November 21, 2022

They include; 1. Political ties. Power and authority is exercised and shared among clan leaders and elders. This enhances a peaceful co-existence among community members. 2. Communal ownership of property. Land and other resources are owned by community. 3. Division of labour. Done according to age, gender and social status. Ensures that all members participate in the activities of the community. 4. Communal worship. All members are to pray and worship together and during times of crisis e.g. when there is a disaster, epidemic or serious sickness, people gather to offer sacrifices to God and ancestors/ spirits in order to appease them. Common beliefs about God and spirits are passed on from one generation to another and are held dearly. Members of the community try to live in harmony and peace with the departed and unborn. Every activity in life has a religious dimension. 5. Marriage. Strengthens and fosters closer ties among different families. Exchange of gifts is a sign of friendship, acceptance and mutual responsibility. 6. Leisure activities. People come together to sing, dance and be entertained. In TAC leisure is integrated with other activities although after work, people rest and share jokes. In the evening, men are entertained by the youth. Elders correct the youth accordingly and identify talents among performers. Beer-drinking parties are forms of leisure activities. During leisure activities people discuss family and community affairs. 7. Children. The birth of children cements relationships, because in some communities, marriage is not complete without children. 8. Rites of passage. Ceremonies marking birth, naming and initiation and bring families and community members together and create a source of unity and collective responsibility. 9. Observation of taboos. Guides individuals in moral behaviour and maintains discipline and harmony. 10. Rules and regulations. Rules dictate and govern the roles and duties of all members in the community depending on age, gender and social status. Breaking of rules results to punishment. Elders maintain law and order by settling disputes and reminding members of what is expected of them. 11. Belief of a common ancestry. This promotes a sense of brotherhood among members of the community. 12. Sharing. Genuine concern for each individual within the nuclear and extended family is common. Cooking and eating is done at household level and all share in feasting and rejoicing in some communities. Marriage gifts such as animals and foodstuffs are shared among relatives of the bride’s family. Land in T.A.C is communally owned and is used collectively by members of a given clan or family. People work together on such land and share the proceeds. This creates a strong bond of unity among the people. 13. Social norms. People grow in T.A.C. knowing what is right and wrong. Rules and regulations are established to govern and regulate people’s behavior. Everyone understands the virtues they should uphold i.e. Friendship, love, honesty, courage, bravery, compassion among others. People are discouraged from developing vices i.e. cheating, theft, selfishness, greed and dishonesty. – Social norms keep the community from disintegrating and they provide peace to the individual and society. RITES OF PASSAGE Are important events in a person’s life beginning from conception until after death. They are marked by celebrations. Most of the ceremonies are religious and have the following common characteristics; All of them involved separation/ seclusion.  In death one is forever separated from the community. Transitions.  An individual undergoes some physical, social and emotional changes. Incorporation.  One is brought back to the community after seclusion and is given full rights in his/her new status.  An individual becomes an active participant in the community.  In death he/she is incorporated in the spirit world. Rites of passage are: Birth and naming Initiation Marriage Death BIRTH Introduction It is the 1st stage of life; the whole community is involved including the ancestors.  Having children is considered so important that a barren woman is despised and made an outcast. From the time of pregnancy, there is rejoicing in the community.  The expectant mother is accorded a lot of respect and is given special treatment including; Eating special food and avoiding some i.e. eggs and fatty meat which may make the baby too big hence creating complications during delivery. Refraining from heavy tasks e.g. splitting firewood, carrying heavy loads. Refraining from sexual intercourse because pregnancy is believed to make the woman ritually unclean. Avoiding handling iron tools in the house for fear that such tools may cause injury. Not speaking to her husband directly but can only do so through an intermediary. Returning to her home to give birth there and coming back after weaning her baby. The mother carries protective charms to protect her from people with evil eyes and bad omen such as sorcerers. The midwives assist the woman in delivery and the sex of the baby is announced i.e. 4 ululations for a boy and 3for a girl. Rituals observed after child birth Introduction The child belonged to the community. The birth of the baby is witnessed by the elderly women who act as midwives. Men are not allowed to go near the delivery place. When the baby arrives, its sex is announced by shouts/ululations. The rituals observed during childbirth are: The placenta and the umbilical cord are disposed off ceremoniously. i.e. Thrown into a running stream/river Dried up and kept for rituals performed later Carefully buried near the homestead or in uncultivated field/ shamba with bananas/cereals. Hung in the house to symbolize the continuity of life. It should be noted that these ceremonies are observed so that the womb may remain fertile / to ensure continuity of life. A purification/cleansing ritual is done on the mother and the child by a medicine man/diviner to prepare the mother for the birth of the next child including ritualistic washing. Protective rites, performed by the local medicine person.  They are meant to protect the child from evils i.e. magic, malicious spirits, sorcery, witchcraft and evil eyes. The baby is committed to God for protection and to bring good fortune. An object is

African concept of God, Spirits and Ancestors 1.  God All African communities believe in a supreme being who is the origin and sustainer of all things. He is the creator of the universe and all that it contains. All Africans agree that nobody has ever seen God.  Attributes of God as understood by African people God is the creator of the universe and everything in it. God is a provider.  He provides and sustains his creation. God is merciful.  He removes suffering from communities. God is all powerful / omnipotent.  He has power over all creation and controls nature. God is holy/ pure seen from the nature of sacrifices and the purity of the people involved in sacrificing. God is all-knowing /omniscient.  He knows and sees everything e.g. Zulu of South Africa refer to him as the “wise one”. God is everywhere/ omnipresent in the universe e.g. when a person is on a journey, members of the family ask God to be with the person. God is immanent because he is not limited to space and time.  He is both very far and very near. God is transcendent.  He is beyond human description/beyond human comprehension and cannot be limited. God is self-existent.  He exists on his own and existed before creation.  He continues to exist. God is a spirit.  He has no physical form and is invisible. God is everlasting/eternal. He is immortal and lives for ever. God is good. He is not evil and did not create evil. 2.   African concept of spirits They are invisible beings second in Seniority in the hierarchy of beings. Some spirits are believed to have been created by God as spirits/ divinities. Others are spirits of people who died long ago and are no longer remembered by the living. Spirits are subordinate to God and depend on him for survival. God uses them to perform certain things such as causing floods and lightening. They can be reborn among the living. 1. Sky and Nature Spirits They are of two types Spirits of the sky They are associated with the sun, moon, stars, thunder and lightning. Spirits of nature Are associated with natural phenomena such as hills, mountains, rocks, forests, lakes, rivers, animals and insects. They are believed to control the force of nature Some may be manipulated by human being for good or evil purposes. 