Christians in Africa Must “resist” Attempts to Redefine Marriage, Devalue Human Sexuality: Kenyan Christian Professional

In his May 16 presentation, the advocate of the High Court of Kenya emphasized the foundational Christian teaching that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman, and not a mere contract or social transaction.

He underscored the need for Christians in Africa to “resist growing trends that seek to redefine marriage, weaken the institution of family, or devalue human sexuality.”

Credit: ACPF

Mr. Kanjama went on to outline a dual strategy of transforming society, one being through family policy and government engagement, and the other to involve working at the grassroots level to rebuild families, support marriages, and cultivate Christian parenting.

“Marriage is a covenant. It’s a union of persons. It’s a gift of self. And it is something that is meant for the long haul,” Mr. Kanjama said at the May 16 symposium realized as part of key events of the Second Pan-African Conference on Family Values (PCFV).

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Christians in Africa Must “resist” Attempts to Redefine Marriage, Devalue Human Sexuality: Kenyan Christian Professional

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He highlighted what he called the Seven C’s of Marriage, which include Covenant, Character, Communication, Commitment, Companionship, Children, and Charity as the pillars of a healthy Christian family life. 

These, he said, “encapsulate both the essence of marriage, the input of the couple, and the fruits that flow from their union.”

Mr. Kanjama also endorsed an acronym shared by schoolchildren at the symposium that defined the role of PARENT as: Personal friend, Available, Responsible, Encourager, Natural, and Teacher. He said this was a timely reminder of the relational and moral responsibilities of fatherhood and motherhood.

Drawing from the National Policy on Family Promotion and Protection, the Catholic legal practitioner listed 10 thematic areas of focus for effective family advocacy in Kenya. They comprise marriage, parenting, religion and culture, family education, family health, economy, social protection, media and technology, safety and security, and environmental stewardship.

He warned of a range of threats facing families today, including infidelity and divorce, the leading causes of family breakdown, teenage pregnancy and child marriage, exacerbated by the early sexualization of children, substance abuse, domestic violence, fatherlessness, pornography, explicit sex education, and homosexuality.

“These are various things that contribute to putting asunder what God has joined together. Hence, the importance of advocacy for the family,” Mr. Kanjam said.

Amid the highlighted challenges, the KCPF Chairman expressed hope for a better future, affirming that the Church and Christian professionals still have a crucial role to play.

Credit: ACPF

“There is a lot we can do. There is hope, and that is why we are coming together – to discuss our experiences, and what we can do first of all in family enrichment and family advocacy,” he said.

For Mr. Kanjama, “The family is in need of both protection and promotion. As family ambassadors, our mission goes beyond the state of our own households. Being a family ambassador doesn’t mean your own family is thriving or flawless. If we had to wait until every family was in perfect shape before stepping out to help others, we wouldn’t have any ambassadors at all.”

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“We should strive to improve our own families and the families of our relatives, our friends, our colleagues, our co-workers, our fellow Kenyans, Africans, and global citizens, he said.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.