SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Christianity was first introduced in Busoga by the Baganda and European missionaries in 1891. For the first ten years, the missionaries ran into suspicion and sporadic opposition from the Basoga. However, with the growing awareness that Christianity could be used as a channel to new sources of power and influence, some of the Basoga increasingly embraced the new religion. The missionaries encouraged some of the newly "converted" Basoga to work as abasomesa or catechists. This meant spreading the Gospel in the remote villages where the abasomesa were faced with the various problems of a young and growing Christian Church. The abasomesa - and later the ordained Basoga clergymen - received substantial assistance from the Basoga chiefs who used their political positions and wealth to further the growth and expansion of Christianity, particularly in the areas under their control. With the growing Christian population, the missionary bodies were encouraged to develop an indigenous professional ministry. During the inter-war period, for example, many of the Basoga catechists, hitherto untrained, were given formal training while others were admitted to the holy Orders. This development enabled the Basoga professionals, mainly those of the CMS, to assume more pastoral responsibilities, administer and organize the growing and expanding Busoga Church whose activities were, by the end of this period (1940), spread all over the country.