25 BiAS - Bible in Africa Studies Exploring Religion in Africa 4 Ezra Chitando, Masiiwa Ragies Gunda & Lovemore Togarasei (Eds.) RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA 25 Bible in Africa Studies Études sur la Bible en Afrique Bibel-in-Afrika-Studien Exploring Religion in Africa 4 Bible in Africa Studies Études sur la Bible en Afrique Bibel-in-Afrika-Studien Volume 25 edited by Joachim Kügler, Lovemore Togarasei, Masiiwa R. Gunda In cooperation with Ezra Chitando and Nisbert Taringa (†) Exploring Religion in Africa 4 2020 Religion and Development in Africa edited by Ezra Chitando, Masiiwa Ragies Gunda & Lovemore Togarasei In cooperation with Joachim Kügler 2020 Bibliographische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deut- schen Nationalbibliographie; detaillierte bibliographische Informationen sind im Internet über http://dnb.d-nb.de abrufbar. Gedruckt mit Unterstützung von Dieses Werk ist als freie Onlineversion über das Forschungsinformationssys- tem (FIS; https://fs.uni-bamberg.de) der Universität Bamberg erreichbar. Das Werk – ausgenommen Cover und Zitate – steht unter der CC-Lizenz CCBY. Lizenzvertrag: Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Herstellung und Druck: docupoint Magdeburg Umschlaggestaltung: University of Bamberg Press Umschlaggraphik und Deco-Graphiken: © Joachim Kügler Text-Formatierung: lrene Loch, Joachim Kügler © University of Bamberg Press, Bamberg 2020 http://www.uni-bamberg.de/ubp ISSN: 2190-4944 ISBN: 978-3-86309-735-6 (Druckausgabe) eISBN: 978-3-86309-736-3 (Online-Ausgabe) URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:473-irb-477591 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20378/irb-47759 DEDICATION In Memory of Our Founding ERA Co-editor And Beloved Colleague NISBERT T. TARINGA † 11th May1964 – 10th January 2020 He left us much too early! ⊣ R. I. P. ⊢ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This volume emerged out of the three editors’ engagement with develop- ment in Africa on both academic and practical fronts. Ezra Chitando is particularly grateful to colleagues within the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV & AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy (EHAIA) for ongoing reflections on religion and development. The editors acknowledge the commitment of the contributors who perse- vered to see the project to its logical conclusion. We are grateful to Prof. Dr. Joachim Kügler for providing a conducive en- vironment and platform at the University of Bamberg for debating the role the Bible and religion play in Africa. Support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enabled the edi- tors to work on the project during research stays in Germany and is hereby saluted. We dedicate this volume to the memory of our late colleague Prof Dr Nis- bert Taringa, a founding co-editor and important author of the BiAS series including the subseries ERA. With his volume Towards an African-Chris- tian Environmental Ethic (BiAS 13), he was a pioneer to bring the topic of religion, ecology and development into our series. We will always be grate- ful for his support and all his creative contributions! TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: Religion and Development in Africa .......................................... 13 Ezra Chitando, Masiiwa R. Gunda & Lovemore Togarasei Rethinking Development in Africa and the Role of Religion .......................... 37 Masiiwa Ragies Gunda Religion and Development in Africa – A Critical Analysis .............................. 59 Chammah J. Kaunda & Sokfa France John Religion and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa .......................................... 75 Tarisayi Andrea Chimuka Gender in Religion and Development Research.............................................. 89 Loreen Maseno Youth, Religion, and Development in Africa ................................................. 103 Susan Mbula Kilonzo Sacralization of the Humanitarian Space: Faith Based Organizations, Mission-Aid and Development in Africa ........................................... 125 Hassan J. Ndzovu Africa’s Muslim Non-Governmental Organizations: Competitive Charities, Altruistic Allies? ............................................. 139 Muhammed Haron Religion’s Contribution to Development: The Case of African Hindus in Ghana ................................................................................................. 165 Abamfo Ofori Atiemo Sowing the Seeds of Dhamma – Buddhism and Development in Africa 185 Elizabeth Pulane Motswapong Religion and Economic Justice: Jewish Migrants and the Making of Zambia ................................................................................. 