Who will take part in Kwanzza observances this year? Is Kwanzza a legitimate extenstion of our Afro-Christian theological principles? About 5-7 years ago I developed a Biblical foundation for each of the Seven Principles of Kwanzza. With your tolerance I would like to share each Principle and its concomitant Scriptural source. Although this was not the intent of Kwanzza creator Ron Karenga, I do feel that we as Black Christians should see the liberating theology which permeates throughout Karenga's paradigm. Today [12-26-00] represents the first day of Kwanzza. The guiding principle on Day One is Umoja [unity]. Umoja teaches that we should strive for and maintain unity in our family, community, nation and a race. Now, read Psalm 133:1 QED

-- Anonymous, December 26, 2000

Answers

Bill, thank you for your scholarship in finding a Bibical basis for the teachings of Kwanzaa. I personally do not observe the rituals associated with Kwanzaa because those principles were taught and observed from my youth. My dear mother, adevout Christian woman, brought me up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. My frist introduction to Kwanzaa was as a substitute for Christmas. I was not about to give up Christmas for any other holiday. There are those who need this celebration and ought to observe and practice the principles year around. Blessings Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, December 26, 2000

Why celebrate a so called holiday that is not uplifting the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? It's bad enough we celebrate Christmas which most of the traditions dated back from pegan ritualistic heathen worship to the god Ninrod, and the date of Christmas December 25th is the feast of the sun god. The Catholic church, decided to incorporate the approx date of Christ's birth to that of the heathens, when in the Word of God, it clearly states to come out from among them. We are taught to commerate date of Christ birth, however, in the Word the only thing the Lord instruct us to commerate was his death burial and resurrestion espcailly the last supper. He said to do this in rememberance of Me not his birth, but the events surrounding the redemption of the world. Study carefully the orgins of the holidays and why we are celebrating them

-- Anonymous, December 26, 2000

I will be celebrating Kwanzaa as I help to take part with a number of others during a service this friday December 29th at People's Institutional AME in Brooklyn, NY. It will be the 7 principles of Kwanzaa from a Christian Perspective. 7 of us will preach based upon a principle. I find Kwanzaa a celebration of what can make us a better community by first recognizing the unity of the body of christ and so forth. To my sister who feels that it is a pagan holiday I ask that you study the principles in relation to scripture as well as the ancestral roots of each principle in relation to the African Heritage that we share. Don't get lost in the translation of Eurocentrism.

-- Anonymous, December 28, 2000

Kwanzaa is not a holiday nor a substitute for the birth of Christ. I hope all will see the giuding forces behind the prinicples which basically are taken from the formation of the church if you read Acts 4 each principle is there.

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2001

Living in a state that is 98% white is very interesting when it come to celebrating Kwanzaa or Martin Luther King birthday. Montana does not have a lot of people and it can be isolating in terms of coming in contact with other cultures. But there is always a desire from people who live here to understand and to learn.For the last two years I have been asked by our library to do a Kwanzaa presentation, to explain the principles and the origin of the holiday. Last friday we had 55 children and parents come to learn about the holiday, most of kids were 3 to 6 and every single child said they wished they had black friends to play with and that they liked Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is taught in the schools, as is black history, and the children are the ones correcting their parents about racism. The month of January and February is always busy as I travel across the state talking about Black History, Martin Luther King and racism, yes I do have to deal with white supremacists, but I also get to deal with wonderful people in small towns, who are grateful a person of color comes to visit. A few years ago I was asked to be the commencement speaker in Turner Montana, population 100. I was the first clergy woman and first black person to come to the town. I stayed for three days, and it was hard to leave for I had met so many good friends. The principles of Kwanzaa have implications that are far reaching, particularly since they dispel negative sterotypes about black people, with the emphasis on unity, family, economic development etc. our heritage both on the continent of Africa and the US can proudly be shown.

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2001

Rev. Rogers, Your experiences in Montana are much like my experiences in the Air Force and industry. From 1952 to 1972, while serving all over the world in the US Air Force, my career field I was the "only black" person most of the time. After leaving the Air Force and continuing in the same field (Computers and Electronics) most of my peers were white. Needless to say, I made lasting friendships over that period and continue those relationships to this day. Yes, I encountered racism, but not to the degree that some of my black friends claim exist today. The biggest challenge was getting appropriate housing for my family when serving in isolated areas such as Montana. The Air Force solved that problem by not allowing white Airman to rent property that was not also available to black Airman. God Bless Your ministry. Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2001