Nehemia Godwin Moshi
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Nehemia Godwin Moshi An Analysis of Power Relations in Leadership Development and Succession in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania– Northern Diocese 1942–1993 Nehemia Godwin Moshi The Lutheran Church in Northern Tanzania traces its roots to mission work done by German and American missio- the Drum SkinNehemia Moshi | 2016 | Stretching naries in the 19th and 20th centuries. The establishment, growth and sustainability of Lutheranism in Northern Stretching the Drum Skin Tanzania can, however, not be comprehended without considering the contributions made by indigenous An Analysis of Power Relations in Leadership Development Northern Tanzanians. Historically, therefore, Lutheranism and Succession in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in in Northern Tanzania is a result of twin contributions. The Tanzania–Northern Diocese 1942–1993 sharing of responsibilities between the foreign missio- naries and the indigenous Northern Tanzanians entailed sharing of leadership. This study focuses on the trends in power relations associated with this sharing of leadership, to the point where indigenous Northern Tanzanians be- came autonomous leaders of the church. 9 789517 658164 Åbo Akademi University Press | ISBN 978-951-765-816-4 Nehemia Godwin Moshi (born1963) Master of Science, 1998, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania Master of Theology, 2006, Makumira University College, Tanzania Cover image: Drum at Makumira in Tanzania. Original photo by Hezron Mashauri. Åbo Akademi University Press Tavastgatan 13, FI-20500 Åbo, Finland Tel. +358 (0)2 215 3478 E-mail: [email protected] Sales and distribution: Åbo Akademi University Library Domkyrkogatan 2–4, FI-20500 Åbo, Finland Tel. +358 (0)2 -215 4190 E-mail: [email protected] STRETCHING THE DRUM SKIN Stretching the Drum Skin An Analysis of Power Relations in Leadership Development and Succession in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania-Northern Diocese 1942–1993 Nehemia Godwin Moshi Åbo Akademis förlag | Åbo Akademi University Press Åbo, Finland, 2016 CIP Cataloguing in Publication Moshi, Nehemia Godwin. Stretching the drum skin : an analysis of power relations in leadership and succession in the Evangelical Lutheran church in Tanzania-Northern diocese 1942– 1993 / Nehemia Godwin Moshi. - Åbo : Åbo Akademi University Press, 2016. Diss.: Åbo Akademi University. ISBN 978-951-765-816-4 ISBN 978-951-765-816-4 ISBN 978-951-765-817-1 (digital) Painosalama Oy Åbo 2016 Dedicated to my father Rev. Godwin Anaeli Moshi Svensk sammanfattning I föreliggande avhandling undersöks det norra stiftet (the Northern Diocese) i den evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan i Tanza- nia (ELCT). Syftet är att studera maktrelationer, i synnerhet manifesterade i framväxten av ledarskap samt i överlämnande och övertagande av ledarskap i detta stift. Undersökningen be- gränsas till perioden 1942–1993. Den är till sin natur kvalitativ och använder historiska metoder. Forskningen visar att stiftets historia har karakteriserats av både bemyndigande, manipulativa och dominerande relationer. Sådana relationer är uppenbara på olika plan; a) i kampen för indigeniseringen av stiftets ledning, b) i strävan efter att inrätta ett episkopat – en ledarskapsform som ansågs vara relevant i den tanzanianska kontexten, c) i relationen mellan kyrka och stat, d) i uppdelningen av det norra stiftet i tre stift och därtill en självständig kyrka, samt e) i den process som ledde fram till att prästämbetet öppnades för kvinnor. Relationerna i det norra stiftet kan karakteriseras som ett arv från både utländska missionärer och från ett nordtanzanianskt kulturellt sammanhang. Missionärerna som kom med evan- geliet rekryterade personer på lokalplanet till sin hjälp. Dessa lokala kristna tog senare över ledarskapet och förde troget vidare arvet från missionärerna. Beträffande ledarskapsstruktu- ren förblev stiftet därför i det stora hela oförändrat även efter att ledningen blivit tanzaniansk. Med stöd av sin kontext antog stiftet emellertid ett episkopalt ledarskap med biskop, vilket byggde på ledarskapsmodeller i hövdingadömen i området. Denna sammanblandning av olika traditioner kan också ses i motståndet mot att viga kvinnor till prästämbetet – något som varken bland missionärerna eller inom den kulturella kontexten i norra Tanzania ansåg vara genomförbart. Rasbaserade, etnis- ka och könsbaserade skillnader kan anses ha inverkat på rela- tionerna inom stiftet. Sammanfattningsvis kan konstateras att stiftets historia karak- teriseras av en slags klassbaserad stratifiering, något som po- tentiellt kan påverka stiftets verksamhet ännu i dag och därför behöver synliggöras och medvetandegöras. Table of Contents SVENSK SAMMANFATTNING .......................................... 