Elijah’s Mantle: A Review on the article Elijah’s Mantle by Ogbu U. Kalu

 A Review of the article Elijah’s Mantle by Ogbu U. Kalu

The article Elijah’s Mantle: Ministerial Formation in Contemporary African Christianity by Ogbu U. Kalu describes Christianity which has sprouted with vigor in Africa. Africa has played a decisive role in the formation of Christian culture from its infancy. It is ideologically telling about African Christianity without neglecting the noble roles played by Christian theologians and missionaries. The effort has been to identify the major themes or storylines in African encounters and in the appropriation of the gospel. The project has enabled these historians to work together, in an ecumenical spirit, from across many boundaries: faith, region, gender, and ancestral race. It tells more of the story of where the rain of the gospel met Africans. This is a picture of a Christianity that shares much with other Christians around the world but also is distinctly African. Retelling the complete story of African Christianity- not Christianity in Africa - this article explores a variety of contexts in order to identify the patterns of African agency, without neglecting the roles played by missionaries in spreading Christianity. Some of the most decisive intellectual achievements of Christianity were explored and understood in Africa before they were in Europe. Theological Education by Extension (TEE) was formed to provide better and learned ministers. It caused the way for the need for theological education for ministry in Africa. This doesn’t happen easily; a lot of challenges have been faced by the ministers. The first challenge to missionary education came from the inside. Churches in Africa inherited a certain model of ministerial formation that was based on a series of traditions. Here in this article, Elijah’s mantle portrays the quality of a leader should be. Here in this article character of Elijah has been highlighted with the formation of ministry and with the leadership quality a minister should have. Picturizes how Elijah passes his qualities to his follower Elisha. Christianity is now one of the most widely practiced religions in Africa this is because of several missionaries’ efforts and challenges.

Charismatic Christianity had transformed the face of many Christian traditions in Africa. Africans played a crucial role in establishing the doctrines and theology of the early church. Humility in learning from others and working to build churches based on both biblical teaching and excellence and integrity in organization and leadership. Till today challenges are being kept Infront of every us. In which way we are going to handle our challenges is the foremost question. Elijah’s mantle equipped many quality leaders in Africa for the mission formation. Let us face the challenges and form a steady stand in the ministry of God.

A. JENIL DHAS

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