Introduction
Whereas âreligionâ and âdevelopmentâ used to be conceptualised of as two totally separate and distinct fields of study, there is a growing awareness that these two are actually allies (Mtata 2013). The initial scepticism that religion was irrational and inimical to development has gradually been replaced by a more positive approach that recognises the potential of religion to contribute to development. Indeed, Var Beek (2000) had dubbed religion as constituting a âtabooâ in reflections on development. This was largely consistent with the widely held notion that religion was/is opposed to science and development. However, there has been a significant shift since Var Beekâs article. Religion has since been rehabilitated within development theory and practice. In their review of the scholarly output on religion and development, Swart and Nell (2016) refer to both âthe extraordinary riseâ of religion and development as a field (Swart and Nell 2016: 1) and the growth of the literary corpus that has grown to âextraordinary proportionsâ (Swart and Nell 2016: 2).
Unfortunately, reflections on religion and development are still at the incipient stage in Africa (see, however, the special issue of HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies Volume 72, Issue 4, 2016). This is an indictment of scholarship in Africa, given the extent to which religion (especially African Traditional Religions, Christianity and Islam) permeates all aspects of life. One would have expected African scholars of religion to have taken the lead in examining the contribution of religion to development. As with research on other areas of religion in Africa, very few African scholars have invested in reflecting on the interface between religion and development. Thus, it is disconcerting to observe that the discourse on religion and development in Africa is not being led by African scholars.
In Zimbabwe, it is vital to acknowledge the role played by churches in promoting development. Although Christianity in Zimbabwe is diverse (Verstraelen 1998), the different strands have contributed to development. The mainline churches (Catholics and Protestants), African Independent/Indigenous/Initiated/Instituted Churches (AICs) and Pentecostal churches have all contributed to development in Zimbabwe. However, this volume focuses on one umbrella body, namely, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), for closer analysis. A few chapters focus on bodies that are closely aligned to the ZCC. Contributors reflect on the extent to which the ZCC has contributed to development in Zimbabwe.
An Overview of Development in Zimbabwe
Emerging out of a brutal guerrilla war in the 1970s and attaining political independence on 18 April 1980, Zimbabwe has been popular among global South scholars. Here is one country that waged a bitter war against settler colonialism and received support from progressive forces throughout the world. The global ecumenical movement was particularly supportive, with the World Council of Churches (WCC) playing an important role through its Program to Combat Violence (PCR). Upon the attainment of independence, its Prime Minister, Robert Mugabe, proclaimed a policy of national reconciliation. The first State President, Canaan Banana, was a theologian and church leader. The stage was set for a successful and developmental state.
It is not surprising that the concepts of âdevelopment,â reconciliation and nation building enjoyed a lot of currency from the early years of independence. Churches were invited to join hands with the state in the journey to reach the promised land of development. Although Mugabeâs Marxist-Leninist rhetoric caused concern, with some church leaders being worried about atheism and its implications for freedom of worship, in general, there was a lot of goodwill towards the state in the early years of independence.
Mugabeâs government did not disappoint in the early years of independence (although here one must highlight the serious blot of Gukurahandi , the massacre of citizens in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces in Zimbabwe). The government invested heavily in education, health and other social services. Whereas the colonial state had neglected the rural areas, the government improved the general well-being of people in the rural areas, while ensuring quality service provision. It was envisaged that development would become the watchword, with church and state joining hands to achieve it. When reflecting on the meaning of âdevelopment,â Moyo (1988: 380) writes:
Development concerns people in a given society working together to raise their living standards or improve their quality of life or conditions of living. Defined theologically it concerns Godâs people recognizing their potential and creativity, making the best use of what God has given to them to create a new society, here and now, in which all âmay have life and have it abundantlyâ. (John 10: 10)
While Moyoâs definition is quite appealing from a theological point of view, it must be conceded that scholars continue to split hairs and bicker over the meaning of âdevelopment.â This concept triggers emotional responses from scholars in the global South who are keen to charge that the global North should not pretend to have reached the state of being âdevelopedâ and to foist its own definition of development on the rest of the world. Further, scholars from diverse disciplines, including economics, development studies, political science, philosophy, language and others remain divided over the meaning of the term. According to Rakodi (2012: 638),
âDevelopmentâ is therefore not a monolithic idea with a single, universally accepted definitionâunderstandings of and ideas about development are socially constructed by the citizens of âdevelopingâ and âdevelopedâ countries, governments, development agencies, and critics. In addition, different interests within each of those groups are likely to have different views. Furthermore, ideas about what constitutes development and how to achieve it have changed in the light of experience and in response to challenges to dominant ideas and sets of policies.
