TOWARDS A THEOLOGY OF RECONSTRUCTION FOR POST - COLONIAL ZIMBABWE: A MISSIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE BY BLESSING SHAMBARE Submitted fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PHILOSOPHY DOCTOR IN THEOLOGY AND MISSIOLOGY In the department of Science of Religion and Missiology FACULTY OF THEOLOGY University of Pretoria South Africa SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR S. T. KGATLA 2017 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those institutions, organisations and individuals who helped make this thesis a reality. In particular, I would mention the University of Pretoria, Faculty of Theology and the Department of Science of Religion (Missiology), the professors and the staff (Ms Doris Mokgokolo at the front office) you are amazing. The University of Pretoria Library and Staff: you assisted me to discover, to access library materials and resources easily. The University of Zimbabwe, Arrupe College (Harare) and Bishop Gaul Theological College (Harare), offered me the space to research in your libraries and to interview your students. I have to acknowledge with gratitude, (my Bishop) Rt Rev Dr Chad Gandiya, bishop of Harare Diocese, for encouraging, supporting and continuously offering financial, moral and spiritual help. You are a great Father, and Mentor for you offered me study opportunity regardless of the demands of the parish ministry. Holy Trinity Parish in Ruwa, you tolerated my absence from parish obligations as I travelled to South Africa for study and you accepted me weary and exhausted when you expected a smile. Many thanks go to Prof Ezra Chitando for encouraging and helping me in shaping the thesis framework. You opened your office, offered technical advice and recommended the bulk of the literature and sources I consulted in this work. The same gratitude goes to Dr Masiiwa Ragies Gunda, Prof Obvious Vengeyi, and Dr Benhilda Masuka for the academic conversations and scholarly guidance we had over this work. You shaped my thinking and direction in putting the work together. Dr Gunda listened and criticised me with academic love in my wild view of reconstruction in Zimbabwe. I want to express my gratitude to the Prof Tinyeko Maluleke, Prof Nelus Niemandt and Prof Lovemore Togarasei for the conversations and encouragements you gave me. The various resources you pointed out to me helped in shaping my writing. I am thankful to Prof Jesse N. K. Mugambi and Dr Valentin Dedji for coming through with great insights as the living texts. The various email correspondence and telephone conversations shaped my understanding of the demands of reconstruction. With Prof Jesse Mugambi, the literature you recommended me to consult and the openness to allow me to bother you more regardless of the time differences, all adds up to love and passion in you. i Humble gratitude goes to my friends and colleagues in the ministry and study, Rev Vincent Fenga, Rev John Chawarika, Rev William Nyapokoto and Friar Joshua Musiyambiri. This journey was travelled with encouragement, with perseverance and prayer. The conversations, the academic criticism and passionate journeys to and from South Africa impacted the positive outcome of this thesis. As for Rev Isheunesu Gusha and Rev (The Dean) Farai Mutamiri, you took a brotherly interest in reading and asking me questions on my research. Those were humbling moments when you sacrificed your own studies. I want to mention here the patience displayed by my long time sisters and academic critics Sheilah Chikulo and Lorraine Dzirutwe for reading through my chapters, editing and asking me difficult questions. Humble gratitude to Mr Never Mhlanga, Mr Phenias Dohwe, Mr Shadreck Sakarombe, Mr Philip Chiradza and Rev Shelton Namazhonjo for reading through and assisting me in picking out errors. Mr Terry Mosher, Mrs Janice Nowochin and Mr Francois Prevost you took upon yourselves to critically read the thesis with passion, commitment and determination to make it the best thesis. I am thankful of your grammatical, sentence construction and spelling check and suggestions. Much appreciation goes to Mr George Mupope and Mr Joe McWilliams, for taking a thorough editing, commenting and correcting the final format this thesis. Much gratitude and love to my wife Florence Shambare; you criticise me with composure and love. Your comments and contributions helped in shaping of this thesis. The academic stamina you showed during our conversations were amazing. You pointed out the direction to take when I was stuck in my writing. You sustained my tense mood, seriousness and took the responsibilities of the family during my absence from home researching and studying. To my household family, Wadzanai Sakarombe, Blessing Shambare Jnr, Rudo Murombedzi and Primrose Nyabadza, thank you for preparing