The moral authority and prophetic zeal of the Christian Church in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This article aims to illuminate moral authority and prophetic zeal dynamics by analysing the struggles encountered by congregations resisting state encroachments. Amidst Zimbabwe’s political turbulence, the church operates at a critical juncture, grappling with the dual threats of state capture and the dilution of prophetic integrity. The ecclesiastical prophetic voice, traditionally positioned as society’s moral compass, has suffered profound erosion, trapped within a nexus of mutually exploitative relationships among ruling elites, legal frameworks, and acquiescent ecclesiastical leaders. Those dissenting from the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) face systemic repression within the church, revealing a deep moral crisis. Referencing Martin Luther King Jr’s assertion that the church must function as the ethical justice of the state, this research underscores the potential decline into irrelevance should prophetic zeal wane. This investigation employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to bridge gaps concerning moral compromises within religious institutions, aligning practical leadership insights with broader socio-political contexts. Employing qualitative methodologies, including informal discussions and WhatsApp exchanges among church leaders and congregants from diverse denominations, the study generates nuanced insights into the lived experiences of church-state interactions and the preservation of prophetic integrity. Findings indicate a pervasive trend of ecclesiastical subservience to state interests, signifying moral decay and an imperative to restore the church’s ethical foundation. To maintain spiritual relevance, a revival of prophetic assertiveness is essential, lest the church devolves into an inconsequential social entity devoid of substantive moral engagement with the state. Contribution: The moral and prophetic authority of the Christian Church in Zimbabwe amidst political capture and ethical degradation, employing a decolonial hermeneutic and Critical Discourse Analysis, elucidates the intersections of faith, authority, and social justice. This article contributes to a discussion on church-state dynamics, advocating for restorative prophetic advocacy within Zimbabwe’s socio-political landscape. The article contributes to the ecclesiological, missiological, historical, political, ethical and postcolonial perspective of the church during a crisis.

Keywords

• moral bankruptcy
• prophetic zeal
• general elections
• state-church capture
• religious leaders
• political exploitation
• regime enablers
• regime resistors
• vertical transcendence
• horizontal immanence