In the specific case of Zimbabwe, it can be argued that with the adoption of the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) in 1991, the Government of Zimbabwe began to struggle to bring âabundant lifeâ to the majority of its citizens. By the late 1990s, inflation, unemployment, political tension and other factors meant that many citizens were âno longer at ease.â However, this suffering pales into insignificance when compared with the âyears of drought and hungerâ between 2000 and 2008. The Zimbabwean economy imploded, with many professionals going into the Diaspora. During this period, most citizens had to perfect the art of survival. The churches sought to mitigate the impact of suffering, alongside implementing their own developmental programmes.
Only the most fanatical of nationalists would maintain that Zimbabwe has achieved its development goals. The reality is that one economic blueprint after another has left citizens gasping for breath. It is important for the nation to engage in introspection and to come up with more realistic policies and strategies. This volume seeks to contribute to this process by reflecting on how the ZCC has fared in its endeavour to have a positive impact in the quest for development.
Why Focus on Churches and Development?
One would ordinarily imagine that it is only the government that must be preoccupied with development. After all, it is government that is supposed to have the vision and resources to avail development. Churches are expected to be fully consumed by the quest to get as many souls to heaven; hence they must not have any business relating to development. Indeed, some political leaders in Zimbabwe have favoured such a model. They are quick to tell church leaders to retreat to their âsacred canopyâ whenever they bring up issues to do with the rights, dignity and development of the people of God. Yet:
Churches play a central role in development. They motivate voluntary action and advocacy. They provide vital services to the most marginalised and needy. They give people hope. And yet, churches themselves are also into âdevelopment.â Like societies and individuals, churches are in a constant and necessary process of change. (James 2009: 3)
Whereas it was previously fashionable to overlook religion in discourses on development, there is a growing consensus that religion is well placed to contribute to development. Although scholars use different terms, including religion, faith-based organisations, faith institutions and others, there is a general acceptance that we need to broaden the scope when conceptualising actors who make a difference in the context of development. With the Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals providing the focus, scholars have reawakened to the urgency of understanding the contribution of the faith sector to development. Thus:
[And] many development funding agencies, national as well as multi-national, such as DANIDA, NORAD, Sida, DFID, the World Bank, and various UN agencies, have formed partnerships with faith communities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The rationale behind the belief that faith communities are vital and effective partners in international efforts to reduce poverty is their perceived closeness to poor communities and their highly motivated staff and volunteers. (Deneulin and Rakodi 2011: 45â46)
Who can forget the role of faith-based organisations in the response to HIV and AIDS? Who can overlook the role of churches in education and health in Africa? Who can ignore the voices from religions on sustainable development (Singh and Clark 2016)? It is this emerging recognition that faith is not something that is entirely inner and experiential that is contributing to the acceptance of the role of religion in development. According to Ruben (2011: 230â231),
Far less attention is usually given to the alternative view on religion as a potential driving force for overcoming poverty, enabling people to take risk and to confront the immanent conflicts forthcoming from social change. Such outward-looking approaches tend to harness people to actively involve themselves into promising pathways out of poverty. [It] considers religion as a (pooled) investment that extends substantially beyond the individual sphere and thus enables people to take appropriate risks that are associated with closer involvement in development.
Churches in Zimbabwe have contributed to development in different sectors and ways. This includes the provision of education and health, promoting peace (Bobo 2014) and national healing, addressing the rights of women, su...