From your seat in Heaven, hear our prayer: Prayer in the Nomiya Church.

Abstract

Prayer is the act of communication by humans with God and beings in the transcendent realm. The Nomiya Church (NC) is the oldest African Independent Church in Kenya. It was founded by Johana Owalo who saw the Arabs, the Jews, and the Luo being the only people allowed in heaven, for they had prophetic representatives. This essay considers Luo cultural beliefs and their deep inroads in NC. It reflects on the perceived privileging of the Luo people and further isolates Muslim influences in NC prayer. Four selected prayers are sampled to underscore forms of prayer and an exploration of the Christological challenges posed.