The impact of reformed missions on the origin, growth and identity of the Reformed Church of East Africa, 1905-2000

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Mission work was done consecutively by two Reformed missionary enterprises in Kenya and led tothe establishment of the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA).The Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (DRC), which established congregations amongst SouthAfricans who had come to Kenya from 1905 onwards, played an important role during the phase ofchurch- planting: initially through a spontaneous congregational outreach towards the local peopleof western Kenya during the 1930s and subsequently through formal missionary action which beganwith the calling ofBB Eybers as a full-time missionary in 1944. Thus the foundations were laid forthe establishment of what is today the RCEA. Before Eybers left in 1960 three congregations hadcome into existence under the auspices of the DRC. The second phase of the missionary endeavourbegan in 1961 with an agreement between the DRC and the Reformed Mission League in theNetherlands (RML) whereby the latter was asked to continue the work started by the DRC.The Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) was formally instituted in 1963. Despite almost acentury of activities, a thorough investigation of the history of the founding of this Church has notyet been done. Due to the fact that information regarding this topic has been widely dispersed todifferent parts of the world, and that it was written in several languages, there is a real danger thatsuch information may be lost or become irretrievable.Considering this situation, the aim of the study was to investigate the history of the RCEA and todetermine the influence of the two missionary enterprises on the current identity of the RCEA. Themission's objectives, policies and methods implemented by the South African DRC until 1961 werecompared to the objectives, policies and methods used by the Netherlands RML as from 1961 untilthe present day. The study then attempted to determine what effect these two enterprises with theirrespective and varying emphases had on the formation and development of the RCEA. An identityanalysis of the RCEA was undertaken to determine the influence of the two missionary enterpriseson the current identity of the RCEA. In various respects this identity reflects the influence of the DRCin South Africa and the Reformed Mission League in the Netherlands on the RCEA. It appears that the impact of the Missions is evident in a variety of aspects of the church life of theRCEA. The ecclesiastical model introduced by the DRC and continued by the RML remaineddominant in the RCEA. The fundamentals of Reformed theology (sola scriptura., sola gratia, solafide), the church concept (proclamational), the style of communication, the worship and the liturgyreflect the lasting influence of both missions on the RCEA.The findings were evaluated from a critical missiological perspective to indicate what the effect ofthe dual involvement of the two Missions was on the RCEA. Still, the RCEA is no carbon copy ofeither of these missionary enterprises. The identity of the RCEA developed within the culture andcontext of the people of Kenya amongst whom it was established and, as such, formed a Churchunique in its own right.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University