Amahoro is the African version of “emergent” Christianity, which is generally considered a “post-modern,” post-denominational movement seeking to restore the importance of community and worship among Christians.
In the last several years, emergent Christian leaders, such as Brian MacLaren, have sought to make the movement less focused on organizations, such as Emergent Village, while taking on a more global approach. This in turn has led to the growth of transnational networks with sympathizers in the global South, especially Africa.
Amahoro is the result of emergent Christians in America and Africa seeking to build networks of consultation and cooperation that function outside of established denominations and the mindset of the prosperity gospel that has flourished in many churches in Africa. Just as emergent Christianity has positioned itself as an alternative to the Christian right in America, Amahoro is critical of individualist Christianity and prosperity teachings in Africa. Although stressing equal relationships between partners and an African identity, Amahoro still has significant Western and American input (the board consists of Americans).
The organization sponsors gatherings led by African theologians that stress “justice-oriented” and transatlantic approaches to ministry (worship, unlike for Americans, is not an area of concern for African participants). An example of a project that resulted from an Amahoro gathering is African Road, which seeks to sustain a structure for one of its participants in his work with Rwandan orphans.
(Source: paper presented by April Vega at the Association for the Study of Religion, Economics and Culture conference)