Possibilities and Limitations for Interculturation: A Perspective from the Rabai Marriage Practices Vis-À-Vis Anglican Teachings in Kilifi County, Kenya
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Date
2023
Authors
Gwidi, Baya Shokoa
Gathogo, Julius
Waweru, Humphrey
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Jumuga Journal of Education, Oral Studies, and Human Sciences (JJEOSHS)
Abstract
This research article sets out to explore Rabai cultural marriage practices in an Anglican Church perspective within
Kilifi County, Kenya. It has utilized a number of specific objectives, which elaborates the arrival of the Biblical
teachings in Kilifi that turned out to be a fertile ground for Christianity to germinate. It examines the Rabai marriage
practices in the light of the Anglican Church’s teachings (hereafter, ‘the duo’) on the same. In retrospect, it surveys
the biblical teachings on marriage, assesses the resilience of the Rabai [African] customary practices in light of the
strong presence of the Anglican Church who epitomizes ‘modernity’ as opposed to the former who can easily be
dismissed as merchants of the past models. The initial research was carried out in Rabai location. It targeted 120
Anglican Church members from the total membership of 360. The interviewed Church members were married under
Rabai [African] customary marriage rites. It adapted qualitative research method in collecting data. Explanatory and
descriptive methods were used to explore the Rabai [African] customary and Anglican Church’s marriages, hence
purposive sampling was equally administered. In retrospect, it was established that customary marriage, or some of
its elements, were un-avoidable due to a hotchpotch of marital misfortunes. In other words, there was a progressive
interchange amongst the duo, a development that encourages mutual cooperation for socio-strategic purposes. It
was thus recommended that although the duo performed their marital rituals differently, their understanding of the
same was largely similar. This further upped the game, as the Rabai case study demonstrated a pan-African approach
in understanding the culture-gospel debate. Did the Rabai inter-culturation debate speak for the global community?
Did the Rabai case speak to the ecumenical society, rather than the Anglican Communion? Did it speak beyond
marital inter-culturation? Is inter-culturation the way to go amongst the converted peoples of the world?
Description
Article
Keywords
Gospel-culture dialogue, Rabai-Kenya, inculturation, acculturation, assimilation
Citation
Gwidi, B. S., Gathogo, J., & Waweru, H. (2023). Possibilities and limitations for Interculturation: A Perspective from the Rabai Marriage Practices vis-à-vis Anglican Teachings in Kilifi County, Kenya. Jumuga Journal of Education, Oral Studies, and Human Sciences (JJEOSHS), 6(1), 1-13.