This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
Renowned Kenyan Theologian Prof. John Mbiti Passes Away ¶
Prof. John Mbiti, a renowned Kenyan theologian, has passed away at the age of 88. He died on Sunday while undergoing medication at a hospital in Switzerland.
Prof. Mbiti's death has been mourned by several prominent figures, including Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga and US-based Kenyan scholar Prof. Makau Mutua.
“His book was an eye-opener and groundbreaking work. Condolences to his family. May his soul Rest In Peace,” Odinga said in a tweet.
Prof. Mbiti was a highly accomplished scholar who undertook his studies in the US, the United Kingdom, and Uganda. He was once a religion and theology lecturer at Makerere University in Uganda.
Prof. Mbiti authored several notable books, including African Religions and Philosophy (1969), and became the first African to translate the Bible into Kamba language.
He was ordained as a priest of the Anglican Church in 1980 and became a parish minister in the reformed church of Bergdorf. Prof. Mbiti settled in Switzerland with his wife and their four children, where he lectured at the University of Bern until his death.
