The Arathi, a term meaning "prophets", are a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

religious movement founded in 1926 in

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

.Francis Kimani Githieya, "The Formation and Development of the Arathi," ''The Freedom of the Spirit: African Indigenous Churches in Kenya'' (Oxford University Press US, 1997), 123. Along with the

African Orthodox Church The African Orthodox Church (AOC) is a predominantly African-American Christian denomination which was founded in the United States in 1918 by the joint collaboration of its first patriarch, George Alexander McGuire, and Marcus M. Garvey. The ...

, Arathi was founded by the

Agikuyu The Kikuyu (also ''Agĩkũyũ/Gĩkũyũ'') are a Bantu ethnic group native to Central Kenya. At a population of 8,148,668 as of 2019, they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya, making them Kenya's largest ethnic group. The ...

in the wake of Kenya's civil unrest during the 1920. Joseph Ng'ang'a and Musa Thuo are among the sect's most notable

prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...

s. Arathi was outlawed in 1934, when colonial officials prohibited Arathi meetings.Norman Etherington, ''Missions and Empire'' (Oxford University Press, 2005), 233.

Baptism Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...

has remained a central part of the Arathi tradition since its founding, and is still practiced today. It is viewed as a symbol of the beginning of a new life, and followers receive a new name after their baptism.Francis Kimani Githieya, "The Formation and Development of the Arathi," ''The Freedom of the Spirit: African Indigenous Churches in Kenya'' (Oxford University Press US, 1997), 124.

References

Christian denominations in Kenya Christian organizations established in 1926 {{christian-denomination-stub