2. The human spirits They are of two categories Ghost spirits Belonging to those who died long ago and whose names cannot be remembered. Ancestral spirits/ living dead These are dead people whose identities are still alive in the memories of people 3. The divinities Communities in Africa e.g. the Ashanti of Ghana believe in a category of spirits between God and the spirits. They are believed to have been created by God. 4. The ancestors They are founders of African clans and tribes. They are people who died and whose names and identities are still remembered by their relative As spirits, they are concerned with the people’s welfare and are close to them. They speak the language of human beings when they appear to them in dreams or visions. They participate in the activities of the living relatives. THE AFRICAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE HIERARCHY OF BEINGS Hierarchy of beings The Africans understand the universe to consist of two parts. The visible/ earth. The invisible/ sky which is regarded as the home of God. The universe has a specific order of created beings, with God the creator occupying the highest rank. This ordering is what is referred to as the hierarchy of beings. It can be divided into seven categories as follows;  GOD (Supreme being responsible for the existence and sustenance of human beings and all other beings). DIVINITIES (Are spirits created by God). SPIRITS (Belonging to people who died a long time ago). LIVING DEAD/ ANCESTORS (Act as intermediaries between human beings who are alive and the spirit world). HUMAN BEINGS (Include those who are physically alive and those yet to be born). PLANTS & ANIMALS (They are used by human beings in their natural and religious life as food and sacrifice). NON-LIVING THINGS (Natural and artificial beings e.g. rain, rivers, mountains, rocks and all other lifeless bodies). Inter-relationship of all things, living and non-living According to the African view of the universe, all created things depend on each other and God. The universe is viewed in totality of existence. It is also viewed in a religious context. 1. Human Beings and God Many African myths of creation point to the fact that human beings are dependent on God e.g. They depend on God for the most essential requirements of life e.g. rain, air and sunshine. Are less powerful than God. Must obey God’s laws and commandments. Failure to heed these regulations may lead to punishment.  Those who obey prosper. Must offer sacrifices to God to maintain a good relationship with him. Natural calamities e.g. drought, famine, floods and earthquakes are believed to be controlled by God and are beyond people’s power. 2. Human Beings and animals Africans believe God gave human beings animals for their use and should handle them responsibly. The following are the uses of animals to human beings; Domestic animals like cattle, sheep and goats are used for food. Payment of dowry and settlement of disputes. Possession of animals is seen as a sign of prestige and wealth. Skins are used as clothes. Used to make music instruments e.g. drums. Used as sacrifices to God. Used as payment of a fine from an offender to God/ancestors or the offended. Used to predict weather patterns. Some of them are used to communicate the social standards expected of people e.g. Hyena – Used to discourage cowardice and greed. Hare    – Used to discourage trickery. Tortoise – Illustrates the importance of being slow but wise. Snake  – Not killed by some communities, it is believed to be immortal and that the ancestors may visit the  living from it. Some animals and birds are treated as

It led to the persecution of Yahweh’s prophets. The remaining loyal followers of Yahweh were driven into hiding. It led to the division in Kingdom as a punishment by God/Unity was undermined. Religious syncretism developed where they worshipped both Yahweh and Baal e.g. Israelites turned to fertility gods to ensure good harvests and looked to Yahweh in times of military crisis.. Israelites broke their covenant relationship with God. Israelites forgot the covenant of brotherhood and practice. God raised up prophets like Prophet Elijah to help bring back the Israelites to the covenant way of life. Famine and drought befell Israel leading to the people’s suffering e.g. 3 years drought/suffering. Social evils such as bribery, sexual immorality and stealing became rampant. False prophets emerged in Israel and received state protection and gave false messages. The Israelites were defeated in battles leading to their exile in foreign countries. They introduced new religious festivals that were not in the Mosaic Law. The Canaanite agricultural calendar was adopted by Israel for the timing of the pilgrimage festival. (Ex 34:22 – 23). Names of Canaanite gods were used for Yahweh e.g. El the name of the father of all gods was applied to Yahweh.  The name Baal was also given to Yahweh. Parents began naming their children after Baal e.g. one of the judges, Gideon was also named Jerubaal, which means “Let Baal contend”. The Canaanite sacrificial system was incorporated into Israelite worship e.g. the different types of Israelite sacrifices such as peace offerings, burnt offering (Holocaust) and cereal offering (Oblation) where formerly Canaanite in origin Lev 1 and 2 but were later taken over by Israelites. Under the influence of Jezebel, King Ahab declared Baalism a compulsory state religion.  Baal was worshipped as the Lord of heavens who sustains and gives life. Queen Jezebel ordered the destruction of the altars of Yahweh/Yahweh’s altars were destroyed/ neglected. Emergence of weak rulers through bloody coups. Exile to Assyria and Babylon. The 450 prophets of Baal were made officials of the royal court in order to promote and protect the Baal religion. The religion of Yahweh was now in danger of being destroyed.  It is in this context that Yahweh raised up Prophet Elijah, a Tishbite, to return Israel to the covenant way of life. ELIJAH’S FIGHT AGAINST FALSE RELIGION AND CORRUPTION Introduction 60 years after Jeroboam I was made ruler of the kingdom of Israel, a prophet named Elijah appeared in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  He prophesied during the time of King Ahab, son of Omri (869 – 850 BC). Prophet Elijah’s mission He was God’s spokesman/messenger of God. He spoke with the authority of Yahweh with no fear of the consequences to himself He stood for the covenant way of life at a time when it was rejected by the Israelites. Elijah pronounced God’s judgment on Israel together with her king for their sin. FIGHT AGAINST FALSE RELIGION 1 KINGS 18:17-46 God sent Prophet Elijah to fight against widespread idolatry in Israel. He did this through several ways including calling for a contest between him and the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel. The contest went as follows; Prophet Elijah asked Ahab to assemble all the people at Mt. Carmel. The king summoned all the people including the prophets of Baal to Mt. Carmel. Elijah told the people to choose between worshipping God and Baal. He suggested to the people that two bulls be brought and each party to offer a sacrifice to their God. He challenged them and said whichever party will make their God burn the sacrifice will be the true God. The prophets of Baal were given a bull which they prepared and called upon the name of their god. Elijah mocked the m asking them to shout louder to their god. They prayed, cut themselves with knives until the bled but Baal did not answer them. Elijah asked the people to come to near him as he repaired the altar of God. He placed the sacrifice on the altar and asked the people to pour water on it. Fire consumed the sacrifice/ the wood/ the stones/ the water/ dust around it. The people threw themselves on the ground and worshipped the Lord as the true God. Elijah killed the prophets of Baal. Lessons learnt about the nature of God from the contest at Mt. Carmel Yahweh is the only true God.  Baal is not a god at all. Yahweh is a living God who controls force of nature/ He is the Lord of nature/ He has power over nature. Yahweh is a powerful God. Yahweh is a merciful God who wins back way ward hearts. I Kings 18:37. Yahweh is a jealous God who will have no other gods beside him. vs. 21 Yahweh is a God of justice who punishes idolaters and other sinners/He punishes evil. Yahweh answers prayer/He is a faithful God. God should be worshipped. He works through human beings e.g. appointment of Jehu. God wants human beings to obey him. He is omnipresent. Conditions that made it difficult for prophet Elijah to stop idolatry in Israel The existence of false prophets who gave false promises to the Israelites. King Ahab had allowed his Phoenician wife to bring the worship of false gods and goddesses. Jezebel ordered the persecution of the true prophets of God. King Ahab had allowed the building of temples/ high places for the worship of Baal. The Canaanite religion had a strong influence on the Israelites. The king participated in idol worship. The idol gods could be seen/ touched so they appeared real. Elijah’s fight against corruption (I Kings 21:1 – 29) Prophet Elijah fought moral corruption by condemning King Ahab’s behaviour involving Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard, which was adjacent to the palace. He offered to buy it but Naboth refused because it was a family inheritance. The king was depressed but Jezebel planned a corrupt scheme to acquire it. She forged letters using the King’s Seal and accused Naboth

