The church, state accountability and the Zimbabwe Gold currency

Abstract

This theoretical study explores the Zimbabwe Council of Churches’ (ZCC) pivotal role in promoting social justice and economic accountability within Zimbabwe’s repressive political climate under the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). The ZCC embodies grassroots agency in resisting systemic injustices alongside the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD), representing diverse Christian expressions. The study is anchored in decolonial theory, advocating for a vigilant prophetic tradition that counters internal colonisation and contemporary biblical oppression, urging ecumenical and localised initiatives to challenge state repression. The study highlights a disconnect between government rhetoric and policy outcomes, exemplified by the failure of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency to ease socio-economic hardships. The study frames the disconnect through prophetic ideals, emphasising the importance of grassroots Christians to assume church agency in this scenario. The study asks the question: What theological indictments should the church issue against prevailing state policies, and how can the ZCC’s resilience foster effective resistance to repression? Findings indicate that, despite numerous challenges, the ZCC advocates for impartiality in ethical governance and anti-corruption efforts. The study concludes that the church’s prophetic mandate for social justice can be realised through engagement with grassroots communities, addressing the complex interplay of economics and politics, underscoring the necessity of prophetic witness and moral authority in Zimbabwe’s collective pursuit of justice, and calls for unified civil society action to drive systemic economic reforms.

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This interplay of faith and political responsibility reaffirms the church’s role as a catalyst for transformative change in the face of escalating inflation. Ultimately, the article posits the necessity of the church’s prophetic witness and moral authority as crucial to the collective struggle for a just and equitable Zimbabwe and calls for a united effort among civil society actors to effectuate systemic reform.