Bishop sued over claims of devil worship
The Presbyterian Church of East Africa has sued its bishop for claiming it was tolerating rampant homosexuality, idolatry and devil worship.
The Rev David Riitho Gathanju and the Rev Festus Kaburu Gitonga suing on behalf of the church said the Rev David Muhia Githii’s claims had defamed the church.
The Rev Githii, formerly the moderator of PCEA is said to have made claims that the church leadership did little to stop male pastors from kissing each other or do away with evil symbols.
Devil worship
He was also said to have questioned mysterious tragedies that had hit the church, mostly accidents involving congregants and that in his opinion the same had some spiritual implications with a divine connection.
The Rev Gathanju, an administrator of the 20th General Assembly of PCEA said the allegations were intended to be understood to mean that PCEA and its members engage in devil worship.
“They were also intended to mean that PCEA Church, its pastors and its members practice homosexuality and or have accepted members who practice homosexuality,” he added.
Further, he said they also implied the church was recruiting members who practice devil worship.
The Rev Gathanju said that at no time did the Rev Githii bring to their attention the allegations or tender evidence in support of the same.
He said the church had been forced to explain itself to members.
“We have received numerous calls from our members and other members of the public who are greatly concerned by his false allegations and have threatened to shun the church and avoid dealing with it,” said the Rev Gathanju.
He added: “We have had to spend considerable time clarifying to persons who have read the articles that the contents are false and malicious.”
Raise allegations
The bishops said the defrocked bishop had all along been aware that any issue of concern must be raised through the General Assembly of the Church and that in spite of participating in such a meeting, did not raise the allegations.
PCEA started its operations in 1920 and has grown and now boasts of membership of more than four million worshippers.
The Rev Gathanju said: “I believe that the Rev Githii had the sole intention of embarrassing the church and to induce members to resign.”
The defrocked bishop first made the claims against the church on April 3 prompting the leadership call a press confress and deny them.