at his disposal. Such occasions include
beer drinking, wrestling, singing and dancing etc.
iv. Rites of passage: These are ceremonies that are performed to a group of people to mark
important stages of life. Such include: -Birth Initiation Marriage Death
v. Spirit of sharing: In African Traditional Community there is the spirit of sharing of
resources among the members of a community e.g. food, beer drinking.
vi. Communal activities: People participate in communal activities e.g. in the garden or
when one is building a new house.
vii. Rules and Regulations: People in the community are governed by rules and regulations,
which are strictly followed. This helps to control people’s behaviours.
viii. Religion: People have some religious beliefs, which promote unity, and every
community believes in the existence of one God.

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ix. Same ancestry: People of a particular community believe that they have the same origin
e.g. the Agikuyu the ancestors are Mumbi and Gikuyu were created by Ngai.
x. Land ownership: The ancestral land is communally owned and nobody is allowed to
sell it. This ensured that nobody remained landless.
xi. Extended Family: It ensures that children, orphans and the widows are well taken care
of by the other members of the extended family. It could also help in paying of the
dowry.

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UNIT NINE
THE RITES OF PASSAGE AND MORAL VALUES
1. THE ROLE RITES OF PASSAGE
 A rite of passage is a ceremony performed by people in a given community to mark an
important stage in a person’s life from conception to death.
 These stages include birth, initiation, marriage and death.
 Rites of passage also serve as a way of preserving the community’s cultural beliefs.
 African communities perform various ceremonies to mark the transition of a member
from one stage of life to the next.
 Progression from one stage of life to the next makes life more meaningful.
a. Birth and naming
 This is the first stage in a person’s life.
 In traditional African communities, children are a product of marriage as every is
expected to marry and have children.
 The arrival of a child in a family is a time of great rejoicing and merry making.
 During pregnancy, the expectant mother is accorded a lot of respect and is given special
treatment.
 The expectant mothers observes the following rules and regulations:
i. They eat special food for the proper development of the baby avoiding some such as eggs
and fatty meat.
ii. They refrain from heavy tasks such as splitting firewood or carrying heavy loads.
iii. They refrain from sexual intercourse because pregnancy is believed to make the woman
ritually unclean.
iv. They avoid handling iron tools in the house for fear that such tools would attract lighting.
v. They speak to their husbands through other people and not directly.
vi. They return to their parents home to give birth there and come back home after weaning
the baby.
Birth
 During birth there are certain rituals that are performed to introduce the chills to the
immediate and extended members of the family.
 Different communities have different rules on where the delivery should take place. In
some communities, it may be done in the forest while others the expectant mother would
go back to their parents while others could also be done in the house of the in-law.
 Men are not allowed to go next to the delivery places.
 There are traditional midwives who help in delivery.
 The midwives perform the following: -
i. They advise the expectant mother on how to take care of herself.
ii. They monitor the development of the foetus.
iii. Would provide medical care e.g. giving the expectant mother certain herbs.
iv. They assist the mother in actual delivery to ensure the safety of the baby.
v. They would also announce the sex of the child.
vi. The mid wife checks any abnormalities on the babies at the correct time.
vii. They could also clean newly born baby.
viii. They organize the disposal of the placenta (after birth).

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ix. They advise on post-natal care of the mother and the baby.
Rituals associated with birth
i. Annunciation of the baby’s gender: When the baby arrives, the sex of the baby is
announced by ululations. This shows concern that they have for the child.
ii. Disposal of the placenta: The placenta is disposed of ceremoniously e.g. in some
communities it is thrown to uncultivated land to show fertility. In some communities it
would be thrown in rivers, forest in Banana plantations. In some communities e.g.
Agikuyu umbilical cord is kept to symbolize the link between the mother and the child.
iii. Purification: Purification rites are performed for the mother and the child to make them
pure. The hair of the mother and the child is shaved. This symbolizes new life.
iv. Protection: protective charms are tied around the neck or the waist of the child to drive
away evil and bring good luck.
v. Prayers: Prayers are also offered to God for protection.
vi. Celebration: They are characterized by feasting, singing and dancing. Presents are given
to the baby and mother as a sign of good will.
vii. Seclusion: In most communities the child and the mother are kept in seclusion for a
number of days, depending on the sex of the baby.

