Original Research
Postmodernism, identity and mission continuity in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe
Submitted: 29 June 2018 | Published: 07 December 2020
About the author(s)
Gift Masengwe, Department of Philosophical, Practical and Systematic Theology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South AfricaFrancisca H. Chimhanda, Department of Philosophical, Practical and Systematic Theology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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.
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Crossref Citations
1. Patterning Constitutional Conflicts in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe
Gift Masengwe, Bekithemba Dube
E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies first page: 206 year: 2023
doi: 10.38159/erats.2023962