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................... 9 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................. 11 1.1 Background ....................................................................... 11 1.2 Aim .................................................................................... 14 1.3 Review of Literature.......................................................... 17 1.4 Methods and Structure of the Study .................................. 22 1.5 Definitions ......................................................................... 24 2 POWER PERSPECTIVES AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK .................................................................. 27 2.1 Power................................................................................. 27 2.2 African Perspectives of Power .......................................... 32 2.3 Power in the Mission-Church Context .............................. 38 2.4 Theories and Models for Analysing Power: A Conceptual Framework ................................................. 43 3 POWER IN FOREIGN MISSION WORK AND THE FOUNDING OF THE LOCAL CHURCH 1893–1942 ... 51 3.1 Background ....................................................................... 51 3.2 The Beginning of Mission Work in Northern Tanzania .... 55 3.3 The Emergence of the Local church.................................. 79 3.4 Power in the Encounter and Birth of the Church: A Critique .......................................................................... 96 4 POWER IN THE INDIGENISATION OF THE LCNT LEADERSHIP 1943–1958 ................................... 115 4.1 Background ..................................................................... 115 4.2 The Augustana Mission in the Transition to Indigenous Leadership ....................................................................... 118 4.3 The LCNT and the Struggle for Indigenous Leadership ....................................................................... 125 4.4 Power in the Devolution Process .................................... 148 5 POWER IN THE QUEST FOR EPISCOPACY AND MINISTRY 1959–1969 ........................................... 159 5.1 Background...................................................................... 159 5.2 Power in the Quest for Episcopal Leadership.................. 162 5.3 Power in the LCNT’s Vision and Ministry...................... 173 5.4 Power in the LCNT’s Relations with the State and Northern Partners ............................................................ 180 5.5 The Taste of Indigenous Leadership ............................... 185 6 POWER IN THE SPLIT OF THE NORTHERN DIOCESE AND ORDINATION OF WOMEN 1970–1993 .......................................................................... 207 6.1 Background...................................................................... 207 6.2 The Splitting of the ELCT-ND: The Birth of New Church Bodies ................................................................. 212 6.3 Changes in the Diocesan Leadership Composition ......... 232 6.4 The Evolution of the Diocese: An Appraisal ................... 244 7 CONCLUSION ................................................................. 253 ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................. 262 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................ 263 Map 1: The Lutheran Church in Northern Tanzania ............ 286 Acknowledgements Gratitude is primarily due to God the Almighty whose manifold ways of sustenance have enabled me to accomplish this work. Many people have contributed to the success of this work. I thank all of them for their help. I would, however, like to mention a num- ber of people for their invaluable contribution. I would like to, first and foremost, express my appreciation to my supervisors, Pro- fessor Ingvar Dahlbacka and Dr. Kim Groop, for their guidance, backing and encouragement that they rendered during the whole period of this study. Without their continued assistance the research was destined to a halt. The financial assistance rendered by different organs related to the Åbo Akademi University is highly acknowledged. The administration of Tumaini University Makumira, particularly the Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Parsalaw, and the Dean Fac- ulty of Theology, Dr. Angela Olotu, is remembered for, among other things, bearing with changes in my work schedule and provi- sion of a study break. The leadership of the Northern Diocese, specifically Bishops Dr. Martin Shao and Dr. Fredrick Shoo are remembered for their inspiration. Professor Ismael Mbise, my superior as I served as Registrar, together with my colleagues in the office, Ms. Rose Chuwa and Ms. Neema Sumari, deserve a special mention for their assistance in various ways. I also thank the Tumaini University