Importance of seclusion period

 To give the mother time to heal.
 To protect the child from evil eyes.
 To give the mother instructions on how to take care of the child.
 It symbolized death and resurrection.
 Both the mother and the child are given charms to protect them.
 To give the mother time to recover the lost energy.
Naming
 Nearly all-African names have a meaning.
 The naming of a child is therefore an important occasion, which is often marked with
ceremonies.
Ways of naming children in traditional African communities
i. Naming according to the time of the day one was born, e.g. among the Kalenjin, a girl
born at dawn is called Chepkoech while the one born at night is called Chekemboi.
ii. Naming according to important historical events that take place in the community e.g. a
person born during locusts invasion can be called Adede among the Luo.
iii. Naming according to the nature of delivery e.g. among the Luo a person who comes out
with the placenta would be called Obiero or Awino.
iv. Naming according to the place of birth e.g. among the Kisii, a person born crossing the
river could be called Kwamboka.
v. Naming according to seasons.e.g. Among the Bukusu a boy born during rainy season is
called Wafula.
vi. Naming according to the number of children delivered. Twins are also given special
names e.g. Opiyo and Odongo among the Luo.
vii. Naming according to the problems the parents faced e.g. a child born after a long period
of childless marriage is called Ogwedhi among the Luo.
viii. Naming after ancestors. It is believed that the dead relatives continue to live through
children.

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ix. Naming after heroes of important personalities in the community, e.g. Jomo Kenyatta the
first president of Kenya.
x. Naming according to the physical traits of the child, e.g. a baby girl with a small body is
called Kadogo among the Luhya and Kanini among the Kamba.
xi. Naming according to the mother’s experience during pregnancy, e.g. among the Chonyi
from Kenyan coast, a girl may be named Taabu if the mother had difficulties in her
pregnancy or during birth while among the Kamba the child is called Mwakali.

Importance of Naming
i. Naming gives identity to a person before a child is given a name she or he is not
considered as having full identity.
ii. Names are also given in honour of ancestors. Children could be named after their
dead relatives.
iii. It is also a way of remembering important events in the society.
iv. It is also a sign of acceptance of the children into the new family.
v. Naming ceremonies also provide opportunity to teach the culture of the youth.
vi. Names could also depict the character of the child.
vii. It is also a way of showing respect to God for the gift of the children.
viii. Naming ceremonies also bring unity among the people whenever a new child is born,
members of extended family would come to celebrate together.
Changing attitudes to birth and naming
 The birth of a child is no longer a communal affair but a family affair.
 Majority of women today give birth in hospitals.
 The mother and the child is no longer secluded.
 Many of the rituals that were performed to the mother and the child are today seen as
unnecessary.
 Many people today acquire Christian names.
 The attitude of the parents towards the sex of the child is also changing.
Moral values acquired during birth and naming rites in traditional African communities
 Chastity
 Loyalty/obedience
 Co-operation
 Tolerance/perseverance
 Respect
 Responsibility
 Love
 Hospitality
 Unity.
 Harmony.
 Patriotism
b. Initiation rites
 This is the second major stage in a person’s life. The individual moves from childhood to
adulthood.
 During this stage a person undergoes physical, emotional and psychological changes.

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 Initiation rites have certain symbolic meanings. There are several forms of
Initiation; these include:
 Circumcision
 Clitoridectomy – Female circumcision.
 Removal of teeth.
 Piercing of the ear.
 Tattooing.
Importance of Initiation in traditional African communities
i. It marks change from childhood to adulthood. Before initiation, one is viewed as a child
no matter the age.
ii. It is a sign of belonging to the society or identification. Before initiation one is not fully
considered belonging to the community.
iii. After initiation one is now free to marry and has a right to inherit his father’s property.
iv. It shows an act of bravery and hardship one is to meet in life.
v. It brings people together; relatives and friends come together hence strengthening kinship
ties.
vi. It symbolizes the union between the living and the dead. The blood the binds the initiates
and ancestors.
vii. During initiation the initiates are given special instructions that prepare them for future
life.
viii. The youth are ritually introduced to the communal living. People of the same age set
consider themselves as brothers and sisters.
ix. It enables one to learn the secrets of the society.
Roles of a sponsor during the circumcision ceremony in traditional African communities
i. They nurse the initiates.
ii. They offer guidance and counseling to the initiates.
iii. They educate the initiates on their responsibilities.
iv. They encourage the initiates.
v. They act as mediators between the initiates and their families.
vi. They play the role of a mentor.
vii. They ensure that the initiates are fed well.
Reasons why the initiates are kept in seclusion in traditional African communities.
i. To ensure proper feeding for all the initiates.
ii. To facilitate the process of healing.
iii. To be taught moral values.
iv. To learn the art of living together.
v. To form age sets for initiates.
vi. To be taught the secrets of the community.
vii. To learn to live an independent life.
viii. To mark the end of childhood and the beginning of adult life.
Changing attitudes towards initiation rites
i. Since the introduction of Christianity and western culture people’s attitude towards
initiation rites have changed.
ii. Seclusion nowadays is not very possible because of limited time.
iii. It is not possible to gather initiates together in some communities.

