A “Radical”, Prophetic Ecclesiology? Recovering Ecclesiological Insights from Archbishop David Gitari

Abstract

Archbishop David Gitari was a man who boldly critiqued any individual or group he believed were acting in ungodly ways. He described his calling as prophetic; others labeled him a radical. This paper explores Gitari’s implicit ecclesiology, seeking insights for self-identified evangelicals. One key influence on Gitari was the 1974 Lausanne Congress which concluded that verbal gospel proclamation was not opposed to social justice but worked in tandem with it. Therefore, Gitari preached about the holistic nature of the gospel and demonstrated it by pursuing community health care, for instance. He also expected that the calling to live out the gospel belonged to all of God’s people, not just church leaders. How does Gitari’s ecclesiology speak to today’s context? This paper examines Gitari’s writings and speeches, concluding that the church in Kenya today needs to adopt a holistic view of the gospel, a prophetic voice, and apply the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.