METHODISM AND PUBLIC LIFE IN ZIMBABWE: An analysis of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe's impact on politics from 1891 – 1980 By SIMON MADHIBA (s28296789) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor – PhD IN CHURCH HISTORY At the UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA SOUTH AFRICA 2010 PROMOTER: PROFESSOR G. A. DUNCAN © University of Pretoria Dedication This study is dedicated to my late father, AsaMadhibaUshe, a local preacher and devoted leader in the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. He was a principled man who inspired me to cultivate a critical and analytic approach to life. It is also dedicated to my spiritual fathers the late Rev. E. M. Mazhandu, Rev. C.C. Mazobere, Rev. E. T. Mandinyenya, and Revd. F. J. Chirisa, who is the retired former Presiding Bishop of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe who mentored me and encouraged me to value academic pursuit as an excellent and effective mission strategy. i Acknowledgements A research study of this magnitude could not be successful without a supportive community with which one identifies. It was through the zeal for improved life of the Wesleyan Methodist community in Zimbabwe that enabled the researcher to realise the importance of studying the church's contribution to political life in the country. The topic on Wesleyan Methodists' impact on politics in Zimbabwe could not have made sense to the researcher had he not been exposed to the church's social gospel. My profound thanks go to my wife Getrude, whose questions, insights and criticisms shaped the line of thought for this study. I am also grateful for the support and encouragement which I received from my children Tafadzwa and Fadzai as well as my niece, Leosa, and my nephew, Tonderai, during the research process was invaluable. My thanks also go to the following: Rev. Dr. S. Zwana, Rev. B. Mugwidi and Mrs K. Muwanzi for proof reading and editing the final copy of this study meticulously. I am indebted to my promoter, Professor G. Duncan, whose feedback challenged my analysis of issues at stake and re-directed my reflection and presentation in this study. He coaxed me to progress with the research when I felt discouraged. He was both a mentor and model for me. ii My thanks also go to Rev. A. Ndlumbi, the Administrator of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, for giving me access to the church archives. I thank the archivists at the National Archives of Zimbabwe who assisted me to find the sources I needed for this study. I thank the interviewees whose responses provided the researcher with his contemporary understanding of Wesleyan Methodists' political activities during Zimbabwe's colonial era. Finally, I want to thank God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for providing inspiration, understanding, strength and protection during the study. iii Declaration I declare that a dissertation on, Methodism and public life in Zimbabwe: an analysis of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe's impact on politics from 1891 to 1980, is my own work and that all sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Signed ...................................................... Date............................................ SIMON MADHIBA iv Abstract This study is a historical analytical investigation and theological interpretation of Wesleyan Methodists' political teaching and practice in Zimbabwe from 1891 to 1980. In an attempt to come up with an informed interpretation of the political teaching and activities, the study traced Wesleyan Methodist political praxis John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and interpreted his teaching and practice from a third world perspective. That perspective was used as a basis for evaluating the contextualisation of his teaching by Wesleyan Methodists in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean Wesleyan Methodists' political teaching and practice during the colonial era were explored using four themes: politics of land, race relationships, Federation and war. Two hypothetical statements were tested in this study: Wesleyan Methodism outlines a framework for constructive participation in politics, and the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe provided and supported positions of political leadership in Zimbabwe. The objectives of this study are to: unveil successes and failures of Wesleyan Methodists in Zimbabwean political arena, expose the historical significance of Wesleyan Methodist influence in politics for Zimbabwean history and present a v historical account of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. The methodology preferred in this study included oral history and a combination of the ecumenical and southern approaches to Church history. The study utilised archival and oral data as primary sources, the translation model of contextual theology, holistic framework for analysing history, the principle of the overriding right and the conflict transformation model as part of the methodology. Through the use of the translation model of contextual theology, the study revealed how John Wesley used principles from the Christian message and Church tradition in addressing his political context. The study exposed that John Wesley was obsessed with accountability to God and constituency, respect for every person, respect for political structures as well as authorities and relationships among people as fundamental pillars in political activities. He based these on his understanding of God's free grace, people's liberty to accept or reject that grace and the validity of popular religious expression. The study revealed that Wesleyan Methodists in Zimbabwe had a special relationship with the colonial government due to an invitation by Cecil John Rhodes for the church to participate in the Pioneer Column. The relationship determined howretrogressive or progressive ministers responded to government vi requirements and made demands on government until the country's independence in 1980. The study also exposed how retrogressive Wesleyan Methodists moved from acceptance and collaboration to acceptance and selective rejection of colonial policies and how both retrogressive and progressive ministers employed the concept of non-contestation of participation in armed conflict and throwing one’s lot on the expected side. It also showed how progressive ministers contributed to the political emancipation of Africans and the role played by the mission-educated elite in Zimbabwe. The study ended with pointing out that Zimbabwean Wesleyan Methodist political teaching and practice had very bright future prospects at the independence of the country in 1980. vii Key terms There are key terms used in this study. These are: − ecumenical historical approach − discriminative legislation − Wesley's teaching on politics − political order − politics of land − race relationships − mission-educated elite − Translation model − Conflict transformation − Federation viii Table of Contents Dedication ........................................................................................................i Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................ii Declaration .......................................................................................................iv Abstract ............................................................................................................v Key terms ..........................................................................................................viii Table of contents.................................................................................................ix List of tables Table 1 Supra-cultural nature of the Christian message....................................70 Table 2 Translation model .................................................................................72 Table 3 Perceptions on the land .......................................................................196 Table 4 African ministers’ views on racism ......................................................197 Table 5 Views on the formation of the Federation ............................................198 Table 6 Views on the war of liberation .............................................................200 Table 7 Interviewees’ influence from John Wesley’s teaching ........................201 Table 8 Voices of African ministers’ widows on their husbands’ political activities............................................................................................................202 Table 9 Conflict transformation model ............................................................237 ix Table 10 Approaches to conflict .......................................................................239 Chapter One Introduction 1.1 Setting the stage .........................................................................................1 1.2 Motivation ..................................................................................................6 1.3 Goal of the study ........................................................................................7 1.4 Literature review ........................................................................................8 1.5 The gap .....................................................................................................10 1.6 Study design .............................................................................................11 1.6.1 Missionary approach .............................................................................13