View source for Arathi

{{Short description|Christian religious movement}}
{{Distinguish|Aarthi (disambiguation)|Arti (disambiguation)}}
The '''Arathi''', a term meaning "prophets",<ref>Isaria N. Kimambo and Thomas T. Spear, ''East African Expressions of Christianity'' (James Currey, 1999), 238.</ref> are a [[Christianity|Christian]] religious movement founded in 1926 in [[Kenya]].<ref name = Freedom123>Francis Kimani Githieya, "The Formation and Development of the Arathi," ''The Freedom of the Spirit: African Indigenous Churches in Kenya'' (Oxford University Press US, 1997), 123.</ref>  Along with the [[African Orthodox Church]], Arathi was founded by the [[Agikuyu]] in the wake of Kenya's civil unrest during the 1920.<ref name = Freedom123 />  Joseph Ng'ang'a and Musa Thuo are among the sect's most notable [[prophet]]s.<ref name = Freedom123 />

Arathi was outlawed in 1934, when colonial officials prohibited Arathi meetings.<ref>Norman Etherington, ''Missions and Empire'' (Oxford University Press, 2005), 233.</ref>

[[Baptism]] has remained a central part of the Arathi tradition since its founding, and is still practiced today. It is viewed as a symbol of the beginning of a new life, and followers receive a new name after their baptism.<ref name = Freedom124>Francis Kimani Githieya, "The Formation and Development of the Arathi," ''The Freedom of the Spirit: African Indigenous Churches in Kenya'' (Oxford University Press US, 1997), 124.</ref>

==References==
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{{Religion in Africa}}

[[Category:Christian denominations in Kenya]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1926]]


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