M. L “Inus” Daneel and Graham Hill discuss the growth, dynamism, challenges, and contextualization of African Initiated Churches (AICs) and African Earthkeeping Movements.

M. L. “Inus” Daneel is a professor of missiology at the Boston University School of Theology. Dr. Daneel has developed contextualized ecumenical ministries in theological education, community development, and earthkeeping for and with the African Initiated Churchs in Zimbabwe.

He served for 16 years as senior professor in missiology at the University of South Africa, Pretoria. His widely acclaimed publications focus mainly on African Traditional Religion and indigenous African Christianity. His book Guerilla Snuff was selected one of the 75 Best Zimbabwean books of the twentieth century.

Dr. Daneel was employed as a senior research officer at both the Free University of Amsterdam and the African Studies Center, Leiden. He has held research fellowships at the University of Zimbabwe, Harare; the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University; and the African Studies Center at Boston University. Daneel has lectured widely in Europe, North and South America, and Africa. With Dana L. Robert, he edits the book series “African Initiatives in Christian Mission.”

Dr. Daneel’s publications include God of the Matopo Hills (1970), Zionism and Faith-healing (1970), Old and New in Southern Shona Independent Churches, Vols. 1-3 (1971, 1976, 1988), Quest for Belonging (1987), Fambidzano–Ecumenical Movement of Zimbabwean Independent Churches (1989), Christian Theology of Africa (1989), Guerrilla Snuff (a novel, 1995), African Earthkeepers: Interfaith Mission in Earth Care, Vols. 1-2 (1998, 2000), African Christian Outreach, Vol. 1 (2001), and Fullness of Life for All (co-editor, 2003).

Over the past few years, Prof. Daneel has been conducting field-based research into the high god religion of the Shona. This research follows up studies done in the 1960s in which Daneel was the first outsider to be admitted to the high god oracle in the Matopo Hills.

Born on a Dutch Reformed mission station, Dr. Daneel is a well-known ecumenical figure who functions as a bishop in an African-Initiated Church, the Ndaza (Holy Cord) Zionists. A patron of the Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa, he is committed to environmental preservation, African contextual theology, fishing, and watching rugby and cricket. Daneel spends six months a year in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, and six months a year in Boston.