Beyond African Ecclesiastical History

A Comparative Look at Storytelling Techniques

Abstract

This article sets out to demonstrate the import of storytelling techniques in ecclesiastical history and across the various academic disciplines. As techniques in communication, they are critical pillars in both ancient and modern history. Storytelling is one of the facets of culture that has remained largely intact for generations, especially in tropical Africa. In appreciating that storytelling techniques go beyond mere narration (refer to language proficiency, figures of speech, music, and drama, among others), the article draws from some Euro-American and African examples to demonstrate their broad spectrum and execution. It asks: How have storytelling techniques manifested across historical times, especially among some critical events such as the Protestant revivals of 18th-century Europe and America, the Second World War (1939–1945), and in the postcolonial African quests for a just and democratic society? Despite the ambitious nature of this article, it will only cite a few representative cases so as to address this concern. Given this, London’s Methodist preacher, Rev. William Edwin Sangster, serving at London’s Westminster Central Hall during the Second World War, and Kenya’s Archbishop David Gitari, who served during the turbulent times of single-party dictatorship (1980s and 1990s), have been cited to give an informed understanding on the significance and execution of storytelling techniques over the years. An extensive review of relevant literature and some limited interviews with people who are connected to this topic have been considered.