Pastors, Pulpits, Pews, and Politics: Religious Pedagogies of Democratic Empowerment
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PASTORS, PULPITS, PEWS, AND POLITICS: RELIGIOUS PEDAGOGIES OF DEMOCRATIC EMPOWERMENT By STEVEN LYNN LICHTY A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2016 © 2016 Steven Lynn Lichty To the beautiful people of Kenya ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to first thank Dr. Leonardo Villalón, my dissertation chair, who devoted countless hours working with me throughout this project. His keen insight, enthusiasm, knowledge, and feedback have been essential for my own success as a student and scholar. He has been the glue that has held me and the arduous process of obtaining a Ph.D. together. I will continue to look forward to working under his scholarly shadow. Past and present members of my committee have pulled their share of the burden as well. Dr. Kenneth Wald has been one of my primary go-to-guys for religion and politics. His position at the University of Florida was a primary reason for pursuing a degree here. His encouragement, advising, and mentoring proved crucial during the long slog of training. Dr. Manuel Vasquez brought an outsider perspective to my research, but his expertise in the area of the sociology of religion was sought throughout this study. I can only dream of having his knowledge and remain jealous of his book collection. Dr. Patricia Wood always seemed to have a timely word of advice during the early stages of the dissertation process. Dr. Katherine Baldwin offered continued support during my teaching phase at the University of Florida, but has also been an on- going cheerleader of my research and professional development. As a member of Yale’s Department of Political Science, I am also grateful for her willingness to continue to serve on my committee. Finally, Dr. Dan Smith and Dr. Terje Østebø came on board toward the end, but each has provided the necessary support and encouragement to finish the remaining tasks. Beyond my committee, the faculty and staff of the University of Florida’s Department of Political Science have simply been amazing. I want to specifically thank the following professors: Staffan Lindberg, Göran Hyden, Larry Dodd, Leslie Anderson, 4 Ben Smith, Aida Hozic, Aime Kreppel, Michael Martinez, Thomas Biebricher, Marcus Hendershot, Ido Oren, Arfi Bedredine, and Bryon Moraski. A special thanks goes to Dan O’Neill and Les Thiele, who guided and encouraged me through the depths of modern and contemporary political theory. Sue, Debbie, and Pat, the hidden heroines, kept me out of administrative trouble, and Vanessa assisted in the final stages. Outside the department, the Center for African Studies became a second home. The center staff and affiliated faculty made the study of Africa an interesting and enjoyable experience. I also want to acknowledge professors Brenda Chalfin and Gerald Murray for making my third field in anthropology a reality. My Kiswahili teachers, Rose Lugano and Masangu Matondo, and Arabic teacher Esameddin Alhadi, patiently instructed me in the nuances of learning foreign languages. Several students who accompanied and encouraged me on this journey include: Cara Jones, Ramón Galiñanes, Wynie Pankani (my fellow Africanist cohort) and the rest of the Africanist gang—Ann Wainscott, Kenly Fenio, Alison Montgomery, Steve Marr, Parakh Hoon, Aaron Hale, Levy Odera, Nic Knowlton, Ashley Leinweber, Fredeline M’Cormack, Kevin Fridy, Keith Weghorst, Dominic Lisanti, Oumar Ba, Mamadou Bodian, Ibrahim Yahaya, Dan Eizenga (and the many others I failed to mention here). Ann Wainscott and Audrey Fleming, my comprehensive exam “study buddies” deserve a round of applause for walking with me through this rite of passage. Ann was also an amazing sounding board during the writing phase, providing critical feedback and insight as the dissertation was finally coming together. You all have made me a better student, scholar, and human being. 5 Several people outside the University of Florida deserve acknowledgment. Lisa Duke-Cornell, David Cornell, and Nate Reiner (and several housemates) graciously welcomed me into their beautiful home and provided a serene environment for reading, thinking, and writing. Bill and Ruth Barker, Bill and Barbara Lawrence, Jim and Barb Stakely, Dan and Barb Speis, Allyn and Tracie Kyes, Todd Best, and Eric Morrow all encouraged me, invited me into their homes, and offered a sympathetic ear and hospitality. Dr. Roberta Seldman, guided me through the shadows of darkness arising from the stress and occasional depression that unexpectedly ambushed me. Dr. Eric Diamond and my Tuesday night mates were also the best non-academic support group a Ph.D. student could ever dream of. Thank you for letting me be real. My Ph.D. was built on a strong educational foundation starting at the elementary level, so I also want to acknowledge my only two elementary teachers, Mrs. Tipton and Mrs. McPherson. I want to acknowledge several sources of funding. I received four large fellowships from the United States Department of Education: three Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships (Kiswahili and Arabic) and a ten-month Fulbright- Hays Doctoral Dissertation award to conduct field research. Additional funding came from the political science department and the Center for African Studies. My community in Washington, D.C. provided amazing support as well, and more importantly, a place to temporarily call home as I finished writing. These hospitable individuals include: Randy Mah, Kenly Fenio, Maggie Fleming, Matt and Laura Davis, Kostas and Katie Kotopoulus, and especially Heather Pfahl, whose generosity enabled me to complete the final stages of the dissertation. Colleen Conley and Chris and Phil 6 Yutzy provided me periodic rural getaways in Harrisonburg, VA. Toward the end, Ann Wainscott also deserves credit for assisting me with reframing the project. I also want to acknowledge a large contingent of individuals outside the United States. Dr. Kjetil Tronvoll and the ILPI group in Zanzibar provided an action-packed three-month opportunity to observe the registration process. During my field research in Kenya, I stayed with Jitske and Joep van Binsbergen, Jolanda and Philip Odiyo, and Robin and Margaret Aim— thank you for providing a home away from home. The staff at Mavuno Church and the numerous LifeGroups I participated in were all hospitable hosts (and excellent research partners). Thank you for letting me “soak and poke” in your midst. Pastor Linda deserves thanks for allowing me to peer more deeply into her life and work. Maggie Gitau’s friendship and support was invaluable. The staff, faculty, students, and research students at the Maryknoll Institute of African Studies were superb cultural guides for helping me dive deeper into the culture of Africa. The Institute for the Study of African Realities at the African International University and the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi provided library access and sponsorship support, respectively. As a fellow Ph.D. candidate in Kenya, Ben Byerly walked with me during this journey and provided much needed comic relief, support, and feedback. Special thanks also goes to Francis Kamunya, my Kenyan research assistant. Francis became like my Kenyan brother. His keen insight, argumentative nature, and friendly disposition morphed into a powerful religious, cultural, and social interlocutor. As I mentioned in the dedication, this study is dedicated to the beautiful people of Kenya. I would have nothing without these people’s cooperation, hospitality, time, energy, and acceptance. 7 Finally, I want to thank my family for supporting and encouraging me during this journey. My parents constantly believed in my ability to keeping pushing on to achieve my goals. My sister and her family provided a welcome distraction from the journey. 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... 12 LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... 13 ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: SETTING THE STAGE .............................................................. 16 Religious and Political Narratives in Kenya ............................................................. 16 Key Questions, Primary Arguments, and Scholarly Context, .................................. 18 Key Questions ................................................................................................... 18 Primary Arguments ............................................................................................ 19 Scholarly Context .............................................................................................. 22 Underlying Rationale ............................................................................................... 25 Key Terms ............................................................................................................... 29 Methodology and Research Design ......................................................................... 31 Methodological Approach and Mode of Inquiry ................................................. 31 Research Design: Methods, Domains, Scope,