I Kings 3-11 Solomon inherited the Kingdom from his father David. His task was to maintain and control a peaceful territory established by his father. Solomon prayed to God for divine wisdom in the execution of his duties as a result he made many achievements. King Solomon’s achievements He built a Temple for God in Jerusalem as a fulfillment of God’s promises to David.  (I Kings 5, 6) He collected and composed thousands of proverbs and songs which were used in teaching and worship (3,000 Proverbs 1,005 songs) (Prov. 1:1 – 5) He established and developed trade links with other countries which led to economic prosperity in Israel/ He was a successful merchant. Solomon initiated industrial activities and exploited copper deposits in the area of Edom which had been conquered by David. He developed diplomatic relations with foreign countries by marrying the daughters of     the Kings of those countries e.g. Married the daughters of the Kings of Egypt, Moab, Edom, Tyre and many others I Kings 3:1, 1:1)  He remained at peace with those countries. He built up a professional army equipped with horse drawn chariots, Had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen I Kings 10:26. He had government officials who assisted Solomon in his administrative duties.  (I Kings 4) He was a great wise man e.g. He was able to judge difficult cases and settle disputes fairly ( in the story of two  women (I Kings 3:16 – 28) His wisdom is seen in the way he organized trade with other countries. The queen of Sheba (Ethiopia travelled all the way to test Solomon’s wisdom. (I Kings 10:1 – 9) 9. Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple of Jerusalem which represented God’s presence among his people (I Kings 8). 10. He built himself a palace that took 13 years to be completed (1 Kings 7). 11. Solomon divided the kingdom into administrative districts in order to exploit the resources effectively. 12. Solomon initiated an ambitious building programme in which he fortified Jerusalem and other cities. King Solomon’s failuresAlthough Solomon was a successful King, he had many failures. These include;  He married many foreign wives who brought with them the worship of foreign gods to    Israel.  Ex 34:16. He allowed his foreign wives to worship their gods in Israel. He built high places of worship/temples for the gods of his wives. Ex 20:4 – 5. Solomon worshiped the gods of his wives alongside the God of Israel thus broke the covenant with God. He imposed heavy taxation on his subjects and his districts in order to raise part of the government revenue. Solomon overspend and misused the wealth of the Kingdom by building a huge palace. He overtaxed his subjects to maintain high standard of living in his royal court/ was extravagant. He introduced forced labour to carry on his building programmes. E.g. palace and temple, therefore breaking the covenant rule of brotherhood. He gave King Hiram of Tyre an area of Israel’s land to pay off his debts thus treating the nation’s land as his own personal property. He killed his half brother Adonijah (1Kings 2) because he suspected that Adonijah could be his rival to the throne thus committing murder. He practiced nepotism by exempting his own people from taxation and forced labour i.e. tribes of Judah and Benjamin exempted from forced labour and payment of taxes. He hired the skills of pagan craftsmen in the construction of the Temple and his palace. He made treaties with foreign Nations/neighbouring nations against the covenant requirements. Lessons Christians learn from King Solomon’s reign Christians should; Be sexually pure. Be Monogamous.  Solomon’s seven hundred wives led him into worshipping their foreign gods. Be just and fair. Respect and honour God. Not misuse national resources. Put God above everything else. THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL (I Kings 12.) The death of Solomon and the Division of the Kingdom After the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam succeeded him. Not all tribes of Israel accepted him as their King and therefore it split into two. The Northern 10 tribes formed Israel while the 2 Southern tribes formed Judah.  Judah retained Jerusalem as the capital city. Factors that led to the division/reasons for the rise of schism in Israel Solomon practiced idolatry which made God to punish him by splitting the kingdom. Solomon built high places for idols. The introduction of forced labour and heavy taxation led to discontentment among the Israelites and this made them rebellious. Solomon had many foreign wives who brought with them the worship of foreign gods to Israel. Rehoboam’s failure to heed to the elders wise counsel to rule the Israelites less harshly. Rehoboam’s acceptance of the foolish advice given by the youth to rule the people more harshly than his father had angered the people. Long standing feuds in David’s house. Jeroboam was ready to lead the rebellious groups against Rehoboam. Solomon’s favor extended towards the Southern tribes making the northern tribes to rebel/Solomon practiced nepotism and tribalism making northern tribes rebel. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TEMPLE IN ISRAEL The Temple of Jerusalem played important roles in religious, social and economic lives of the Israelites. It symbolized God’s presence among his people through the Ark of the Covenant which was kept in the Temple. It was a dwelling place for God.  I Kings 8:12 – 13. It was a centre/house of worship and prayer for the Jews/ priests offered sacrifices, burnt incense and prayers to God in the Temple. All the Jewish Religious festivals/feasts such as Passover, Pentecost and New Year were celebrated in the Temple. The Temple was a symbol of national security because the Jews believed that the Temple would never be destroyed. Religious rites were performed in the Temple e.g. Purification and dedication rites, naming, circumcision of baby boys and lepers were cleansed in the temple. It was a place for pilgrimage for the Jews living in Palestine and the Jews of the Diaspora It was

Through the teachings of Moses and their personal experience, the Israelites learnt the following about the nature of God: He is the God of their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God is more powerful than the other god’s e.g. he led them across the Red sea. He fulfils his promises as evidenced by their release from Egypt. God is holy as seen from the restriction from contact with the Holy Mountain. God uses his chosen people to carry out his mission e.g. Israel. God is the provider as seen in his provision of food and water in the wilderness. He is a moral God as he gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites to guide their behavior/ God is a jealous God. God is a personal God who initiates a covenant relationship with individuals for e.g. the Sinai covenant. He is the only God/Yahweh was the true God. God is just as he punished idol worshippers. God is transcendent and beyond human understanding as seen in the revelation at Mt.      Sinai. God demands total obedience from his people as expressed in his instruction during the making and the renewal of covenant. God is awesome as shown in people’s fear of him as seen on Mt. Sinai. God is omnipresent.  He moved with them and was present in the pillar of cloud and fire. God is a jealous God as expressed in the Ten Commandments. God forgives sinners.  