discuss the socio-economics effects of the missionary activities among the Lozi speaking people of western Zambia from 1883 to 1945?
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The introduction of Christianity in modern central Africa can be traced back to David Livingstone, who in 1840 was sent as a missionary to Africa by the London Missionary Society (LMS). Livingstone's work opened the way for modern Christianity and civilisation to develop side by side in Africa. Postcolonial scholars insist that Christianity and commerce were the root reasons for the European scramble for Africa's natural resources and blame Livingstone and other European missionaries (Kangwa 2016b). However, in spite of certain inadequacies, Livingstone's work in central Africa was basic and set the stage, not only for the course taken by Christian history in Zambia,1 but also for the region's political and economic development. His activities in central Africa covered the period 1849 to 1873, when Livingstone died on the Bangweulu plains in Zambia (Bwalya 2003, 9).
The real impact of Livingstone's work was felt only after his death when missionary organisations in Europe started to come to Africa to evangelise the terra incognita - the unknown lands of central Africa (Bwalya 2003, 9). According to Bwalya (2003, 9), Frederick Arnot of the Plymouth Brethren opened a mission among the Lozi in 1883/4 where he laid the foundation for missionary education, although he did not succeed in making converts. The London Missionary Society (LMS) extended its mission work in 1883 to include the northern part of present-day Zambia (Chuba 2005, 17). In 1884/5, the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society (PEMS) under the leadership of Francis Coillard established a mission among the Lozi people. Other missionary bodies followed: The Primitive Methodists in 1894; the Church of Scotland Mission in 1894; the White Fathers in 1898; the Dutch Reformed Church Mission in 1899; the Seventh Day Adventists in 1905; the Jesuits in 1905; and the Universities Mission to Central Africa (UMCA) in 1910 (Chalwe 1989, 3). These various bodies are considered as being pioneers of Christian evangelisation and mission work in Zambia. The majority of missionary societies as well as missions with a charismatic and Pentecostal background arrived in Zambia only after 1940.
The industrial revolution in Europe is one of the factors that led to colonial expansion and, simultaneously, to an increased interest in adventure. The missionary enterprise was motivated by both commercial and colonial expansion (Chuba 2005, 12). There are many instances of missionaries and colonial authorities working together to provide medical services and education. Some missionaries received financial support from colonial governments for their work. Northern Rhodesia was the last country in central Africa to be reached by European missionary organisations because its geographical position as a landlocked country made it difficult to reach (Chuba 2005, 17). In the context of the present article the missionary activities of the LMS in the northern and Copperbelt provinces of Zambia are important as they resulted in the formation of the United Church of Zambia Theological College (hereafter referred to as UCZ Theological College).
The LMS extended its missionary work into Zambia in 1883. Its work had begun in 1857 among the Makololo people under the leadership of Rev. Halloway Helmore and Rev. Roger Price, who had a number of African evangelists among their mission staff (Bolink 1967, 5; Chilenje 2007, 98). Some 20 years later the LMS decided to open a station near Lake Tanganyika and in 1877 the missionaries arrived at Ujiji. From here the work was between 1883 and 1886 extended to Zambia where a permanent station was opened at Niamkolo in 1889 (Bolink 1967, 38; Chilenje 2007, 99; Snelson 1990, 32-33; Stone 1960, 1). The missionaries established Kawimbe (Fwambo) mission in 1887; Kambole mission in 1894; Mbeleshi mission in 1900; Kashinda mission in 1908; Kafulwe mission in 1918; Senga Hill mission in 1923; and Mindolo mission in 1935 (Bolink 1967, 41; Chilenje 2007, 99; Snelson 1990, 58, 60, 64). At Mbereshi mission the LMS opened its first Bible School which trained three African ministers before it was closed in 1938 due to financial challenges. Later, a union Bible College was opened at Kashinda mission (Brown and Keigwin 1940; Ross 1934).
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