Covenantal Pluralism in Zimbabwe—from Ecumenical Councils to Grassroots Ecumenism

Abstract

Despite Christian adherence at 85%, high levels of religious literacy, and constitutional provision for religious freedom, the prospects for covenantal pluralism in Zimbabwe are limited. The Zimbabwean church is divided by denomination, theology, and ethnicity. These divisions have roots in the colonial era, but they have been exacerbated by the post-colonial state since independence in 1980. From the 2000s, the regime has sought to split the church through persecution, fear, selective patronage, and the creation of clientelist Christian bodies. Nevertheless, there have been propitious moments of cooperation and solidarity amongst ecumenical councils and new movements of grassroots ecumenism.