LEADERSHIP IN ISRAEL: DAVID AND SOLOMON Background to Kingship in Israel Refers to the manner in which a community’s way of life is ruled or controlled. When the Israelites settled in Canaan for the first 200 years they were ruled by judges. The first judge was Joshua who took over after Moses died in the wilderness. The period after Joshua’s death was characterized by political and social disorganization and was between the Israelites and their neighbouring nations. To restore order, God raised judges to rule over the people of Israel e.g. Othniel      – Judges 3:9 – 10. Eliud         – Judges 3:15. Shamgar    – Judges 3:31. Deborah    – Judges 4:4. Gideon      – Judges 6:11 – 24, 7:1 – 2.  The Roles of the Judges /Characteristics of judges They were charismatic. Temporary leaders who led the Israelites battles. Upheld covenant faith. Acted as God’s spokesmen/women and. Settled disputes. They ruled Israel on behalf of God. Some judges acted as God’s prophets. They acted as religious leaders and led the Israelites during religious functions. Acted as the conscience of the nation/kings. Condemned idolatry and preached the worship of Yahweh. Prophet Samuel was the last judge.  When he grew old, he appointed his two sons as judges, but they failed as leaders. The people of Israel went to Samuel and demanded for a king. REASONS FOR KINGSHIP IN ISRAEL  (1SAM 8:1 – 9) The people requested Samuel to choose for them a king because: Samuel’s sons were bad and evil leaders/failed as judges/perverted justice and therefore the people rejected them. The Israelites wanted to be like their neighbouring nations/other nations who had earthly kings. They needed a leader/warrior king who would lead them to war against their enemies e.g. the Philistines. They wanted a stable hereditary leadership. They wanted a human leader who could be recognized by other nations. A leader to organize them. Wanted a political nation governed by law and order instead of a theocratic government. Samuel had grown too old and needed a replacement. They failed to understand that Yahweh was their unseen King. God alone chooses rulers. REASONS AGAINST KINGSHIP IN ISRAEL  1 SAMUEL 8:10 – 20 The following are the reasons why Samuel was unwilling to choose a king; Choosing a king meant rejecting of God as their ruler/king/challenged the kingship of God over Israel. The king would force people into military services. The king would introduce forced labour in Israel. The king would introduce slavery in Israel. The king would grab their land and property. The king would impose heavy taxation to maintain the army The king would demand free good and services. The king would Force people’s daughters into inter-marriage. The king would take their daughters to be perfumers and cooks in his palace. In becoming like other nations, the Israelites would lose their identity as a covenant people. Hereditary kingship would bring oppression and dictatorship in Israel. It was a way of not appreciating/ not being thankful for God’s deliverance from Egypt/ Exodus. If ruled by the king the Israelites would lose their identity as God’s chosen people/people of the covenant. The king would not be God’s choice and thus would not rule according to God’s will/ demands. The king would deviate/ divert people’s attention from God and the covenant way of life. They will cry out to God and He will not listen. KING SAUL’S SUCCESSES AND FAILURES  1SAM 13:1 – 14, 15:7 – 25, 28:3–19 Background to King Saul’s reign When the elders of Israel went to Prophet Samuel and asked him to appoint for them a king, Samuel prayed to God seeking his guidance. God told him to obey the voice of the people. He sent him to a man called Saul, son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. Samuel was to anoint him to become the King over Israel. Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head from a flask he had with him. (I Sam 10:1) Therefore Saul became the first King of Israel. Samuel made it clear to the Israelites that they still remained God’s people. An Israelite King would still remain the servant of God.  The king was to rule God’s people according to the covenant way of life. He explained to the people the rights and duties of the king.  He wrote them in a book and laid it before the Lord,(I Sam 12:14 – 15. The initial appointment of Saul as King of Israel was in accordance to God’s will.  He approved of Saul’s leadership in the following ways: Saul was Yahweh’s own choice. (I Sam 9:16; 10:24). Saul received

The call of Moses (Exodus 3:1-22) The call of Moses took place as follows; Moses had gone to look after his father-in-law’s flocks near Mt. Horeb/ Mt. Sinai which means mountain of God. An angel appeared to him as a burning bush which was not being consumed. Moses moved near to see what was happening and God called him by his name in the middle of the Burning bush. He was instructed not to move any closer and to remove his shoes because the place where he was standing was Holy ground. God assured Moses that he was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. God told him he had seen the suffering of his people (Israelites) and was ready to liberate them from Egypt. God commanded Moses to go to Egypt to free the Israelites. Moses protested that he was not worthy but God gave him the assurance that; God would protect him and be with him. They would worship God at Mt. Sinai after leaving Egypt. Moses asked God what his name was and God replied, “I am who I am,” meaning: God was what He was in the past and will always be the same i.e. God is eternal. God does not change with time or situations. There is no human description of God. God then assured Moses that the Israelites would respond positively while Pharaoh would be stubborn until several miracles were done. Moses was given two signs as a proof that he was God’s messenger. His rod/ walking stick/ staff turned into a snake; His hand was affected by leprosy. Moses being a stammerer was given Aaron as his spokesperson. Moses later left for Egypt with his family. Reasons why Moses was reluctant to accept God’s call He was a murderer. He was a fugitive / a run away. He was a stammerer. He was not sure of God/ God’ name. The people would doubt him. He knew Pharaoh would refuse to let the people go. He felt he was worth the task. Attributes of God learnt during the call of Moses  God is Holy/pure.  He told Moses to remove his shoes for he was standing on a Holy place. God ears the cries of his people/answers prayers Vs.7. Just/God punishes the wrong doers. Deliverer.Vs.8. God of History, vs. 15 and Vs. 6 Caring/loving/ merciful/ compassionate.Vs.7. Faithful/ fulfills promises e.g. fulfilled the promise made to Abraham. Demands faith and obedience from those he calls/sends. Transcendent/mysterious/beyond human understanding e.g. burning bush. Personal/knows us by name e.g. called Moses by his name.vs.4. Uses human beings to accomplish a task e.g. Moses/God commissions people to perform certain tasks/ works through people He chooses. Empowers those He sends/doesn’t give people impossible tasks e.g. enabled Moses to perform miracles e.g. changing stick into snake. Awesome/demands respect vs.5/ worthy of respect. Knows our suffering vs.7.  He had seen the affliction of His people in Egypt. Has power over nature/all powerful vs.2 e.g. bush burning though not getting consumed/ almighty/ omnipotent. Eternal. vs. 14 I AM WHO I AM. All-knowing i.e. knows us by name, our sufferings e.t.c. Protects his people vs. 12 e.g. promised to protect Moses.  God is omnipresent. Uses events to reveal Himself to people e.g. burning bush. God is miracle working God. What Moses learnt from this incident/call about God God is a God of History i.e. He is a God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God is loving and caring and is concerned with the welfare of his people. God is transcendent i.e. He is beyond human understanding and description. God chooses whoever he wills to carry out his plans e.g. He chose Moses, a murderer, fugitive stammerer. God expects total faith and obedience from the people he chooses to serve him. God fulfills his promises i.e. he was ready to deliver the Israelites from bondage/ slavery he had promised Abraham. Christian values learnt from the call of Moses Humility. Courage. Faith. Love/ mercy/ care. Honesty. Obedience. Reverence/ respect/ honour/ God-fearing. Service. Holiness. Inquisitiveness/ knowledge/ curiosity. Patience/ persistence. Justice. THE TEN PLAGUES Exodus 7:14-11:1-10 Introduction When Moses reached Egypt, he gathered all the Israelite elders then told them what God had sent him to do. He performed all the miracles God had shown him and the Israelite elders believed in his mission. When Pharaoh was approached to let the Israelites go, he became stubborn and increased the workload for the Israelites Moses had to perform plagues on Egypt.  (A plague may be a disease or an unfortunate occurrence in one’s life) (Exodus 7:4 – 5) The signs and the wonders of the plagues were to make the Israelite and Egyptians know that only Yahweh was worthy of the title God. The plague of blood (Exodus 7:14 – 25) Moses was commanded by God to tell Aaron to strike the waters of the Nile. He did this in the presence of Pharaoh and the waters of the Nile turned into blood. All the fish died and there was no water to drink.  This lasted seven days. He did not release the Israelites. Plague of frogs (Exodus 8:1 – 15) The Lord commanded Moses to tell Aaron to stretch his hand over the streams, canals and ponds. Aaron did as was commanded and there were frogs all over the land of Egypt. On seeing this, Pharaoh pleaded with Moses and Aaron to pray to the Lord to get rid of the frogs and he would release them. They prayed and all the frogs died when Pharaoh saw that the frogs were dead, he changed his mind. Plague of gnats (Exodus 8:16 – 19) Gnats are small two-winged biting flies. The Lord instructed Moses to tell Aaron to strike the ground. Aaron did and all the dust in Egypt turned into gnats. The gnats covered the entire land. Even the magicians accepted it as God’s work, but Pharaoh still refused to let the Israelites go. Plague of

Introduction An Exodus is a mass movement of people from one place to another The Israelites hurriedly left Egypt. They carried with them unleavened bread. The women took away the jewellery and clothing they had borrowed from the Egyptians as compensation for years of slavery, (had been slaves for 430 years) The journey of the Israelites through the harsh wilderness, fighting hostile local people, was a difficult one. Whenever they forgot the mighty deeds God had done for them God gave them a solution to their problems and restored their faith in him. Moses served as mediator between them and God. They were directed by God in the wilderness by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire during the night.  (Exodus 13:20 – 22, 14:19 – 20). 1. Crossing the red sea.  (Exodus 14:5 – 31) Immediately the Israelites left Egypt Pharaoh and his people regretted letting them go. He pursued them with intension to bring them back. The Israelites had camped by the sea. God instructed Moses to lift his rod above the waters of the Red Sea to divide them. The waters separated into walls. The Israelites crossed the sea on the dry ground between the two walls. When the Israelites had crossed over the other side, Moses stretched out his hand over the water and brought the walls back. The Egyptians who were still in the middle drowned and the Israelites sailed. The Israelites saw God’s mighty work in saving them. 2. Provision of water (Exodus 15:22 – 27, 17:1 – 6) After the Israelites had travelled in the desert for 3 days without water, they were thirsty. The water they found was bitter and could not drink. Called the place “Marah” meaning “bitter”. The Israelites started murmuring in complain. God instructed Moses to throw a splinter of wood into the water and it became sweet. At Elim there were 12 springs of water. God provided more water when they had almost reached Mt. Sinai. He instructed Moses to strike a rock and water came out of it for people to drink (Ex. 17:1 – 7). 3. Provision of manna and quails (Exodus 16:1 – 35) As the Israelites were travelling through the desert, they ran out of food. They were hungry and again complained to Moses. Their complaints displeased the Lord, though he had saved them many times they still did not trust him to provide for them. He nevertheless promised to provide for them with food whether they obeyed him or not. The next morning God provided them with manna which they collected and ate. In the evening, he provided them with quails. The provision of manna and quails lasted for 40 years. On the sixth day of each week, he gave them two portions; one for the sixth day and the other for the seventh or Sabbath day. They were supposed to stay indoors on the Sabbath day to worship and remember God. 4. Defeat of the Amalekites (exodus 17:8 – 16) Amalekites were desert nomads who attacked the Israelites in the wilderness. When the Amalekite army came against Israel, Moses ordered Joshua to gather men among them to go and fight them. During the battle, Moses held up his rod. Each time he raised his hands, the Amalekites were defeated.  When he brought down, the Israelites would be defeated. Aaron and Hur saw this; they decided to support his hands until the Amalekites were defeated.  God promised to destroy the Amalekites forever. Summary of the ways in which God took care of the Israelites during the Exodus He guided the Israelites by a pillar of cloud during the day. He provided a pillar of fire to guide them during the night. God sent an angel who engulfed the Egyptian soldiers in darkness to delay their attack on the Israelites. He gave them priests to be intermediaries between them and God. God split the waters of the Red Sea to create a dry path for the Israelites to pass. He punished the Egyptian soldiers who were pursuing the Israelites by drowning them in the Red Sea. God changed bitter water into sweet waters for the Israelites to drink at Marah. God provided Manna and quails as food for the Israelites when they were hungry.Healing   those who were bitten by snakes. God assisted the Israelites to defeat the Amalekites He provided them with strong leaders like Moses. God gave them the 10 commandments to guide them on their relationship with him and one another. Problems Moses faced as he led the Israelites during the Exodus Lack of water for the Israelites/ bitter water. Lack of food for the Israelites. Complaining/ grumbling by the Israelites/ refusing to heed to instructions/ stubborn/ stiff necked. Warring tribes in the desert/ Amalekites. Settling disputes among the people. Travelling in hostile/ harsh climatic condition. Lack of faith from the people/ worship of the golden calf/ breaking God’s commandments. Rebellion/opposition from his family. Threat from the Egyptian army. Bites from snakes. Problems encountered by Christians in their commitment to Christ today Temptations from the devil/ worldly pleasures. Weakening of faith in God in times of hardships. Opposition/ persecution/ oppression because of what they stand for. False teaching/ heresy/ false prophets who contradict true Christian message. Division/ quarrels/ disagreements within the church. Materialism/ greed for wealth/ struggle for power in the church/ in the society. Challenges from science/ technology which seems to replace the power/ authority of God. Natural calamities; epidemics, diseases, drought, feminine, floods, earthquakes which make some Christians question the existence of God. Problems of the destiny of a person after death /Where do people go after death? The wicked seem to prosper /why do the wicked prosper? Bad examples set by the church leaders who are supposed to be the shepherds of the people/ mislead people e.g. through misinterpretation of scriptures. Challenges from other religious/ denominations and the secular society/ traditional culture. Hypocrisy in the church. Financial constraints/ lack of resources in meeting

