Walter Obare
Encyclopedia
Walter Obare Omwanza is the presiding bishop (in apostolic succession
) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya, which is a member of the Lutheran World Federation
. On 5 February 2005 he consecrated a Swedish pastor Arne Olsson
as bishop for a conservative group called the Mission Province, which opposes the Church of Sweden
policy of ordaining women into the ordained ministry based on supposed biblical teachings about gender.
After this, the Council of the Lutheran World Federation
terminated a leadership position Obare held within the LWF on 1 September 2005
.
Concordia Theological Seminary
, of the U.S. Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, awarded Obare with an honorary Doctor of Divinity (Honoris Causa) in 2006.
He was Ordained as a pastor in 1982, after which he served as a parish pastor in nine congregations simultaneously. In 1985 he was appointed by his church to be Pastor for Schools, a churchwide position. In 1991 he again studied at MLTC where he received a Higher Diploma in Theology, graduating in 1993. In the same year he took a teaching career at MLTC.
He was awarded a Masters Degree from Concordia Seminary
St Louis (of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) where he earned MA degree. He came back to Kenya and continued at MLTC until August 2002 when he was called into the office of the Presiding Bishop of ELCK. He was consecrated a bishop on the 24th of Nov. 2002.
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya, which is a member of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
. On 5 February 2005 he consecrated a Swedish pastor Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson is the Bishop Ordinary of the Mission Province.Olsson is a retired pastor in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, having been e.g. the parish priest of Habo. On 5 February in Gothenburg, 2005 he was consecrated as bishop of The Mission Province by The Most Reverend Walter Obare, the...
as bishop for a conservative group called the Mission Province, which opposes the Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
policy of ordaining women into the ordained ministry based on supposed biblical teachings about gender.
After this, the Council of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
terminated a leadership position Obare held within the LWF on 1 September 2005
.
Concordia Theological Seminary
Concordia Theological Seminary
The Concordia Theological Seminary is an institution of theological higher education of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod , located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, dedicated primarily to the preparation of pastors for the congregations and missions of the LCMS...
, of the U.S. Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, awarded Obare with an honorary Doctor of Divinity (Honoris Causa) in 2006.
Childhood and Family life
He was born in Misambi village on the 10th May 1947 in Nyamira District of Kenya. He married in 1976 and has had ten (10) children and four grandchildren.Schooling and service
Obare studied at Matongo Lutheran Theological College (MLTC) and graduated with General Certificate in Theology in 1978.He was Ordained as a pastor in 1982, after which he served as a parish pastor in nine congregations simultaneously. In 1985 he was appointed by his church to be Pastor for Schools, a churchwide position. In 1991 he again studied at MLTC where he received a Higher Diploma in Theology, graduating in 1993. In the same year he took a teaching career at MLTC.
He was awarded a Masters Degree from Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary is located in Clayton, Missouri, an inner-ring suburb on the western border of St. Louis, Missouri. The institution's primary mission is to train pastors, deaconesses, missionaries, chaplains, and church leaders for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod . The current president of...
St Louis (of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) where he earned MA degree. He came back to Kenya and continued at MLTC until August 2002 when he was called into the office of the Presiding Bishop of ELCK. He was consecrated a bishop on the 24th of Nov. 2002.
External links
- Why Are We Here Today by Bishop Obare, February 5, 2005
- Choose Life! presented by Bishop Obare at the LWF Council meeting in Jerusalem, September, 2005