Emerging religious trends in Kenyan school communities and innovative contextualization

Abstract

African contexts are characterized by a number of outstanding religious trends, one of which is the emergence of new religions. A study was carried out on innovative and contextualization of Christianity by African christian teachers in 40 secondary school communities in Nyandarua county, Kenya. Notably, emerging religious trends, ways in which they influence doctrine, faith and practices of christian teachers, strengths or weaknesses introduced by emerging doctrinal teachings, faiths or practices on capacity to contextualize personal faith within school communities and viable strategies to minimize the challenges in order to contextualize particularistic doctrines, faiths and practices were identified. One of the outstanding finding was that teachers' efficiency in contextualization process varied with gender, school, teaching subject, and relationship with God and opportunities available. The strongest recommendation that viable contextualization programme be developed using the guidelines in the curriculum of christian religious education and bible