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iv. Circumcision is carried out at times in hospitals for health reasons.

v. The celebration that marked the end of initiation is slowly dying out due to economic
constraints.
vi. Today initiation is not done at particular stage in life. Some are circumcised when they
are still infants.
vii. Some communities have abandoned initiation rites like among the Luo, removal of six
lower teeth is a practice of the past.
viii. Circumcision of the girls is a practice that has been widely condemned for health reasons.
Why the practice female circumcision is dying out.
 It is against Christian teaching on circumcision because God instructed Abraham to
 It lowers the dignity of the individual (dehumanizing)
 One can contract dangerous diseases such as HIV and AIDS.
 It causes physical injury to the victim.
 Can interfere with an individual’s reproductive system.
 A lot of bleeding can lead to the death of an individual.
Moral values acquired during initiation rites in traditional African communities
 Unity and solidarity
 Chastity
 Self-control
 Courage
 Respect
 Sharing
 Endurance.

c. Marriage rites
 This is the third rite that an individual is expected to go through in life. After initiation,
one has the right to marry.
 During initiation the young adults are taught matters relating to sex and adulthood.
 Everyone has an obligation to marry or get married.
Importance of marriage
i. Marriage is for the continuity of the society and is an institution that is ordained by God.
ii. It is through marriage that children are born to the community.
iii. Marriage raised the status of the couples once somebody was married he was given a lot of
respect.
iv. Marriage extended relationship and therefore enlarged kinship ties.
v. Marriage was a source of wealth for the family. Girls brought wealth in form of cattle to
marriage.
vi. Marriage brought unity in the society. Marriage ceremonies brought people together as they
came together to rejoice.
vii. Children born out of marriage inherit their parents’ property.
viii. Children made marriage complete. In the traditional African Community, marriage was
considered incomplete without children.
ix. Children born out of marriage also provide security to the homes.
x. Marriage also unites the living and the dead.
xi. Through marriage, the living dead and those yet to be born are brought together.

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xii. Marriage enables one to assume leadership rules

xiii. Marriage ensures that children are not born outside wedlock.
xiv. Marriage brings completeness in a person. Once somebody is married he got fully integrated
to the society.
Choosing of a marriage partner
 This differs from one community to another.
 In some communities the choice is made by the parents. This can begin as early as
childhood or before the children are born.
 In some instances, a go between would be used to identify a suitable partner.
 At times force could be applied to get a reluctant young girl marry the partner.
 In some societies it is young people themselves who make their own choices and after
wards informs their parents about it.
 In some cases, if a man is married and wants another wife his first or other wives would
be involved in making the proposal.
 In some communities if a woman is barren, she would bring another woman to bring
children on her behalf.
 A mock wrestling sometimes would be organized between the boy and the girl.
 At times girls could be given to repay debts.
 In some communities, girls are given to kings or chiefs as gifts.
 Once the proposals are made, the parents and relatives would begin marriage
negotiations. If there is agreement, this marks the beginning of courtship period.
Importance of courtship
i. It gives the couple time to study the character of the partner
ii. Courtship gives the two families time to prepare in advance for the real marriage.
iii. It also gives them time to find out the background of the partners e.g. to find out if
they are related.
iv. It gives the man’s family time to prepare for the dowry payment.
v. During this period, the couples are given special instructions that prepare them for
marriage life.
vi. It cements the relationship between the two families through the exchange of gifts.
Significance of dowry payment
 The custom of paying personal gifts to the bride’s people is practiced all over Africa
sometimes referred to as Bride wealth or Bride price. However, it is not a form of
payment as is mistaken by others.
 Dowry is important in that:
i. It is a token of appreciation in the part of the bridegroom’s people to those of the bride
for the care over her.
ii. It is a way of compensating the bride’s family for the loss of a member. The gift replaces
her reminding the family that she has left her people yet she is not dead.
iii. Payment of dowry shows how the bridegroom values the wife.
iv. Dowry seals marriage, before dowry is paid marriage is considered as incomplete.
v. The gifts also act as security in case the marriage breaks then the gifts could be returned.
vi. It could also show how the bridegroom is capable of taking care of the bride.
vii. It is also a symbolic act of breaking the bride completely from the state of unmarried life

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 Once dowry is paid she becomes full and mature person.

