Church and Culture: A case study of Church of God among the Idakho, Kakamega County, Kenya, 1890-1972

Abstract

This study examined the Idakho culture during pre- colonial period and the social transformation when they interacted with Christian values by focusing on Church of God Mission. The spread of Christianity and western education in Idakho had a broad impact as an approach to reinforce evangelization and to win converts. Education as taught by missionaries of Church of God led to the emergence of pioneer teacher evangelists and the educated elite who had comparatively well paid jobs as professional teachers, clerks, local administrators and farmers. These pioneer educated elite and their children consolidated their social and economic power, both in the church and the Kenyan Government. This study attempted to assess the role of the Church of God in the transformation of Idakho. The specific objectives of the study were to; examine the culture of the Idakho before the coming of Christian missionaries, examine the establishment of the Church of God in Idakho, explore the responses of the Idakho to Christianity and identify and analyse the role of Church of God mission in Idakho societal transformation. The study spans through three phases namely; pre-colonial Idakho, which saw the political, social and economic organization of the Idakho before they interacted with Christian values; 1905-1935, which saw the establishment of the Church of God in Idakho, the Idakho conversion to Church of God and the emergence of Church of God pioneer teacher-evangelists; 1935-1953, which saw the emergence of Church of God educated elite who were also professional teachers, clerks as well as commercial and agricultural elite; 1953-1972, which witnessed the impact of the Church of God as an instrument of transformation in Idakho and the transfer of power and property from the Church of God Missionary board to the indigenous African. The initiatives and the struggles of the Idakho for betterment of their educational status is also given special attention. Methodology for this study involved data collection from secondary sources and mostly primary data derived from archival and field research. Data analysis was done along the lines of conflict functionalism theory. The study concludes that the difficult financial situation that had faced Church of God missionary board hindered the expansion of the church in Idakho. Therefore the survival of the Church of God in Idakho depended on the influence of the teacher-evangelist and the educated elite. Moreover, the early success of education and other programs like health and agriculture led to the development of the educated elite who became agents of transformation.