MURDER AND THE THEOLOGY OF RECONCILIATION A Case study of the Idakho and Isukha sub-tribes of the Luhya of Western Kenya

Abstract

In Christ, God was reconciling the whole world to Himself not counting our trespasses against us but entrusting us with the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5: 18 19). In this respect, reconciliation draws us back into communion with God. However, some pertinent questions to ask are: Do these words of St. Paul in his Second letter to the Corinthians make any sense and meaning to a Luhya Christian who is faced with the tragedy of killing/murder? Secondly, why is it the case that Luhya Christians immediately turn to their own cultural ritual of reconciliation in case of murder, while knowing that there is the sacrament of reconciliation? And finally, is it the case that the Christian sacrament of reconciliation has limitations that can be answered in the Luhya cultural ritual of reconciliation? It is this background situation that inspired me to research about murder and the theology of reconciliation among the ldakho and Isukha sub-tribes of the Luhya people. Among the ldakho and Isukha, when murder is committed, reconciliation has to be done. Therefore, there is a cultural ritual of reconciliation that reconciles families and the whole community. It is this ritual that I am going to analyze in the first chapter of my work. This will be followed by the understanding of murder and reconciliation in the scriptures in the second chapter. In the third chapter, I will look at Sin and Reconciliation in the Church. Then finally, make some pastoral suggestions. By doing so, I will be developing a theological understanding of Sin and Reconciliation both in Luhya culture and in the Christian faith. Moreover, we as Christians are called and commissioned in baptism to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28: 16-20). Therefore, it is our mission as the Church to be agents of God's reconciliatory mission to the whole world. And we realize this Christ's reconciliatory mission