The Church of the African Ancestors Religion was founded in Blantyre in 1959. Its Chichewa name, hipembedzo cha Makolo Achikuda, can be translated as the religion of the black ancestors. Its theology rejects the foreign Christian God and religious texts of the whites, aiming to rediscover indigenous traditional religion, and galvanise Africans to struggle for a pan-Africanist, Afro-centric religious liberation that redeems their cultural traditions and self-determination. This book sets out, translates into English and interprets the key documents and texts of the African Ancestors Religion. It contextualises the movement within Malawi’s new religious movements and conflicts between tradition and modernisation. 81pp, MALAWI. KACHERE.

An introduction to one of the territorial cults of Malawi, the Bimbi cult in the Upper Shire Valley. The book describes its crucial role in an area dependent on its rainfall. 228pp., Bib., index. MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Revised doctoral thesis finally made available to a wider readership. B/w ill, notes, bib, 288pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES, 9990816344

This is a qualitative study of how Christians manage to be at the same time involved in African traditional religions, of which the Christian church, on the whole, disapproves. It lends insight into the ways in which individuals enact two different religions in their daily lives, focusing particularly on religious practices. It further aims to adopt a position of religious pluralism, representing the voices and perspectives of the peoples studied. 120pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES. DELAY.

A compilation of key primary sources documenting the development of Christianity in Malawi. Documents date from 1889 to 1993 and include diary entries, correspondance, and songs. Index, bib, notes, 253pp, ZIMBABWE. MAMBO PRESS.

1996 086922641X Paperback

The most prominent development on the Christian scene in Malawi and much of Africa is the growth of the Charismatic Movement, seen here as distinct from the Pentecostal movement. This growth was unexpected to scholars who assumed that the African Independent Church's reaction against missionary Christianity and cry for an authentic African Christianity would have encouraged similar levels of support. This study traces the path of incarnational theology and to understand the popularity of the Charismatic Movement despite its apparent lack of enthusiasm for inculturation, which in the mainstream churches is argued would make the Christian faith more relevant and attractive to the Malawian masses. It argues that the way in which the Charismatic Movement is responding to the socio-cultural context in Malawi is more appropriate in view of the current realities. 154pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

The Providence Industrial Mission was founded in 1900 by Rev. John Chilembwe. Chilembwe’s life and ideas were much influenced by Joseph Booth, one of the most important missionaries and social activists in colonial Malawi. This study explores the historical realities of the religious and political activities of John Chilembwe and the Providence Industrial Mission (PIM). It covers the early period of the mission; the approach to conversion and expansion; membership of the PIM church; PIM's Ministry of Justice; the dark period of the PIM Ministry post-1915; and the mission’s legacy for national liberation discourse. Ill., maps, 194pp, MALAWI. KACHERE.

The Anglican Church was involved in society, education, health and politics right from its first foray into Malawi. This study considers the nature of the involvement of that Church in society, and how it engaged with the State from its genesis in the colonial period through the post-independence period to the new post-Banda political dispensation in 1994. It illustrates how the Church was involved on both sides of the independence struggle; and interrogates why it fell conspicuously silent thereafter. 224pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

A collection of essays on various themes: the author's missionary vocation, the critical role of the 'grassroots' in theological construction; the integrity of Chewa traditional belief, the combination of Catholic commitment with radical openness to all religious and cultural traditions. B/w illus. Bib, index. ZIMBABWE. MAMBO PRESS.

1999 0869227335 Paperback

Explores the manner in which Christian spirituality encounters Lomwe traditional spirituality, in an attempt to understand the kind of spirituality the Lomwe Catholic Christians in Malawi are now living. After examining Lomwe traditional spirituality within the broader context of African spirituality, the work explores the roots of the present cultural-religious encounter by analysing the way in which missionaries introduced Christianity in Malawi. The study then moves on to consider the present tensions between Christian and traditional spiritualities in pursuit of the possibility of an integrated African Christian spirituality. This study will appeal to those scholars who are interested in inculturation, interreligious dialogue, and the relevance of Christian spirituality among the people of different cultures in the world. Index, bib, 370pp, USA. EDWIN MELLEN PRESS.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, which recently passed the 12 million-member mark is a movement that owes much of its identity to a unique Missiology. This short study is an effort to contribute to the most important aspects and issues of this Missiology as reflected in Seventh-day Adventist history and in the present situation of the denomination. The author considers the historical patterns of the expansion of the church and the theological background. BNS, 80pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES. 9990876118

