Postmodernism, identity and mission continuity in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (COCZ) is a Christian denomination with its own internal substance and purpose in life. However, postmodernist changes have affected the Church’s operation with religious, ethical and spiritual implications. The COCZ engaged in conference centre construction (at Somabhula, Gweru South, Zimbabwe), constitution making (adopted 2014) and further ministerial formation through university education. The study was conducted among the Lukuluba people of Somabhula using qualitative research methods. Activities among the Lukuluba people need to be done in critical review of the church’s ideological duty, discovery of the Lukuluba people’s religious consciousness and development of a contextual pedagogy that appeals to the people’s religious spirituality. The study found the need to review the modes of Lukuluba cultic practices of the Shona Mwari religion for purposes of attaining mission continuity within the community and being mindful of the need to continue in the founding identity of the COCZ.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Identity and mission continuity of the Church of Christ in contemporary Zimbabwean society relates to human creation, baptismal dignity and vocation as systematic theology has ecclesiological, soteriological, incarnational, existential, ecological, biblical, inculturational and missiological implications.

Critical Entitlement Theory on post-missionary paternalism in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe

“…In section 'Paternal inheritance in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe', the article engages elimination, conservation and reconstruction as contemporary discourses of mission station entitlements. Reconstruction takes into account how 'power, privilege and position' are historically constituted using capitalism, liberalism and individualism as constitutive categories that conserve, reconstruct or eliminate the COCZ governing ideology (Masengwe & Chimhanda 2020). Total elimination of autonomy can be replaced by its total opposite, heteronomy, which cleaves towards African philosophy (Masengwe 2020;Masengwe & Magwidi 2020).…”

“…Equality in structural power demands plurality towards paternally constructed issues faced by religious institutions in contemporary Africa. Confrontation must be done mindful of paternalism, classicism, elitism and ageism traps tied to conceptualisations of postmodernist human relations (Masengwe & Chimhanda 2020;Masengwe & Magwidi 2021). Paternalism brings stability in human relations henceforth it needs to be approached conscious of its effects on boys and girls in the construction of their worlds as argued in the next section of this article.…”

“…The 2015 constitution fails to underscore African ideals for local Christians. Failure to be all-inclusive probably testifies to the origin and source of the document (Masengwe & Chimhanda 2020). The call to return to African humanism vis-à-vis western liberalism can disclose critical challenges of paternalism of the Victorian age.…”

“…Unfortunately, studies have shown that there are no tangible results from previously over-privileged black elites (Masengwe et al 2012). Critical Entitlement Theory honestly identifies, acknowledges and redresses these past injustices posed by race, ethnicity, gender and class (Masengwe & Chimhanda 2020). It does not only limit the discourse to the past but how they are reproduced.…”

‘Robert’s Rules of Order’ on religious conflicts in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe

“…ministers however 'hindered rather than enabled missionary work in the country'(Masengwe 2020a). 'Despite the fact that CAM built hospitals, clinics, schools and colleges, they became instigators of infighting, rather than missionary work'(Masengwe 2020a:39).…”