https://doi.org/10.20378/irbo-51298 Masiiwa Ragies Gunda Rewriting the Bible or De-biblifying the Public Sphere? Proposals and propositions on the usage of the Bible by public figures in %imbabwe Introduction Religion, theology and sacred texts remain highly uniting and divisive elements in human societies over millennia. As Zimbabwe tethers on the brink of collapse even with the Government of National Unity (GNU), we have all been asking ourselves hard questions because we all seem united in not wanting this beloved country to collapse. While most of us have been looking squarely at the doorsteps of all powerful institu- tions looking for answers, we ha,e been con,inced that the challenges we face are political and econo ic resulting in so e social i balances. We ha,e hardly sought to understand the interface between the political, econo ic challenges and religious, theological fra eworks and the role played by sacred texts in sustaining such religious and theological fra eworks. This study is born out of the Zi babwean experience and has a special focus on the use of the sacred texts in the public sphere in Zi babwe. As clearly illustrated in other papers, the Christian Bible has been exten- si,ely used in the public sphere by politicians, )udges, industrialists and religious functionaries in such ways as to raise critical questions about the nature of de,elop ent we aspire for as Zi babweans. I a fully aware of the i portance of all anner of econo ic and political refor s prescribed for our society, but unless we begin to engage with the fun- da ental beliefs that largely function in our li,es at the subconscious le,el, we ne,er achie,e the goals we set for oursel,es. This paper seeks to critically askC what is the future of the Bible in Zi babwe3 Shall we reconsider the call ade by Canaan S. Banana two decades ago3 /is call was to 1re-write the BibleR4 Alternati,ely, shall we seriously consider the way of Europe, a way created o,er centuries3 This is the way that essen- tially 1de-biblifies4 the public sphere. It ini i.es the direct or so e- ti es e,en percei,ed use of sacred texts in the public sphere by pro,id- ing a nu ber of checks and balances on how and where sacred texts can be used, a process largely understood by any as seculari.ation. These appear to be two extre es on a continuu of resol,ing this conflict. 22 Gunda "Rewriting# the Bible or De-biblifying the Public Sphere) This article argues that, a critical deploy ent of sacred texts in the public sphere can be producti,ely used to extract accountability and responsibil- ity a ong all citi.ens. Background to this study As already inti ated abo,e, this study is infor ed by the situation ob- taining Zi babwe, and the desire to see a prospering Zi babwe cannot be said to ha,e been a passi,e ele ent in the writing of this paper. /owe,er, there is a historical basis for raising the questions that we raise in this study. Canaan S. Banana, the first president of Zi babwe fro 1980 until 1987 is indeed a courageous an, not only was he the president of Zi babwe, he was also a Aethodist Church in Zi babwe ordained inister, a theologian of note, 2rofessor in the 7epart ent of 8eligious Studies, Classics and 2hilosophy at the Uni,ersity of Zi - babwe. These are offices that Banana held with distinction and it is un- fortunate that his legacy was tarnished because he was con,icted of 1engaging in unnatural acts with en4. While all these offices de ands one to be courageous, the reason for calling Banana courageous lies in the fact that he ade a daring call in 1991, when he called for the 1re- writing of the Bible4 as a way of finding long ter solutions to the proble s of political and econo ic do ination which are so eti es packaged as di,inely sanctioned a bitions. There is no doubt that Ba- nana would ruffle a lot of feathers, especially when one reads BananaDs explication of the holy, a word that we use to describe sacred texts such as the Christian BibleC To aintain so ething as holy U sacred and di,ine U is a label and a concept people ha,e about so ething they treasure. It is also a way to aintain the status quo and to de,elop an unthinking populace which continues to be at the ercy of the elite. Present and future generations ust not be held hos- tage by dogmas and dogmatists who were the selves capti,es of their own parochial world. /oliness ust not be confused with legiti acy.1 (Canaan S. Banana) This call ay be at ho e in Africa, because all the reasons that led Ba- nana into aking this call can be found in Africa. /owe,er, when it was ade, Banana was responding to the heartrending situation of the 2ales- 1 Canaan S. Banana 1The Case for a New Bible4 inC H[mh_j_d]⁄ j^[ 8_Xb[0 J^[ H[Wb ?iik[i, Ed. by I. Aukonyora, 5. L. Cox and -. 