Wedding ceremony
 After the negotiation the wedding ceremonies are arranged.
 They are many types of the wedding ceremonies.
 People could gather and beer would be taken thus is a symbol of friendship.
 In some communities it would last for several days.
 In others the bridegroom and its party have to fight the bride’s party in order to get her.
 Among the Luo the bride could be accompanied by her other sisters and on the first night, the
people would witness the breaking of virginity.
 A white bed sheet is spread this is to collect blood during the breaking of virginity.
 The girls would take back the sheet with a lot of ululation and rejoicing and one girl would
remain behind to study the character of the man.
 Virginity is highly valued and girls who are not found virgin are ridiculed.
 In some communities such a girl would be stabbed by an arrow and killed while in others she
would be married to an old man.
 However, dowry payment has been hindered by several factors today e.g.
i. Economic hardships – many people are not able to raise money to pay dowry.
ii. Dowry payment is no longer a communal affair but an individual affair.
iii. Marriage has been commercialized - many people demand higher payment for
their daughter.
iv. There has been a lot of interference from Christian religious beliefs.
v. Modern education and western culture has affected dowry payment in that many
educated attach little value to dowry payment.
vi. The permissive society has also encouraged trial marriages.
vii. There are also cases of inter-tribal marriages.
viii. Many people have migrated to towns where people come from different
backgrounds.
Changing attitudes towards marriage
i. Western culture and education has really affected marriage.
ii. Marriage is no longer a must and many people decide not to marry.
iii. Virginity is not highly valued and many people break their virginity at stage of
adolescence.
iv. Today choosing of a marriage partner is individualized and the parents do nowadays
not choose the marriage partner.
v. Today marriage is for companionship and it is considered to be complete even if there
are no children.
vi. Polygamy was preferred in African Traditional societies but today many people
prefer monogamy marriage mainly due to economic hardship.
vii. Bride wealth has lost its original meaning and has been commercialized.
Measures that are taken to make sure virginity is preserved
 Virginity is highly valued and a girl is meant to preserve her virginity until marriage.
i. Early marriages are encountered to reduce fornication.
ii. There are strict rules and taboos governing sex.
iii. Those who abuse sex are heavily punished.
iv. Polygamy is encouraged for sexual satisfaction for men.
v. During seclusion there is sex education, which is meant for girls and boys for marriage.

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vi. Boys and girls are not allowed to mix freely unless under supervision.
vii. Divorce and separation are discouraged.
viii. The purpose of sex is purely for procreation hence this discouraged sex before marriage.
ix. Elders act as role models to the youth i.e. children born out of wed-lock are killed or
abandoned.
Moral values acquired during marriage rites in traditional African communities
 Sharing.
 Sexual morality.
 Responsibility.
 Industriousness.
 Endurance.
 Hospitality.
 Respect.
d. Death rites
 Death is the last rite in one’s life and unlike other rites like initiation, naming. It is
feared and marked with a lot of sorrow. This is because;
i. It is unavoidable. That is one cannot escape it
ii. It brings impurity to the family and thus several rites are observed after death
iii. It deprives the family and the community of the individual.
iv. It disrupts normal human activities.
v. It comes unannounced. It does not give warning.
vi. It separates one from the loved ones.
vii. Nobody knows what happens after life on earth here.
viii. It brings poverty to the family involved as sometimes it takes the bread winner
ix. At times it brings misunderstanding in the community when the cause of death is
blamed on someone or some people.
 It is believed that after death one continues to live in the spirit world and therefore the
dead relatives are to be given descent burial so that they cannot harm the living.
 Death always strikes unexpectedly. Death is believed to be a next journey to the
world of the spirits.
 Rituals associated with death vary from one community to another.
 In the African understanding, it is believed that there is no natural death. Death must
have a cause.
 There are physical (visible) causes of death and religious (invisible) causes.
Physical causes of death
i. Mothers and children would die at childbirth to cases where there is no skilled
ii. Diseases such as epidemics would kill people.
iii. People could also die due to shortage of food.
iv. There are also accidental deaths e.g. attack by wild animals.
v. Others would also be killed for crimes such as murder.
vi. Yet others could also die due to old age.
Religious (invisible) causes of death
They included:
i. A curse by a senior relative. If one fails to show respect to such seniors.
ii. One could also die due to breaking a taboo in such instances elders would identify
the offender and perform an act of cleansing.