Background to the call of Abraham Gen 11:24 – 32. Abraham was the son of Terah who lived in the city of Ur. Abraham was an Amorite/ a Semitic tribe  who occupied the fertile crescent of the Middle East. Abraham’s father migrated to Haran with his family. Their religion was polytheistic. Sacrifices were made to gods including human sacrifices. After the death of Terah, Abraham was left in charge of the family. Abraham was married to Sarai but they had no child. Abraham lived with Lot, his nephew, a nomadic and pastoral way of live. Abraham was called by God to leave Haran to go to Canaan. He was 75 years when he left Haran for Canaan. The call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-9) God called Abraham in Haran after the death of his father. He commanded Abraham who was 75 years old then to leave his family to an unknown land. During the call, God made the following promises to him: A great nation. Many blessings. A great name. A source of blessings. Blessing to those who bless him. Curse to those who curse him. Abraham obeyed and set off for the unknown land with his wife, nephew Lot, servants and his flock. In Canaan God appeared to him at Bethel and Sechem where he was shown the land that would belong to his descendants. Abraham built two altars at the two places and worshipped God. Lessons learnt about God from the call of Abraham God demands obedience from those He calls. He is a faithful God. He rewards those who obey Him. God is a source of blessings. He reveals Himself to humankind. He punishes evil. Lessons Christians learn from the call of Abraham Christians should obey God. They should have practical faith in their lives. They should ask for blessings from God. They should be ready to face challenging situations as a fact of their faith. They should honour God when rewarded/ blessed. They should be prepared to be used by God for His purpose. Definition of the term faith in God Faith It means having complete trust in something or in someone. It is a strong belief and unquestionable confidence. (Heb 11:1 – 6) Faith persuades us to believe in what we have not yet seen and enables us to act on it. Importance of Faith in Christian life today Enables Christians to overcome temptations. Gives Christians strength and courage in their lives. Inspires Christians to do the will of God. Enables Christians to fellowship with one another. Makes Christians to lead a prayerful life. Promotes unity and oneness among the Christians. Enables Christians to preach the word of God. Enables them to do wonders and miracles. Leads to growth and development of the Church. Makes Christians live righteous lives. Enables Christians transform the lives of others as role models. Enables them to know the truth and insight about God. Enables them to praise and glorify God. Makes Christians hope for the Kingdom of God as a reality. Abraham’s acts of faith in God Gen 12:1 – 9, 15:1 – 6, 17:23-24 21:1-7, 22:11 – 19 Abraham is referred to as the father of faith. He demonstrated his faith in God in the following ways: He was willing to leave his motherland and go to a strange land. Abraham readily believed all promises God made to him. By faith Abraham trusted in God’s voice. By faith Abraham built two altars for God; one at Bethel and another at Sechem. Abraham entered into a covenant relationship with God. He was willing to change their names from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. He offered the best of his flock as a sacrifice. He obeyed God’ call for personal relationship/ left polytheism for monotheism. He was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac when instructed by God. He was willing to obey God’s command of circumcision. How Abraham demonstrated his faith in God in the incident when he was willing to sacrifice his son Genesis 22:1-19. Abraham collected wood for a burnt offering. Abraham went with his son, Isaac and servants a three days’ journey. He informed his servants to wait for him and his son as they go and worship. When Isaac enquired about the lamb for the sacrifice, Abraham told him that the lord shall provide. Abraham built an altar and laid the wood in order. Abraham bound Isaac and laid him on the altar. He took the knife to slay his son, but the angel of the Lord stopped him. Abraham took a ram from the bush and offered burnt offering instead of Isaac. He named the place “The Lord will provide”. Lessons Christians learn from the incident Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son They should obey/honour God. They should have faith in God. They should be patient and wait upon God/should not give up. They should be prepared to face difficult situations/perseverance. They should be ready to give up everything. They should rely on God’s guidance. They should be wise when dealing with issues affecting their lives. They should involve family members in worship. They should rely on God’s providence. Ways in which Christians express their faith in God today Praying to God. Giving offering and tithes. Reading the Bible/Bible study. Preaching the gospel. Singing Christian songs. Attending fellowships. Helping the needy. Leading holy life/obeying God’s laws. Repenting their sins. Partaking sacraments e.g. the Lord’s Supper, baptism e.t.c. Caring for God’s creation. Celebrating Christian festivals. GODS PROMISES TO ABRAHAM Gen 12:1 – 3, Gen 15:1 – 21, Gen. 17:1 – 8, 15-18. Promise An assurance to someone Is a written/spoken declaration/commitment that one will definitely do or not do something. Gods’ promises to Abraham were irrevocable commitments.  These are as follows;       God would give him land to dwell in.  His descendants would also be given the land of Canaan to dwell in. God would make Abrahams name famous. God would establish an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants He shall

What is sin? Sin is the intentional, willful or knowledgeable violation of a norm. It is a thought, word or action which is shameful or harmful to oneself, others or to God. It destroys the relationship between human beings and even God. Causes of sin (Genesis 3-11) Rebellion against God as human beings aspired to be like God. Greed for power as human beings try to usurp the power which belongs to God alone. Lack of knowledge of God. Lack of trust in God’s providence. Failure to obey God by eating the forbidden fruit. Lack of satisfaction. Temptation by the devil. Selfishness. Wicked ambitions. Human weakness. Stubbornness. The consequences of sin (Genesis 3, 4, 6 – 9) As soon as the human beings disobeyed God by eating the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, the following consequences or results are seen; some of which were immediate and others long term.  These include: Human beings were alienated/ separated from God. Their friendship with Him changed to fear. (Genesis 3:8) What had been innocent and good became shameful. Adam and Eve were now ashamed of their nakedness, something they had not felt before they sinned against God. (Gen 3:10-14) Pain will be part of human experience “…….I will greatly multiply your pain in child bearing…..” Gen 3:16 The Good relationship between God and human beings got ruined. The Lord God sent them out of the Garden of Eden. (Gen 3:23 – 24)  The perfect relationship between man and woman is damaged. Their relationship becomes one of hostility The Lord said to the woman…., “you will still have desire for your husband, yet you will be subject to him,”….. (Genesis 3:23 – 24)  People have to toil and struggle to meet their needs,”you will have to work hard and sweat to make the soil produce anything” (Gen 3:17 – 19) The earth itself is under a curse,”cursed is the ground because of you,”…. (Genesis 3:17) The relationship between human beings and the land which they were created from become mortal enemies each struggling to take life from the others until the ground finally regains victory. (Genesis 3:19) There arose enmity between man and wild animals (Genesis 3:15) Death sentence is passed upon all the people… “You will return to the ground….” “You are dust….” (Gen 3:19) (Roman 5:12) (1 Corinthians 8:19 – 23) Murderous feelings began to get into peoples hearts e.g. Cain killed Abel, his young brother (Gen 4:8) Human beings changed and became prone to sin “….the wickedness of man was great on earth…. Imagination and thought of his heart is evil continually”. (Gen 6:5 – 6) The life span of human beings was reduced Genesis 5 “….. I will not allow people to live forever…” “…they will not live beyond 120 years….” Global violence and forbidden marriages which led God to declare global destruction. (Genesis 6:1 – 9, 18) God felt regret and remorse having created human beings human i.e. sin awakened God’s anger. (Genesis 6:6 – 7) God confused human language after the flood “…. Let us go down and mix their language so that they will not understand one another….” (Genesis 11:7) GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION OF MANKIND The need for salvation of humankind started after Adam and Eve committed the first sin. God’s plan of salvation can be outlined as follows: Man was given punishment instead of total destruction by God/ God still gave Adam and Eve a chance to survive. God initiated the making of the covenant with Noah/ Abraham. (Gen. 6, 12:1-9, 