me strong coffee to help me be alert as I read and for encouraging me when I was sleepy. Thank you, family. Last of all I would like to mention the person who has been at the controls during the whole journey, Prof Thias Kgatla. Thank you, Prof Kgatla, for accepting me to explore under you, for finding potential in me and for providing the professional guidance during the study years. You were an encourager, a passionate mentor and my academic light. I am grateful for your consistent email communications, phone call follow-ups and the over lunch conversations. ii To my loving God, Abba! Father! Mwari wangu, I bless your name for guiding and giving me the grace to reach this far. DEDICATION This study is dedicated to my children (Mukundi Hugh, Mitsidzo Karen, Makomborero Ethan) for them to know that achievement is not an event it is through dedication and commitment. To my dearest, lovely wife Florence, the time you spent in prayer and being lonely when I was busy. I love you, family! To all the single mothers in Zimbabwe and around the globe, your challenges were exhibited through the dedication and hard working of my mother, Mildrate Sakarombe. She, single headedly and single handedly made sure that I had the best educational foundation. That has guided me to this level of study. I salute you, Mom! iii DECLARATION I declare that the thesis entitled; Towards a Theology of Reconstruction for Post - Colonial Zimbabwe: A Missiological Perspective is my own work. All those sources I have consulted and used have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete standard reference. Signed Date BLESSING SHAMBARE iv ABSTRACT The issue of reconstruction has appealed to many nations that have moved from significant transitional periods, be it economic, social, and or political. This has made the reconstruction theology, a relevant theology. This study is a result of realities unfolding in Zimbabwe which left many to ask what is missing in Zimbabwe in order to have a better society. The study seeks to contribute to the reconstruction theology debate from a missiological perspective which is based on asking and answering the question, “what is the role of the Christian Church in reconstruction?” At the onset, the study seeks to assert the applicability of the Ezra - Nehemiah Motif in Zimbabwe. The research is motivated by the premise that the church ought to have the capacity to adequately formulate a public-social theology which meets the demands of society. It is on this basis that the research will grapple with the concerns for justice, aspects of difference in relationship to human life- human dignity, policies of democratisation and democracy, social development and societal peaceful coexistence. The theology of reconstruction has been argued as a praxis and deed-oriented model of rebuilding. Whilst appreciating the Liberation Theology and its value to Zimbabwe, it could be argued further that the liberation has served the purpose and the need for a complementary theology; - Reconstruction Theology. However, if this assertion is to be upheld, questions may be raised as to whether Reconstruction Theology seeks to replace Liberation Theology. It is therefore through this research that it can be established whether there is a replacement of or a complement of liberation theology with reconstruction theology. This research then aims to analyse the deplorable Zimbabwean, socio-economic and socio- political fibers that require reconstruction and transformation, to enable development of a better society in which human dignity is respected. Further to that, the research explores and reflects upon the theological and missiological models of reconstruction that could be considered in post-colonial Zimbabwe. It is in this research that some alternative cultural variables, which could help achieve national reconstruction are deconstructed in light of reconstruction of v Zimbabwe. To achieve this research utilises African Renaissance as its theoretical framework and informed by social construction theory. This research engages in the quantitative and qualitative research methods, supported by interviews and questionnaires. There is a plethora of produced in published and unpublished literature that enriched this thesis. Furthermore, the research utilised various methodological approaches which includes theological, sociological, and post-colonial. The research will then comprise nine chapters subtitled depending on the matters of concern. Key Words: Theology of Reconstruction, Church, Mission, Reconstruction, Zimbabwe, African Renaissance, Transformation, Renewal, African Theology, Community Integration, Wholeness, Justice, Whose community Zimbabwe is, Nationality, Belonging vi ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AACC All African Conference of Churches