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iii. A curse by the community.

iv. Angering the living dead and the spirits e.g. if a person may not have been buried
properly.
v. Taking oaths falsely.
vi. Dishonouring or insulting God. These could be through words or deeds.
vii. Magic, sorcery and witchcraft. The degree of which witchcraft as a cause of death
is emphasized varies from one community to another.
viii. Some people believe casting of an evil eye would cause bodily harm to
somebody.
Rituals connected with and their significance in traditional African communities
i. Wailing to announce the death and sorrow.
ii. Abstaining from work to show respect for the dead.
iii. Lighting of fire to signify the chasing away of evil spirits believed to have caused death.
iv. Singing and dancing to comfort the bereaved and give praises for the death.
v. Washing of the body in water laced with herbs to preserve and prepare it for the spirit
world.
vi. Offering of sacrifices to appease the ancestors to welcome the dead.
vii. Feasting to bid farewell to the departed.
viii. Careful selection of burial site to make the dead rest in peace.
ix. Burying the dead with property to signify continuity of life.
x. Sharing of the property of the deceased to show solidarity.
xi. Protecting the body and the grave from evil
xii. Shaving of the bereaved to shed off bad omen and show the beginning of a new normal
life.
xiii. If it is a man, the wife is supposed to stay around the corpse among them show clearly
she would miss the husband.
xiv. In certain communities, pregnant women and children are not allowed to go near touch
the corpse to avoid misfortunes.
xv. The body is carefully placed in the grave facing an appropriate direction according to the
customs of the people.
Ways in which people help the bereaved family in traditional African communities

i. They the bereaved and give them moral support.

ii. They console them.
iii. They contribute food for them.
iv. They help them perform some duties.
v. They help in digging the grave.
vi. They attend burial ceremonies.
vii. They take part in burial rituals.
viii. They stay with the bereaved family to keep them company.
Moral values acquired during death rites in traditional African communities
 Obedience.
 Respect.
 Responsibility.

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 Mutual concern.
 Gratitude.
 Patriotism.
 Honesty and righteousness.
3. THE ROLE OF RELIGIOUS SPECIALISTS IN THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY

 A religious specialist is a person who has expertise and authority to perform certain
religious rituals and practices.
 Religious specialists include: priests, healers/medicine people, rain makers, diviners,
prophets/seers and elders.
 Such people are believed to be endowed with special powers to perform different
religious duties.
 It is believed religious specialists got their powers through:
i. Inheritance.
ii. Divine calling.
iii. Apprenticeship.
a. Priests.
 A priest is person who is qualified to conduct religious duties and ceremonies.
 They are believed to relay God’s messages to the people.
 They have to be people of moral character and available at all times.
 Priests are expected to instill moral values in the society by offering advice and guidance
to the people.
Duties performed by priests

i. They make sacrifices and give offering to God on behalf of the people.
ii. They preside over religious ceremonies such as rituals and prayers.
iii. They take care of religious places such as shrines and oracles.
iv. They act as judges and experts in matters concerning traditional societal laws.
v. They act as mediators between the people and God or ancestors.
vi. They perform cleansing and purification rituals to allow people to be accepted back in
the community.
vii. They assist in reconciling warring families or individuals and ensuring peaceful
coexistence in the society.
viii. The advice people on the right ways social living.
ix. They install kings and chiefs in the society by praying and protecting them from
harm.
x. They are the custodians of the community’s knowledge, taboos, religion and history.
xi. Sometimes they appease spirits, drive away witches and reverse curses.
b. Healers.
 They have the knowledge of healing certain diseases in the community. Their roles
include the following:
i. They act as counsellors and guide the people on all issues of life.
ii. They also play the role of priests and pray for people.
iii. They heal various diseases using herbs.
iv. The medicine men lead the community in religious rituals.
v. They drive away witches and evil spirits.

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vi. They could also warn of impending danger.