15:1-20). God sent prophets to guide His people. God made a covenant with the Israelites on Mount Sinai under the leadership of Moses. (Ex. 19, 20, 24). Prophet Jeremiah/ Ezekiel foresaw a new covenant to be written on men’s hearts when the old covenant failed. God looked for Adam and Eve in the garden and gave them means to obtain food/clothes when they were naked. He gave Adam and Eve a chance to punish Satan/ serpent by crushing its head. The teaching of messianic expectations by Prophet Nathan to David. God’s salvation was ultimately realized through Jesus Christ who restored fellowship between human beings and God. TRADITIONAL AFRICAN CONCEPT OF EVIL It is an offense against another person of the community or it is an offense against God, the spirits or ancestors. African communities are aware of the existence of evil in the society and the existence of evil in the society and they try to avoid it. African communities believed that God is good and did not create evil. There are many ideas concerning the origin and nature of evil. The following are some of the beliefs about the origin of evil; Many African communities believed they could be malicious/malevolent spirits. Such spirits could be having a grudge against the living who probably failed to pour libation and to give offering. Evil people e.g. wizards, witches, sorcerers who are able to tap mystical powers and use if for evil.  They therefore cause harm to the living Breaking of taboos, this result in becoming ritually unclean. Curses by parents and other older relatives e.g. uncles, grandparents, aunts etc. This occurs because when one offends them e.g. through insults, neglect and disobedience. Breaking of oaths/ a solemn promise. Oaths were usually made in order to seal an argument or to defend one against malicious accusations. Bad omen. Certain acts, words or things which are believed to have the effect of causing harm. Similarities and differences between traditional African view of evil and biblical concept of sin Similarities In both cases, God is the Supreme Being and is good.  He is not the author of evil/sin. Both believe that sin/evil arises from human beings disobedience and greed. Both agree that sin causes a lot of human suffering. In both cases, evil may result from failing in a social/spiritual obligation In both cases, evil and sin results in human beings being separated from God In both cases, God is the guardian of morality, law

First Account of creation Genesis 1-2:3 Introduction: God was the only/sole creator and he created by a simple utterance, “Let there be……,” Creation In the beginning, the universe was formless and chaotic.  This became the beginning of God’s creative action. n was done in six days as follows; Day One: Light and Darkness. Day Two: Sky. Day Three: land, sea and vegetation. Day Four: Sun, moon and stars. Day Five: Birds and sea creatures. Day Six: Animals and human beings in His image. Day Seven: God rested. NOTE:  The first account is God centered and describe God as the sole/only creator. After each work of creation, God emphasize the goodness of his creation and always ends with; “and Gods saw that it was good…..” He created out of nothing by his command. Second Account of Creation Gen 2:4 – 25 It is a man centered story and everything is created to serve the needs of man. The earth is described as waterless and uncultivated desert. God made man from clay or dust and put the breath of life in him. God planted a garden called Eden in the East where he put man to cultivate and guard it. God made fruit tree to produce food and in the middle of the garden, he put the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God created animals and asked man to name them. He commanded man to eat all the fruits except fruits from the tree of knowledge of what is good and evil. A river flowed through and watered the garden. The river then split into four rivers:- Pishon Euphrates Gihon Tigris God then discovered that man was lonely and made him fall into deep sleep and created a woman out of his ribs as a companion and helper. He initiated marriage because he is a caring and loving God. The meaning of Biblical Accounts of creation God worked as a spirit e.g. in the beginning the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. God created the universe all alone.  He is the sole creator. He created by word of mouth and out of nothing and substance. He created human beings in his own image and likeness. God put man in charge of the creation and man is to take care of it.(Gen 1:26, 28) After each work of creation, God emphasizes on the goodness of creation and always ends with “And God saw that it was good”. God gave people/human beings understanding, namely; of good and evil and man had to make a choice. The dignity of a woman is emphasized. She is portrayed as a companion to man and both are equal before God and are also complementary. God is depicted as a God of order. He created the earth with a plan e.g.  He created light first to be used by human beings. The seventh day is set aside by God as a holiday or sacred for rest and worship. Comparison between the two accounts of creation Similarities In both, God is portrayed as the only sole creator. In both, man is portrayed as a special creature; Man was created in God’s image and likeness and there was nothing else created in that way. Both outline the creation of the living and non-living things i.e. heaven, man, plants and animals etc. In both, Man shares in life with God.  God breathed life into man’s nostrils and created him in his own image. In both cases, the earth was empty, formless. In both cases, Man is given special privileges and responsibilities and is to multiply and fill the earth. In both stories, God existed before creation. In both mankind is created into full sexuality (male and female). Differences The creation of the firmament, the sun, the moon, stars, fish and creeping animals is only mentioned in the first story. The planting of the Garden of Eden and the making of the river is only mentioned in the second story. The creation in the first account is out of nothing (word) but out of substance in the second account e.g. the creation of man. In the first account, creation took place for six days and God rested on the seventh day (Sabbath) while there is no mention of duration and the Sabbath day in the second story. The first account is God-centered i.e. God is pictured as the one doing the work of creation while the second account is man-centered i.e. man is created first and the rest of the creatures are then made to serve the needs of man. Marriage is meant for procreation in the first account (Genesis 1:38) while it is meant for companionship in the second story. (Genesis 2:23 – 24) In the first account man was created last but in the second account man is created first. In the second story there is mention of the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil which is not mentioned in the first account. In the first account God affirms the goodness of all that he created but this is lacking in the second account. The privileges and responsibilities given to man are more emphasized in the first account.  (Genesis 1:26 – 30) In the second account human beings are forbidden to eat the fruits of the tree in the middle but in the second, they can eat all plants yielding seeds and none is forbidden. Attributes of God from the Biblical Creation Accounts Genesis 1 and 2 Attribute refers to the characteristic/ nature / quality or attribute of someone. The two creation accounts bring out the following qualities of God; He is the only God. God is moral and is concerned with the behavior of human kind. He is the sole creator and created out of nothing/substance. He is a God of order, a planner and organizer of the universe e.g.  He created in stages. He is good and the source of goodness and real happiness. (Genesis 1:10). He is a personal God and

