Christianization Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Tanzania=== In Tanzania, a child is not a full member of society until they reach adulthood. Adulthood begins at puberty, but a man fully enters adult society by marrying, a woman by giving birth, and the transition from childhood to adulthood is marked by initiation rites.{{sfn|Bรผrki|1977|p=201}} For the Maasai, this includes circumcision of both boys and girls.<ref>{{cite web |title=Maasai Ceremonies and Rituals |url=https://maasai-association.org/ceremonies.html |website=Maasai Association |access-date=15 August 2023}}</ref> Anne Marie Stoner-Eby writes, "The Christianization of initiation rites in the Anglican Diocese of Maasai in what is now southeastern Tanzania is arguably the most famous instance of 'adaptation' in African mission Christianity."{{sfn|Stoner-Eby|2008|p=171}} It has long been assumed that [[Vincent Lucas]], Bishop of Maasai (1926โ1944), initiated the Christianizing of the initiation rites in an effort to adapt, and not destroy African cultural life, publishing what became a famous essay on 'The Christian Approach to Non-Christian Customs'.{{sfn|Stoner-Eby|2008|pp=171-173}} Initiation was one of a chief's most important and prestigious responsibilities, but long before 'adaptation' became a missionary watchword, Maasai clergy had taken advantage of a crucial increase in their numbers to place ''jando la kikristo'' (Christian initiation) in place of ''unyago wa lupanda'' (Lupanda initiation in ancestor worship) by 1913.{{sfn|Stoner-Eby|2008|p=174}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page