Balokole
Encyclopedia
Balokole is an Africa
n fundamentalist Christian
reform movement that started in the 1930s. The Balokole arose within the East Africa
n Revival Movement which sought to renew the Protestant churches in Uganda
, Kenya
, Tanzania
, Rwanda
and Burundi
. Despite its theological roots in the Western revival movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Balokole evolved as an indigenous African movement. The term Balokole can be translated as "the saved ones" or "the chosen".
The Balokole movement criticized established hierarchies within the Church of Uganda
and questioned prevailing amorality or double standards. The Balokole formed egalitarian brotherhoods, followed puritanical rules, publicly confessed their sins and professed their experience of conversion, which they understood as a radical break with their former sinful selves and a receiving of new life from God. They stressed the importance of the Lordship of Christ over all areas of life.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n fundamentalist Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
reform movement that started in the 1930s. The Balokole arose within the East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
n Revival Movement which sought to renew the Protestant churches in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
. Despite its theological roots in the Western revival movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Balokole evolved as an indigenous African movement. The term Balokole can be translated as "the saved ones" or "the chosen".
The Balokole movement criticized established hierarchies within the Church of Uganda
Church of Uganda
The Church of the Province of Uganda is a member church of the Anglican Communion. Currently there are 34 dioceses which make up the Church of Uganda, each headed by a bishop....
and questioned prevailing amorality or double standards. The Balokole formed egalitarian brotherhoods, followed puritanical rules, publicly confessed their sins and professed their experience of conversion, which they understood as a radical break with their former sinful selves and a receiving of new life from God. They stressed the importance of the Lordship of Christ over all areas of life.