What is the Bible?  The word Bible is derived from the Greek word, “Biblia”, which means a book.  The Bible is accepted by Christians worldwide as the word of God.  Is also referred to as the Holy Bible, The Promise, or The Holy Scriptures. Why the Bible is referred to as the word of God (Hebrews 1:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:16, Rev 22:18) The Bible can be said to be the word of God because of the following reasons  Through it God speaks to human beings through his son, Jesus Christ.(Heb 1:1-2)  All scripture was inspired by God .(2 Timothy 3:16)  The human authors/writes were under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible deals with God’s revelations to human beings and their responses.  The Bible contains the true message of God for our daily living.  God himself wrote the Ten Commandments.  All the scripture is quite useful in training/teaching, rebuking and correcting human beings so as t make them righteous.  There is a striking consistency in thought and development/movement in the Biblical themes because all authors were inspired by one God.  What is written actually happens.  It is fulfilled and never changed.  It contains words spoken by God Himself like, “Thus, says the Lord…….”  It clearly explains the nature/quality of God to us, for example,  God is powerful – omnipotent.  God is all-knowing – omniscient.  God is everywhere – omnipresent. Attempts to destroy the Bible have failed. It reveals Jesus Christ as the Word of God. The information in the Bible was revealed to the authors through dreams, visions and natural phenomena. The Bible as a library Sponsored The following are some of the reasons why the Bible is considered as a form of a library.  The Bible is a collection of 66 books.  The Bible was written using different literary styles e.g. poetic, prayers.  The different books were written by different authors from different backgrounds.  The books were written at different times in history over along span of time.  The books in the Bible are arranged in order from the Old Testament to the New Testament.  The books were written in different places.  The books of the Bible cater for different audience e.g. priests, women, men etc.  The books are arranged according to different subjects for example: books of law, books of   history, wisdom writings, among others. Human Authors (2 Peter 1:20-21)  God used various human authors to write His message which is found in the different books of the Bible.  Some of the authors were kings, scribes, apostles and disciples.  The writers lived at different times in history from the time of Moses to the Gospels.  The nature of the content written was influenced by the historical, political and religious factors of the time.  All the writers of the Bible were Jews except Luke who was a Gentile.  All books of the O.T. were written in Palestine except Ezekiel and Deutro- Isaiah which were written in exile.  The N.T. books were written in many parts of the Roman Empire. The literary forms used in the writing of the Bible  Poetry-e.g. Job.  Prayers-e.g. Psalms.  Wise sayings-e.g Proverbs.  Philosophical essays-e.g. Ecclesiastes.  Prophetic Speeches-e.g. Jeremiah.  Love Songs-e.g. Song of Solomon.  Religious Epics-e.g.Kings.  Legislative Texts-e.g. Leviticus.  Epistles/ letters-e.g. Corinthians.  Gospels-e.g. Luke’s Gospel. MAJOR DIVISIONS OF THE BIBLE The Bible is divided into two main sections i.e. 1.  The Old Testament. 2. The New Testament.  The word ‘Testament’ means covenant, agreement or promise.  The Old Testament has 39 books while the New Testament has 27.  The Roman Catholic Church Bible contains other books known as apocrypha books.  Apocrypha is a Greek word which means hidden/secret writings.  They are also referred to as Deutro-canonical books. These include: Tobit. Judith. Ecclesiasticus. Baruch. 1 Maccabees. 2 Maccabees. Book of Wisdom. 1 Esdras. 2 Esdras The books of the Bible can be grouped into different disciplines, these are;  Law  History  Poetry  Prophecy  Biography Note;  Canonical books are books accepted by all Christians as Holy Scriptures.  They make up the canon of the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The word ‘Canon’ in Greek means; Rule Standard Guidance DIVISIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT The books of the Old Testament are divided into four main categories and these are: Law books These are the first 5 books of the Bible that are believed to have been written by Moses.  These are:  Genesis.  Exodus.  Leviticus.  Numbers.  Deuteronomy. They are also referred to as the Torah or Pentateuch or Mosaic Law. 2. Historical Books They are 12 Historical books and they record the history of the Israelites from the time they entered Canaan and settled until after the Babylonian exile. These are:- Joshua. Judges. Ruth.  1st and 2nd Samuel. 1st and 2nd Kings. 1st and 2nd Chronicles. Ezra. Nehemiah. Esther. 3. Poetic books  They are 5 and contain words of wisdom.  They are poetic in nature and these are:- Job. Psalms. Proverbs. Ecclesiastes. Songs of Songs. 4. Prophetic books They contain the prophecies of the people of Israel.  They are further sub-divided into two i.e. Major Prophets They are referred to as Major Prophets because their messages cover a longer historical period and are 5 in number i.e. Isaiah. Jeremiah. Lamentations. Ezekiel. Daniel. Minor Prophets The messages of this prophets cover a shorter historical period They are twelve i.e. Hosea Nahum Joel Habakkuk Amos Zephaniah Obadiah Haggai Jonah Zechariah Micah Malachi Note: The following are the books of the Bible referred to as the writings; Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiaste The Song of Solomon/ Song of Songs DIVISIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT It is divided into 5 major categories.  These are:- Biographical Books  They are referred to as Gospels. These Gospels were written by the disciples of Jesus Christ. They tell the life story and ministry of Jesus Christ. They are 4 in number i.e. Mathew. Mark. Luke. John.  The first three books in the New Testament are also referred to as the synoptic Gospels. 2. Historical Books  It outlines the history and development of the church after Jesus’ ascension. It

Meaning of Christian Religious Education Christian The word comes from Greek word “Christos” which means someone who has been chosen to follow Christ.  Therefore, a Christian is a follower of Christ. Religion It is the service and worship of God through approved systems of beliefs, practices and patterns of behavior. Education Is the systematic training/instruction of pupils especially/mainly in schools and colleges. Therefore, Christian Religious Education (CRE) is the; Systematic study of religious beliefs and practices based in the life and teaching of Jesus. Study of God’s revelations to people through personal experiences, his creation, the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ and the word of God. Reasons for studying Christian Religious Education By studying CRE, a learner gets to know God’s power, character and how God reveals himself to humankind. CRE helps learners to know God’s will for humankind and how He expects us to live. This will help learners to develop faith in God. Helps learners to acquire spiritual insight which is used in making appropriate decisions on how to handle issues that face them in life e.g. drug abuse, incest, corruption, and homosexuality. The subject helps the learner to acquire basic principles/rules that guide a person to develop morally, emotionally, intellectually and physically. Helps learners become more aware of their internal / inner state and this creates self awareness, leading to the development of self-respect, self-worth and identity. Helps the learner to understand and to respect the differences among people in the society. It also helps the learner to tolerate one another and appreciate one another consequently relating well with others and even resolve differences. The study of CRE promotes national unity. We get to understand that God created all people regardless of gender, race, and religion. On a boarder sense, it promotes international consciousness. This comes as a result of the awareness that all human beings were created by the same God. It provides an important background for entry into careers and ambitions e.g. law, clergy, CRE teaching, and administration. By studying the subject one knows more about the Bible and the personalities in it. Helps to explain certain mysteries in life e.g. origin of mankind, why people die, and the destiny of human beings. Helps the learner to appreciate/understand the environment as the creation of God and the need to conserve/ preserve/care for it. It equips the learner with appropriate skills, attitudes and knowledge which are important for economic development. Such virtues include handwork, diligence, honesty, tolerance, and respect among others. C.R.E. contributes to the national goals of education e.g. patriotism, nationalism.