5. Nerstraelen. GweruC Aa bo 2ress, 1993, 17- 31, 18. 2F BiAS 3 The Bible and Politics in Africa tinians and the Israelites, who despite their long history as neighbouring peoples, were escalating hostilities in the 1980s and 1990s, hostilities that continue to date. Banana was bra,e for aking this call because he risked and recei,ed hatred fro all a)or religions but especially Chris- tianity in Zi babwe. /e was labeled all sorts of na es and when he faced trial for 1perfor ing unnatural acts4 with other en, it was taken as due punish ent for his bold call years earlier. Indeed, Banana was a bold an. This article therefore engages Banana on the call to re-write the Bible, as one option of restructuring society focusing especially on the practicality of the call. While this call by Banana recei,ed a lot of attention fro a nu ber of stakeholders, especially Christian leaders and ordinary Christians, other actions surrounding the Bible by pro inent people ha,e not recei,ed as uch attention. Below, I will bring two state ents of con,iction fro two pro inent Zi babweans, one a Ae ber of 2arlia ent and Banana again. I stand here representing God the Almighty. Wo en are not equal to en. This is a dangerous bill, and let it be known in Zi babwe that the rights, pri,ileges and status of en are gone.2 (Ti othy Aubhawu AP, A7C, ad- dressing Parlia ent on the debate on the 7o estic Niolence Bill). There is no such ani al as neutrality; neutrality at best eans deafening silence and indifference, and at worst s iling at and ad iring the status quo. I refuse to accept the notion that 5esus assu ed the role of an hon- oured guest in the theatre of hu an slaughter and isery.3 (Canaan S. Ba- nana). The ention of the African continent brings any e ories and i - ages flooding into our inds. -or so e, Africa is synony ous with strife, hunger, corruption and lately hu an rights abuses. -or others, Africa is synony ous with rich resources, inerals, etals and fertile soils. Eet for others, Africa is synony ous with 1ra pant ass ,icti i- .ation4, exploitation and plunders through sla,ery, colonialis , neo- colonialis , capitalis , and lately despotis ha,e reduced ost Afri- cans to ,icti s. There ay be e,en ore i ages that are in your inds as well not co,ered here so far. -or so e like yself, Africa, particularly 2 Aasiiwa 8agies Gunda, 18econsidering the rele,ance of the 2rophet Amos in the quest for a )ust society in conte porary Zi babwe4 inC 8EJI. 2b[Yjhed_Y <ehkc, a,ailable onlineC http:OOwww. hs.noOarticle_533.shtml accessed 28 5une 2010. 3 Banana 1-oreword4 inC Aichael Lapsley, D[kjhWb_jo eh e-efj_ed5 .d]b_YWd ^khY^ WdZ IjWj[ \hec 7<=> kdj_b j^[ _dZ[f[dZ[dY[ e\ P_cXWXm[, GweruC Aa bo 2ress, 1986, 7. 2M Gunda "Rewriting# the Bible or De-biblifying the Public Sphere) Southern Africa, brings the i age of the Bible flooding in our inds, colonialis was inspired by a reading of the Bible, which inspired so e 7utch sailors to identify South Africa as the 2ro ised Land, gi,en to the by God.4 Colonialis was packaged as a blessing fro God to the people of Africa and was early on understood as part of the trinity of Colonialis , Ci,ili.ation and Christianity. The use of the /a itic yth was one of the rationali.ations of the ass ,icti i.ation of indigenous Africans. The fight against colonialis was packaged as a new 1Exodus fro the oppression of 2haraoh4 to the 12ro ised Land flowing ilk and honey4, yet 1the Exodus to -reedo (has) turned out to be an exo- dus to bewilder ent; honey and ilk (ha,e) turned out to be agony, killings and hatred.45 In the post-colonial era, we ha,e had se,eral politi- cians proclai ing the greatness of God, e,en clai ing to ha,e been appointed by God to be leaders of their respecti,e countries.6 The Bible has been a feature of the public sphere in Africa for bad and for good, inspiring selfless deeds by so e, while sustaining selfish deeds by oth- ers.