vii. They could also give aid to increase productivity e.g. in women.
viii. They train young aspiring healers.
ix. They issue protective charm that guard against any illness or misfortune.
x. They avert the effects of a curse .
 The traditional healers are still important today especially to those who had let down
by medicine prescribed by doctors.
 People like politicians and students consult medicine men to succeed in the careers.
 Some herbalists have been legalized by the government and have opened clinics e.g.
Makini.
Challenges facing herbalists
i. They face challenges from medical practitioners who argue that they should go for
formal training.
ii. There is no proper dosage of the herbs.
iii. There is a lot of secrecy surrounding the knowledge of herbs.
iv. Sometimes people mistake that they are witch doctors especially Christians.
v. They are those who do not believe in traditional medicine.
vi. Due to de-forestation, some herbs are becoming extinct.
vii. Herbalists find it difficult to carry out research due to financial constraints.
Occasions when the services of a medicine person are needed in traditional African
communities.
i. During sickness
ii. Before an important undertakings such as raids.
iii. During rites of passage.
iv. In times of calamities such as floods, drought and diseases.
v. When dispelling evil and witchcraft.
vi. When correcting barrenness and impotence.
vii. During peace treaties.
viii. When settling disputes within a family.
Factors that undermine the role of medicine people in the society today
i. Preference of modern medicine.
ii. Opposition by Christians.
iii. Extinction of herbal shrubs and trees.
iv. Misconception of their role by the public.
v. Inadequate support from the government.
vi. Emergency of medicine people who are quacks.
vii. Lack of financial resources to develop herbal institutions.
c. Rain-makers.
 Rain in traditional Africa is understood to come directly from God.
 Rainmakers are special people who have the ability to make rain. They also have the
ability to stop rain.
 Rainmakers observe the behavior of insects, birds and animals to predict the nature of
rain.
 They could also observe the weather conduction and interpret the movement of clouds
and wind.
 They could also feel their body senses to predict rain.

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 Today many people do not believe in rainmakers. There are meteorologists who predict
the weather conditions.

The role of rain-makers

i. They pray for rain to come.

ii. They are believed to start the rain.
iii. They stop destructive rain.
iv. They interpret weather conditions.
v. They offer sacrifices for rain on behalf of the people.
vi. They are consulted by the community about weather patterns.
vii. They warn people on bad weather conditions.

d. Diviners.
 Diviners are men and women who have the ability to reveal hidden or secret information
either about the past or the future.
 They are believed to use magical powers in fulfilling their role.
The role of diviners

i. They reveal secrets and expose thieves or witches in the society.

ii. They help the community to interpret the messages from the spiritual world.
iii. They act as mediators between people and God or the ancestors.
iv. At times, they preside over religious functions such as offering sacrifices.
v. They play the role of judges, counsellors and advisors by settling disputes among the
members of the community.
vi. They assist in fighting social evils like magic and witchcraft.
vii. They predict future events that may affect the society.
e. Prophets.
 These are other religious specialists who play a special role as intermediaries between
God and human beings.
 They can foretell the future by receiving visions, dreams or words from God.
Role of prophets/seers
i. They act as intermediaries between God and human beings.
ii. They act as judges in certain circumstances.
iii. They also do the work of advisors e.g. could advice on when to go to war.
iv. They can foretell the future e.g. the outcome of a war
v. They may receive messages from the spirits and ancestors.
vi. They lead people to communal prayer in time of crisis.
vii. They also lead the community in offering sacrifices to God.
viii. Prophets also have political role e.g. they are consulted before installation of a new
king in some communities.
f. Elders.
 Elders comprise the senior and older members of the community.
 They provide leadership in families, villages and clans.

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 They also ensure peaceful coexistence in the community by settling any dispute between
members.
The role of elders

i. They help in the settlement of disputes.

ii. They are concerned with maintenance of law and order in the community.
iii. They preside over important occasions such as initiation, planting and marriage.
iv. They ensure the values and culture of the community is observed.
v. They help the priests to performing certain rituals such as sacrifices.
vi. They give direction on funeral ceremonies and advise on what should be
vii. They oversee the division of property in the community after death.
viii. They negotiate for peace in time of war with another community.
ix. They act as a court of law to errant members of the society.
x. They give instructions to the younger generation on their roles and duties.
xi. They counsel and guide the youth on matters of sex and marriage
Why guiding and counseling was done by elders
i. They were believed to have a lot of experience in life.
ii. The youth are believed to be free with them.
iii. The houses of grandparents form their sleeping places.
iv. They are regarded as honest.
v. They are believed to be full of wisdom.
vi. They are free most of them and can get time for the younger generation.
Problems that the elderly face today
i. The elderly are physically in active.
ii. Most of the time they suffer from old age diseases.
iii. They are neglected by their children especially those working in the towns.
iv. They do not have good food or accommodation.
v. People who have gone to school see the aged as old fashioned (generation gap)
vi. They at times suffer from loneliness and psychological problems
How the aged are taken care of today
i. The government, the church and NGOs have built homes for the aged.
ii. The government has also set up insurance and pension schemes to enable people who
are employed continue to get a decent life after retirement e.g. N.S.S.F.
iii. The church also gives them food, and clothing and their daily needs.
iv. There are counsellors that give the aged hope and love.