This biography of Elizabeth Mantell helps to fill a major gap in the literature on church and mission in Malawi. Women missionaries have been numerous and influential, but on the whole, they have done their work without seeking or receiving much in the way of public recognition. The book covers the pioneering days of missionary work in Malawi between 1875 and 1914. It also makes an original contribution to the story of Ekwendeni, which was among the first mission stations to be established and has continued to be prominent in the work of Livingstonia Synod to the present. 96pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Tackles the issue of theological method and in particular method in Christology in the African context. Notes, bib, index, 200pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

1998 9990816107 Paperback

A study providing material and analysis of the history of the Matandani mission, tracing its origins, development and decline. BNS, 148pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Biography of Nchimi Chikanga whose life work was fighting witchcraft in Malawi. This brought him into conflict with governments and the Church. Index, maps, b/w photos, 116pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

The early growth of Christianity in northern Malawi has often been told as a predominantly missionary story. In reality it came about through the varied interactions of local peoples, and Scottish and Xhosa missionaries (of whom the most famous was William Koyi). In these selected essays, Jack Thompson concentrates mainly on how the Ngoni people interacted with both Scottish and Xhosa missionaries in the period between 1875 and 1914. 170pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Pentecostalism and the commonly known 'charismatic' churches create an unavoidable buzz in contemporary Malawi, which now boasts over two hundred Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations, and over a million affiliated members and followers. The roots of the Pentecostal movement in Malawi can be traced to the 1930s, emanating from Los Angeles, and coming via South Africa during the early part of the twentieth century. Index, bib, b/w photos, 203pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Case study of the impact of a Christian mission in Africa. Originally published in 1977, this third edition includes an up to date bibliography and new introduction from the author. Starting with a survey of the economy and society of Malawi in the mid nineteenth century, the book goes on to examine the home background to the Livingstonia Mission of the Free Church of Scotland and the influence of David Livingstone upon it. It then describes the failure of ‘commerce and Christianity’ around the south end of Lake Malawi and the subsequent positive response which the mission evoked among the people of Northern Malawi. Maps, notes, bib, index, 380pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Describes the oratory techniques used by a popular Chichewa preacher in order to encourage others to emulate his successes as a preacher. Notes, bib, index, 308pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Surveys the Christian doctrine of salvation in relation to the. Malawian context. Following the tradition of other African theologians, particularly John Mbiti, Handwell Yotamu Hara argues that although salvation is generally associated with only the physical life in the tradition of the African churches, total salvation that involves the whole human being as understood from a reformed perspective, need not be excluded. He argues that reformed soteriology, focusing in its basic meaning on the salvation of the whole man, both physical and spiritual, is transcultural, relevant in Malawi and compatible with traditional religions. 194pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

The author draws from sermons of African Independent Churches in Malawi and establishes that there is no difference between them and mainstream preachers when it comes to reading and interpreting the Bible. Bib, index, 208pp. MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

2001 9990816233 Paperback

'Sewero' is the title of a Chinyanja-language, Christian drama radio programme that has been aired on TransWorld Radio in Malawi for over twelve years. Given the low literary rates, and a predominantly oral culture, the significance of vernacular radio drama cannot be overestimated. Indeed, radio is now the most common, creative and dynamic medium for mass communication in Africa, with much potential for influencing social change. This book explores and describes the genesis, historical development and genius of Chinyanja radio plays in Malawi, with reference to African traditional religion. 294pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Bishop James Tengatenga depicts the story of the Anglican mission that started at Magomero in 1861 to the present day. Traces the origins, development and growth of Anglicanism that was facilitated by the work of the early UMCA missionaries, volunteers, local clergy and ordinary people.446pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.

Updated edition. First book by a Malawian woman theologian. First released in 1997 it won an honorable mention in the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa in 1998 and is now updated here with a new introduction by the author. The study traces the struggles and contribution of Chewa women to the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. Amongst the topics are female medium-ships in traditional religion, post-missionary developments in Chigwirizano, women's attempts to achieve some public manifestation of their personal relationship to God in open ministry, and the current women's organisation in Nkhoma Synod. Notes, bib, index, 180pp, MALAWI. KACHERE SERIES.