The multi-faith approach gap in light of the Zimbabwe Junior Secondary and ‘O’ Level religious studies syllabi

A research paper on the Multi-Faith Approach Gap vis-a-vis the Religious Syllabus of Zimbabwe's education.There have been debates in regard to the teaching and learning of religious education (R.E.) in Zimbabwe where the approach has exclusively favoured Christianity at the expense of other religions. The major problem arises from mistaking religious educationfor Christian education; religious education teachers for pastors; religious education pupils for Christians, hence the dominance of the confessional approach in the teaching and learning of religious education. Advocacy callsfrom different religious groupings have been heard lobbyingfora change of the religious education syllabus so as to broadly incorporate other religions hence the Zimbabwean religio- cultural diversity. What is paradoxically interesting is that, the aims of the religious education syllabi are multi-faith in orientation but with exclusivist content. It is then not surprising that most religjious education teachers and stakeholders erroneously take the subject as meant to evangelisticalty extend the territories of Christianity against other religions. Learners have not been spared from that confessional understanding of religious education. The confessional attitude has hampered the academic and cross-cultural nature of religious education. This paper is a research that was carried out in the whole of 2013 to establish the attitude of teachers, heads of schools, pupils, parents and Curriculum Development Unit subject managers on the se of the multi-faith approach in teaching and learning of religious ducation. As a result, 5 Manicaland schools were randomly sampled, ISO pupils were given questionnaires, 5 heads of schools, and the Curriculum Development Unit Religious Studies manager were interviewed. As a result of the research, the article calls for the adoption of the multi-faith approach so as to close the gap between the aims and the content of the 'O'level religious education syllabi

Challenges and opportunities of the postcolonial state university education in Africa: an appraisal of Hunhu/Ubuntu in national-moral development in Zimbabwe

A research argument on the importance of morality (Ubuntu/Hunhu) on the post-colonial university graduate in order to be morally relevant to the society that he/she is to serve.Postcolonial state universities have continued to serve African countries in producing highly educated professionals pertinent for the national economy and development. Unfortunately the moral philosophy of education in tertiary training institutions has been unclear for its products lacked moral relevance to local needs. This failure can be attributed to universities that traditionally hold on to foreign philosophies of education not rooted in local morality. It is for this cause that this paper seeks to appraise the role of state university education in developing ethical and moral development through fostering hunhu/ubuntu philosophy. The aim of this article is to highlight the challenges and opportunities advanced by the postcolonial state university education to national-moral development in Zimbabwe. The study is mainly a review of related literature on the moral philosophy of state university education since independence in Zimbabwe. Local universities are challenged by developments in the moral climate in the country\ which demands for a major curricula review, to improve on professional moral-ethical contact in reshaping the world of the 21s' century. In order to curb the social, political and economic ills experienced in Zimbabwe, this article proposes the moral and ethical approach using hunhu/ubuntu philosophy in remedying actions that are disruptive to the common good. The study also recommends that African universities inculcate person-hood in its products using this hunhu/ubuntu philosophy

Mainstreaming HIV and AIDS Programmes in the Ministry of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe

The Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) in Zimbabwe church is one of the oldest Pentecostal denominations in Zimbabwe tracing its origins as far back as 1915. She claims a membership of two million across the country. Like other Pentecostal denominations that broke away from her, the AFM in Zimbabwe remains exposed to the risks and vulnerabilities of HIV and AIDS. This study made a case for HIV and AIDS mainstreaming in the AFM in Zimbabwe. The study was predominantly qualitative and relied on document analysis. Relevant sources of data were identified and critically examined. The study found that HIV and AIDS mainstreaming among Pentecostal denominations is an uphill task because some Pentecostal preachers claim they can cure HIV and AIDS, yet government and other stakeholders firmly established that there is no cure for HIV and AIDS. Another impeding factor was that HIV and AIDS in some Pentecostal quarters is regarded as a demon. The demon perception encourages stigma and discrimination against HIV infected persons. Although negative perceptions of HIV and AIDS are evident, some Pentecostals still encourage biomedical cure for HIV and AIDS while at the same time they embrace faith as an important aspect for coping with HIV and AIDS. That the AFM in Zimbabwe, like other Pentecostal denominations has comparative advantages that put it at a better position to mainstream HIV and AIDS was firmly established. Although, Pentecostal denominations like other organizations struggle due to loss of members through sickness, death, funerals and reduced performances owing to HIV and AIDS evidence showed that they are slowing up to HIV and AIDS mainstreaming. Owing to stigma and discrimination which is rampant among Pentecostals, the study concludes that not mainstreaming is not an option for the AFM in Zimbabwe as the process is not resource-intensive which puts the denomination at a better position to effectively operate in the face of HIV and AIDS while at the same time fulfilling its mandate

The Messianic Feeding of the Masses: An Analysis of John 6 in the Context of Messianic Leadership in Post-Colonial Zimbabwe