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UNIT TEN
AFRICAN MORAL VALUES
1. VALUES
a. Morality
 Morality is a set of social rules and norms intended to guide the conduct of people in a
society.
 The rules and norms emerge from and are based on people’s beliefs about what is right
and what is wrong.
 The whole purpose of morality in traditional African community is to promote the
welfare of the community and the individual
b. Moral values
i. Hospitality
 It implies generosity and kindness shown to guests. It means sharing with others what
one has and makes them feel accepted.
 Hospitality is expressed in the provision of food and drinks to visitors, friends and
relatives
ii. Honesty
 It means the ability to say the truth and deal fairly with other people.
 Young men are taught to be honest in all their undertakings. For example, honesty is
expected in marriage.
iii. Loyalty
 The ability of being faithful to members of the community.
 This value is emphasized and cultivated in children as they grow up in African
communities. They are taught to be committed, stick together and not to betray their and
friends.
iv. Respect
 The ability to uphold other people’s rights. Young people are trained to have respect
for others and self-respect.
v. Co-operation
 Implies working together for the common good of the community.
 People come together to support each other in any situation, be it sorrowful or joyous.
vi. Obedience
 The ability to follow instructions and rules. At childhood children are taught to obey
parents and the elderly. Through this, they believed they could receive blessings.
vii. Integrity
 The ability to be relied and depended upon. Having integrity helps to achieve our
personal goals in an honest and morally acceptable manner.
viii. Humanity
 To recognize one’s inadequacy, qualities and abilities. Such person is not boastful of her/
his achievements and is always willing to help others.
ix. Sharing
 This means giving oneself and their time to the community as well as their resources.
Through the kinship system, people learn the importance of sharing what they have with
others.

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x. Hard work
 Everybody in the community is expected to work hard. Those who are lazy are ridiculed.
xi. Responsibility
 Being accountable to your duties. Young initiates are trained to be responsible husbands
and wives in future.
xii. Chastity
 Refers to good sexual morals. It is expected that all members of the traditional African
society, both married and unmarried persons would remain chaste.
xiii. Love
 Strong affectionate feelings towards others. In traditional African understanding, parents
are expected to shoe love to their children and vice versa.
xiv. Unity
 The state of oneness and solidarity.
xv. Courtesy
 Polite and pleasant expression towards others.
xvi. Tolerance/perseverance
 The ability to bear or put with difficult situation.

2. CONTINUITY AND CHANGE OF SOME ASPECTS OF TRADITIONAL CULTURE

 Today many people talk of the way things were sometimes back many factors have
affected the African culture.
 Most of these changes in most cases are in conflict with the African customs. These
changes have been brought about by: -
i. Economy e.g. the introduction of money economy.
ii. Urbanization: Where people of different cultures interact with one another.
iii. The developments in science and technology.
iv. Religion: Africans now get identified with new groupings e.g. fellow Christians.
v. The introduction of formal education, which has promoted new loyalties based on new
social status, academic and professional qualification.
vi. Politics: New political systems and forms of government have changed the traditional
community.
a. Community
 The community refers to a group of people who live together in a particular area or are
brought together because of a common characteristic they share.
 In traditional African society a community include the living, the living dead and the
unborn.
 The understanding of a community in the modern times has changed due to factors such
as education, religion, migration, urbanization and national consciousness. For instance:
i. People of different backgrounds have been brought together by urbanization.
ii. Formal education has promoted new professional qualifications that caused a
shift from the common economic activities in the traditional community.
iii. New political systems and forms of government have changed the traditional
community.
 New forms of communities that have emerged include the following:
i. Work-based community- people who work together in the same company.
ii. Estate or residential-based community-people who live in the same estate or
residential area form this community.
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iii. Church-based community-people worship together form a small Christian

