Christianity in Zimbabwe

Christianity in Zimbabwe is one of the major religions practiced in Zimbabwe. The arrival of Christianity dates back to the 14th century by missionaries. Christianity is embraced by the majority of the population. It is estimated at about 70 to 80 percent of Zimbabweans claim to be Christians.^[1]

Heads of the Christian Denominations in Zimbabwe is an association made up of the main church bodies; Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference, and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches.^[2]

History

Roman Catholic missionaries were the first to arrive in Zimbabwe. The first attempt to introduce Christianity to the Shona [tribe of Zimbabwe] was made by a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, Gonçalo da Silveira, at the court of the Monomotapa dynasty until he was murdered as a result of court intrigues in 1561.^[3] Although at least a dozen Catholic churches were planted, they all disappeared by 1667, when Portugal’s power was waning, leaving “no discernible trace of Christianity.” This remained the situation until the movement of Protestant missions arrived in the nineteenth century.

In 1799 Johannes Van der Kemp helped launching a missionary society called London Missionary Society (LMS). One of the LMS missionary who helped launch Protestant missions into Zimbabwe was Robert Moffat and his wife Mary. One of Moffat’s greatest accomplishment for missions in Zimbabwe was his friendship with Mzilikazi, king of the Ndebele tribe. Moffat’s son-in-law David Livingstone had several expeditions in Zimbabwe around 1859.^[4]

In 1890 the 'Pioneer Column', Jesuit Catholic missionaries and the Anglican Canon Belfour entered Lobengula's territory.^[5]

Indigenous religious movements

• Andries Mtshede (d.1929) was a nephew of King Lobengula, who became a policeman and court interpreter and later a Methodist minister.^[6]

• John Maranke (1912-1963) was a Zimbabwean Christian leader, prophet, and founder of the African Apostolic Church of John Maranke.

List of churches in Zimbabwe

• Eastern Orthodox Church
• Coptic Orthodox Church
• Church of the Province of Central Africa part of the Anglican Communion
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Zimbabwe
• Seventh-day Adventist
• Methodist in Zimbabwe
• United Methodist Church
• Roman Catholic
• Zimbabwe Assemblies of God (ZAOGA)
• Word Of Life Ministries
• Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Harare Synod

See also

• Religion in Zimbabwe
• Roman Catholicism in Zimbabwe
• Christian Mysticism in Ancient Africa
• Christianity by country

References

1. International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Zimbabwe. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (September 14, 2007).
2. religion in Zimbabwe
3. Marshall W. Murphree, Christianity and the Shona (London, England: The Athlone Press, 1969).
4. A History Of Protestant Missions In Zimbabwe
5. A History of Christian Missions in Zimbabwe, 1890-1939 By ChengetaiJ. M. Zvobgo. Gweru, Mambo Press, 1996.
6. Thorpe, C. Limpopo to Zambesi, London 1951 p.33-5

External links