Journal of African Christian Biography Cumulative Volume, June-December 2016 Journal of African Christian Biography Original Biographies from the Dictionary of African Christian Biography Cumulative Volume 2016 (June to December) 2 among the inhabitants of the capital and the central provinces, its reception by the The Journal of African Christian Biography was launched in 2016 to sovereign, many of the government officers, civilians, and general population…” complement and make stories from the on-line Dictionary of African Freeman, Joseph J. and David Johns. A narrative of the persecution of the Christian Biography (www.DACB.org) more readily accessible and Christians in Madagascar; with details of the escape of six Christian immediately useful in African congregations and classrooms. refugees now in England. 1840. London: J. Snow. https://archive.org/details/cu31924029350034 Published in monthly installments with an annual cumulative volume Excerpt from the Preface, (p. a2) “. The following narrative has been drawn up in available on line or in print, the JACB is intended to promote the research, compliance with the suggestions of many valued friends, who have wished to be in possession of a succinct and authentic account of the circumstances connected publication, and use of African Christian biography within Africa by serving with the Christian church in Madagascar and especially with the escape of the six as an academically credible but publically accessible source of information refugees who have been now nearly a year in England. .” on Christianity across the continent. All editorial correspondence should be directed to: [email protected] and [email protected] Editor: Jonathan Bonk Associate Editors: Dana Robert, Lamin Sanneh Book Notes Editor: Frances (Beth) Restrick Managing Editor: Michele Sigg Contributing Editors: Gabriel Leonard Allen James N. Amanze Deji Isaac Ayegboyin Priscille Djomhoue Edison Muhindo Kalengyo Jean-Claude Loba Mkole Madipoane Masenya Jesse Mugambi Philomena Njeri Mwaura Paul Nchoji Nkwi Thomas Oduro Evangelos E. M. Thiani 198 3 Antananarivo, the presence of the Bible in the highlands and the use of it as a text Preface to the Journal of African Christian Biography, book in schools. From that moment the Merina population sensed that the Bible had power; as a result their interest to get copies of it grew throughout the capital Cumulative Volume June-December 2016 and the surrounding villages. Chapter four provides information about the uncertainty of Christianity in Madagascar. It was uncertain because of the death The editors are pleased to offer the first annual cumulative volume of the Journal of Radama, friend of the missionaries, and the accession of Ranavalona I, an anti- of African Christian Biography, the monthly scholarly publication that was Christian queen, to the throne as his successor. It continues with the dusk: a launched in June of 2016. Since then, the life stories of twelve individuals who period of confirming the church, then the queen’s edicts against the converts. It played vital roles in and through their faith communities have been published ends up with the edition of the Bible, translated into the Malagasy language. The online as free downloads. But it is important that a selection of DACB stories be focus of chapter five is the sustaining power of the Bible during persecutions. more readily available to those without access to the internet. As I mentioned in First of all it considers the causes of the persecutions, then the role of the Bible in the fall 2016 newsletter of the DACB, each issue of the journal is available in its e- the Malagasy language in the hands of Christians. After that it speaks of the use journal, on-line version, where it is configured either as A4 or 8.5 x 11 format of the Bible by the indigenous Christians and the power they gained from it printable as booklets, ready for local printing and binding or stapling. Our during times of persecution. It also speaks about the edict of the queen to collect intention is to make it easy for academics and church leaders in various parts of all the Bibles and burn them, and how the Christians managed to save some and Africa to make print copies of the journal available to their students, colleagues or hide them. Then it concentrates on the three waves of martyrdom, in 1837-1842, church members. And so it is with this cumulative volume. 