This volume was passed as doctoral thesis by the University of Bayreuth (Germany) in February 2012. The author presents a new way of looking at leadership, history, culture and the reading of scripture in light of theme of The Messianic Feeding of the Masses. The author examines how the Zimbabwean president has embraced some messianic titles and statements ascribed to him for liberating Zimbabwe from her colonial masters and the feeding of the people. The book makes a comparative and sociological analysis of kingship in ancient traditions so as to demonstrate how the ‘sacredness’ associated and ascribed to the reign of Mugabe was not uncommon. As the bearer of the charisma, Mugabe takes some radical measures to assume the task of a saviour. He embraces the praises accorded to him by his admirers and commands obedience and a following in virtue of his mission. Some aspects examined in this study may be highly controversial but eye-opening. The author does not attempt to convert anyone to a particular side but through the way he articulates issues and supports arguments with Historical, Biblical and current material, he invites people to debate even in a larger arena.Dieser Band präsentiert eine Kontextuelle Lektüre von Joh 6 im Kontext messianischer Führungsansprüche im postkolonialen Simbabwe. Zur Analyse werden nicht nur altorientalische Herrschaftstraditionen herangezogen, auch das Alte Testament, das Frühjudentum und die Königstraditionen der Schona-Kultur finden Beachtung. Im Zentrum des Interesses steht dabei das Motiv der Ernährung der Massen durch den Herrscher

From Text to Practice - The role of the Bible in daily living of African people today

That the Bible is a manual for daily living is attested in almost all Christian denominations, how this role is transformed into practice is clearly an area that remains a contested terrain among Christians. This volume is our modest contribution to looking at the relationship between the Bible and our practices. The central question that the articles in this volume respond to is: how is the Bible related to our daily life? This question is especially important on the African continent where religion appears to be gaining influence. Without taking anything away from western biblical scholars, African biblical scholars must also engage with the question: how do we put into practice the teachings of the Bible? This volume contains papers presented at the International Bible Symposium 2009 in Bamberg (Germany) and additional contributions

The Bible and Children in Africa

The relationship between the Bible and Children in Africa is a topic of highest relevance. This book is treating it in two main perspectives which often are intertwined: | The exegetical perspective “Children in the Bible” is dealing with the concepts of childhood in biblical texts, asking for example: How are children conceived in different texts. What is their status in family, society and church? What is their relation to God? What is the metaphoric use of childhood in biblical soteriology? What is the function and meaning of calling adult persons “children” (of God, or of the Apostle)? | The contextual perspective “African children of today and the Bible” is dealing with the different life settings African children find themselves in and how the Bible is present in these life settings. Here the questions for example are: What is the status of children in family and society? How are traditional concepts of childhood changing under the conditions of poverty, HIV/AIDS and violence? How are the ideas and ideals of childhood influenced by the Bible? What is the role of the Bible in child-education? Can children’s rights be established with help of the Bible? This volume of BiAS 17 is collecting the papers presented at the 2012 BiAS meeting in Gaborone, Botswana, with some additional contributions

Multiplying in the Spirit: African Initiated Churches in Zimbabwe

This volume was motivated by the realisation that AICs continue to be a significant player on Zimbabwe’s spiritual market. Members of predominantly Apostolic, but also Zionist, churches are highly visible in both rural and urban areas. Prophets from AICs are constantly in the news, alongside advertising their competence in urban areas. Thus it is high time to bring AICs being an important part of recent social reality in Zimbabwe back into academic focus. BiAS 15 at the same time is ERA 1 which means that this volume opens a new sub-series to BiAS which is meant to explore religion in Africa in all its manifold manifestation, be it Christian or not

The Bible and Violence in Africa. Papers presented at the BiAS meeting 2014 in Windhoek (Namibia), with some additional contributions

BiAS 20 contains papers presented at the BiAS meeting 2014 in Windhoek (Namibia), with some additional contributions. Scholars from Nigeria, Cameroon, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia and Germany are dealing with the urgent question of how the Bible is involved in the widespread use of violence in political, social, religious, and gender conflicts. One leading question is how to deal with the textual representation of violence in the Bible. It is taken up by more general hermeneutical contributions. The other leading question is how biblical texts and/or concepts are used to cause and justify violence. This is taken up by a greater number of articles which deal with concrete societal and political contexts in Zimbabwe and other African countries. The conference in Namibia was supported as a Humboldt-Kolleg on the Bible and Violence in Africa by the German Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Protocol of an individual participant data meta-analysis to quantify the impact of high ambient temperatures on maternal and child health in Africa (HE 2 AT IPD)

Introduction: Globally, recognition is growing of the harmful impacts of high ambient temperatures (heat) on health in pregnant women and children. There remain, however, major evidence gaps on the extent to which heat increases the risks for adverse health outcomes, and how this varies between settings. Evidence gaps are especially large in Africa. We will conduct an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis to quantify the impacts of heat on maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa. A detailed understanding and quantification of linkages between heat, and maternal and child health is essential for developing solutions to this critical research and policy area. Methods and analysis: We will use IPD from existing, large, longitudinal trial and cohort studies, on pregnant women and children from sub-Saharan Africa. We will systematically identify eligible studies through a mapping review, searching data repositories, and suggestions from experts. IPD will be acquired from data repositories, or through collaboration with data providers. Existing satellite imagery, climate reanalysis data, and station-based weather observations will be used to quantify weather and environmental exposures. IPD will be recoded and harmonised before being linked with climate, environmental, and socioeconomic data by location and time. Adopting a one-stage and two-stage meta-analysis method, analytical models such as time-to-event analysis, generalised additive models, and machine learning approaches will be employed to quantify associations between exposure to heat and adverse maternal and child health outcomes. Ethics and dissemination: The study has been approved by ethics committees. There is minimal risk to study participants. Participant privacy is protected through the anonymisation of data for analysis, secure data transfer and restricted access. Findings will be disseminated through conferences, journal publications, related policy and research fora, and data may be shared in accordance with data sharing policies of the National Institutes of Health. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022346068