Abstract:
One of the questions that has become of a major concern among political and
religious leaders is: How can we build strong community bonds? Shockingly, Kamaara notes, “While Christian values are expected to foster national cohesion and identity, more often than not Christianity has provided a convenient rallying point around which ethnic conflicts are mobilized.”2
It is true that national cohesion in Kenya remains a challenge five decades after independence. This is due to a number of factors such as political,
economic and socio-cultural challenges. These factors have hampered efforts towards building one nation as was envisioned by the founding fathers. Hence, the theological question: How many times shall I forgive my brother? This question needs an investigation in order to address the problem of disintegration of the Kenyan community. The subject of forgiveness has attracted the attention of scholars in the recent years. Schaeffer-Duffy, for instance, writes “forgiveness began to attract attention of researchers in academia. Prior to 1985, the total number of forgiveness studies completed was five. Today there are approximately 55, and research continues, according to A Campaign for
Forgiveness Research, a non-profit organization directed by Worthington.”3 This was, then, three decades ago. I am sure studies on forgiveness have burgeoned. The world today is in dire need of forgiveness. This is because forgiveness, peace and reconciliation constitute the very essence of community existence and cohesion. While forgiveness,
peace-making and reconciliation are fundamental for the wellbeing of any society, they still remain a challenge in many societies.
This paper, therefore, assesses Kenya’s history since independence to ascertain
some of its challenges to national cohesion. As a response to the identified challenges, the paper examines relevant biblical passages related to the subject of forgiveness. This is done within the biblical exegetical framework. Thus, the study is a historical, exegetical and theological one aimed at providing possible applicable solutions to the challenge of cohesion in the Kenyan context and Africa at large.