communities in their areas of worship.
b. Land
 In the traditional African society, people had a lot of attachment to land because of the
following:
i. Africans believe that land was given to them by God.
ii. It is a source of food for the people and the animals.
iii. It was used to bury the dead; the spirits were believed to dwell on land or below the
ground.
iv. Land was also a source of medicine in the form of herbs and minerals.
v. The land was believed to belong to the ancestors and nobody was allowed to sell or
lease it out without the consent of the other members of the family.
vi. The land belonged to the whole community.
vii. Land was also the habitat of people, animals and plants.
 As such disputes over land ownership were rare, this is because: -
i. Land was owned by the community. It was a signed to individuals by the elders.
ii. There were clear guidelines, rules and regulations on the use and ownership of land.
iii. Those who did not have were assisted to acquire property by the community.
iv. The community disciplined those who showed traits of greed over ownership of property.
v. There was a lot of fairness in the distribution of property.
vi. Laziness was condemned or punished to ensure that people owned what they had actually
worked for.
vii. The wishes of parents and the dead were honoured.
viii. People in the traditional African communities were afraid of acquiring property
unlawfully for fear of curse.
Changes that have affected land ownership
 Today it’s a requirement by the government that one must possess a land title deed .
i. There is individual ownership of property. Land is owned by individuals.
ii. Many people have moved and have settled in foreign lands, which are not their ancestral
lands.
iii. With the introduction of money economy, it is possible to sell land.
iv. People do not have a lot of attachment to land, as there are other means of survival.
v. There are cases of destruction of land and environment through dumping of wastes.
vi. Some pieces of land are being regarded as public land.
c. Property
 In the traditional African community anything that was owned is referred to as part of
property or wealth. Property could be owned by community, individuals or families.
 Those who had not been initiated were not allowed to own property.
 There was fair distribution of wealth to even those who did not have.
 Women were not allowed to own property. In fact, a woman was part of the property of
the man. Wealth was seen in terms of:
i. Many children
ii. Many wives
iii. Large tracts of land
iv. Large herds of cattle.

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Ways of acquiring wealth in the traditional societies

i. Through inheritance
ii. Payment of dowry
iii. Through raiding other communities
iv. Through hard work
v. As a gift from God.
Changes that have affected ownership of property and wealth
i. Women and children are allowed to own property.
ii. People tend to be individualized.
iii. Some people acquire wealth through dishonest means e.g. bribery, robbery and stealing.
iv. Wealth is no longer determined in terms of the number of wives or children.
v. The introduction of money economy has reduced the value of land.
vi. People write wills to share or decide who should inherit their property.
vii. Property can be owned outside one’s ancestral home.
viii. Land can now be sold or auctioned.
d. Worship
 Members of the traditional African communities believe that God is a supreme Being
who is in charge of the universe. They also believe in the existence of spirits and
ancestors.
e. Dressing
 The dress code differed from one community to another in the traditional African setup.
 Many communities made clothes from animal skins, bark of trees, sisal and leaves.
 However, the mode of dressing has seriously changed due to western influence.
 Many women today put on trousers that initially were meant for men.
 Some communities such as the Maasai still maintain their traditional way of dressing.
 Certain countries have also adopted national dress code
f. Leisure
 Leisure is the free time that an individual has at his disposal when he is not bound by
duty.
 There are two main types of leisure:
i. Passive leisure: This is where there is minimal use of physical energy.
ii. Active leisure: This involves the use of the physical energy.
 Some of the traditional forms of leisure include.
i. Wresting
ii. Beer drinking
iii. Wedding ceremonies
iv. Riddles
v. Folktales
vi. Tongue twisters
 Today several changes have affected leisure activities. This has been due to western
culture, industrialization, urbanization Christianity, limited time and economic
constraints.
 Many people spend their leisure time watching videos, Television and films,
 Certain leisure activities such as soccer have been turned into well-paying professions.
 There are serious cases of misuse of leisure in the form of;
i. Watching and reading pornographic literature.
ii. Taking of dangerous drugs.
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iii. Alcoholism.
iv. Attending discos and nightclubs.
v. Gambling.
vi. Misuse of sex.
g. Widows and orphans
 A widow is a woman whose husband is dead.
 An orphan is a child whose both parents are dead.
 In most African communities a widow was inherited by the husband’s close relatives.
 It was a common belief that a woman belonged to the whole community.
 Wife inheritance ensured that the late man’s family would not suffer.
 The children born after his death were still referred to as his.
 A child who remained an orphan was easily adopted into another family.
 However, the practice of looking after widows and orphans is dying out.
Problems experienced by widows and orphans
1. They suffer from lack of company because they feel abandoned.
2. Some widows and children are not accepted or welcomed in their new homes.
3. They suffer from psychological and emotional problems
4. Sometimes widows face lack of essentials such as food.
5. Wife inheritance has become risky due to HIV/AIDS.
6. The wife or orphans sometimes get mistreated.
7. Sometimes the orphans and widows have their property destroyed or snatched.
8. Widows and orphans feel dehumanized.
How the widows and orphans are supported
 Church members offer them guidance and counseling (giving them hope)
 They are prayed for.
 They are given financial assistance.
 The government and churches have built homes for them
 They are given food etc.
 They are kept company.
 The government assists widows to get their husband’s benefits.
 Religious organizations assist widows to start income generating projects.
h. medicine
i. old age
j. Bride-wealth

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ZACHARY A. NYANGARESI