1849 and 1857. Lastly it highlights the courage of these martyrs until death with This cumulative volume contains a scintillating taste of the thousands of the Bible in their hands and the contribution of the Bible to the growth of biographies to be found in the DACB itself: Walatta Petros and Hakalla Amale from Christianity in Imerina during the persecution. Chapter six will be the conclusion Ethiopia; Josiah Kibira from Tanzania; Dominic Ignatius Ekandem, David of the thesis. It underlines three aspects of the Bible and its encounters with the Windibiziri, and Abiodun Babatunde Lawrence from Nigeria; William Wadé Harris, martyr church. It considers, in the first aspect, the effects of the translation of the the great prophet-evangelist of West Africa; Michael Timneng and Jeremiah Chi Bible into the Malagasy language. The second aspect deals with the interaction of Kangsen from Cameroon; and Rainosoalambo, Ravelonjanahary, and Volahavana the Bible with the Malagasy culture and context; and the last is about the power Germaine (Nenilava), three Fifohazana revival leaders from Madagascar. In this of the Bible itself. The very last paragraph will try to prompt a further research collection, five of the biographies were authored by three women and five male on the Bible and its impact in Madagascar after Ranavalona’s death.” [Excerpts authors wrote the remaining eight. from the Abstract] This inaugural volume is offered as a harbinger of successive annual volumes to come. It is our hope that it will find its rightful place in the libraries of institutions, scholars and church leaders, and in the Open Access: Historical Works teaching and preaching content of those charged with preserving, cherishing and transmitting the African Christian story in all of its unique character and Ellis, William. The martyr church; a narrative of the introduction, progress vibrancy. and triumph of Christianity in Madagascar, with notices of personal intercourse and travel in the island. 1869. [Boston, MA]: Boston The Editors Congregational Sabbath School and Publishing Society. December 2016 https://archive.org/details/martyrchurchnarr1869elli Excerpt from the Preface, (p. a –iv) “The present volume is offered to the Christian public…for a more complete account than has been hitherto given of the Martyr Church of Madagascar, including the progress of Christianity in that country, from its introduction to its recent and marvellous extension among the people. The present work is confined chiefly to an account of the growth of Christianity 4 197 churches in Madagascar’ and also to enrich the field of historical research for the Table of Contents Church in Madagascar. The revival movement is rooted in the Protestant Church history, so this research is intended to study the concept of indigenization Vol.1, No.1, June 2016 Issue 6 through the preaching, sermons and teachings of Rainisoalambo. There are two Preface by Jonathan Bonk 7 main Protestant churches in Madagascar: the Reformed Church (FJKM) and the Walatta Petros by Wendy Laura Belcher 13 Lutheran (FLM). The revival found within these churches inspired me to think Hakalla Amale by Belaynesh Dindamo 16 about the power behind the Church growth in my country. Rainisoalambo Book Notes 21 contextualized the Gospel. He used indigenization as a strategy and its principles as a source of vitality for the Malagasy Protestant churches. He did not teach a Vol.1, No.2, July 2016 Issue 27 new doctrine either. He helped the people of God to express their faith in Preface by Dana Robert 29 Malagasy culture. In the 20th century, the revival movement shifted from the Josiah Kibira by Angolowyse Malambugi 32 perception of mass conversion and dramatic social changes to the revitalization of Josiah Kibira by Stephen J. Lloyd 38 God’s people. Therefore, the fundamental question is: ‘What is the major Book Notes 49 contribution of Rainisoalambo as the father of revivals, to the indigenization of the Protestant churches in Madagascar?’ My hypothesis is that the revival of Vol.1, No.3-4, August-Sept. 2016 Issue 54 Rainisoalambo made a major contribution to the indigenization of churches in Preface by Michael Ogunewu and Deji Ayegboyin 56 Madagascar. Since "indigenization" is mainly the key word to be understood for David L. Windibiziri by Olusegun Obasanjo 62 this research, this study adopts a theoretical framework, which is informed by Abiodun B. Lawrence by Olusegun Obasanjo 76 concept of cultural translation and phenomenological approach. Since this Dominic I. Ekandem by Olusegun Obasanjo 86 research uses a historical perspective, it is important to practice the historical Book Notes by Frances (Beth) Restrick 106 methodology: data collection for primary and secondary sources, potential oral interviews, criticism of data through assessing the genuineness of information Vol.1, No.5, October 2016 Issue 111 sources and the presentation of information in accurate and readable form. The Preface by Gabriel Leonard Allen 113 analytical approach is adopted in this theoretical framework. In spite of times, the William Wadé Harris by Gabriel Leonard Allen 117 majority of data collected will be enough to accomplish this work.” [Excerpts Book Notes by Frances (Beth) Restrick 139 from the Abstract] Vol.1, No.6, November 2016 Issue 144 Razafimahatratra, Raymond. The sustaining power of the Bible to the Preface by Paul Nchoji Nkwi 146 martyrs during the persecution in Madagascar from 1828-1861: historical Michael Timneng by Paul Nkwi and Julius Tohmentain 152 and hermeneutical analysis.