203 Lilian C. Siwila, Nelly Mwale, Chita Joseph Chita Navigating Imbusa in Public Spheres: Bemba Married Women, Work and Agency .................................................................................. 223 Mutale Mulenga Kaunda 9 BiAS 25| ERA 4 | RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA | UBP 2020 The Interplay Between Religion and Development in Ghana ..................... 243 Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye Religion and Development in Uganda ........................................................... 259 Andrew David Omona & Uzziah Maate Kiriaghe Religion and Civic Participation in Post-Colonial Kenya .............................. 281 Julius Gathogo Religion and Development in Swaziland ....................................................... 305 Sonene Nyawo Church-State Relations and the Political-Economy of Land and Development in Rhodesia ................................................................... 319 Petronella Munhenzva Sustainable Peace and Development: Peace Building by the Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum ............ 335 Lindiwe Princess Maseko The Seventh-day Adventist Church and Development in Northern Zimbabwe ......................................................................... 353 Blessing Nyahuma Implications of the Wisdom Stored in Shona Oral Literature for Sustainable Economic Development in Zimbabwe ........................ 373 Beatrice Taringa The Potential of Ubuntu Values for a Sustainable Ethic of the Environment and Development ............... 387 Nisbert T. Taringa (†) The Bible as a Resource for Development in Africa: Ten Considerations for Liberating Readings ..................................... 401 Ezra Chitando “Liberating the Word” – One African Feminist Reading of Matt 23 .......... 419 Musa W. Dube Resurrection as ‘Corrective’ Creation ............................................................. 445 Lovemore Togarasei & Sidney K. Berman 10 Biblical Texts, Ecology, and Sustainable Development ............................... 455 Francis Machingura & Ishanesu Gusha The Bible, Sexuality Challenges and the Development Agenda ................ 473 Canisius Mwandayi Notes on Authors and Editors ......................................................................... 491 The BiAS book series at University of Bamberg Press ................................. 499 11 Introduction: Religion and Development in Africa Ezra Chitando, Masiiwa R. Gunda & Lovemore Togarasei Development? What is development? Who defines it? On top of which mountain can anyone stand and proclaim one community/country “developed”, while characterising another community/country as “un/under-developed”? What, if any, is the relationship between religion and development in Af- rica? Does religion contribute to development or underdevelopment in Africa? These and related questions elicit quite charged reactions in Afri- can studies, development studies, political science and related fields. Af- rica’s own history, including the memory of marginalisation, slavery and exploitation by global powers ensures that virtually every discussion on development is characterised by a lot of emotions and conflicting views. This is because the majority of the citizens of Africa continue to struggle to access the basics in life. The inspirational stories of Africa’s billionaires (Bishop 2017) do not si- lence the groans of pain and exclusion by the majority of its citizens. How- ever, the debates do not end at the definitional stage. They continue in relation to the causes and proposed ways forward. If, for example, it is conceded that Africa is not yet at the stage of development that the conti- nent would want to be at, how do we account for this reality? Put bluntly, who or what is responsible for Africa’s current position in relation to de- velopment? Is this down to a single factor, or must we explore multiple reasons for Africa’s current status? What must Africa do in order to place itself on a more positive growth trajectory? What is the role, if any, of ex- ternal players in Africa’s ongoing quest for self-improvement in the dif- ferent areas of life, including the economic, social, political, spiritual and others? In particular, what is the place of religion in such a scheme? Is religion a help or a hindrance to development (Mtata 2013) in Africa? If we understand holistic community development to be the “betterment of people groups in all areas of life” (Mbogo 2015: 159), what is the role of religion in this quest? We bring out the turn to religion here because there is a growing consensus that religion (and the values it brings), is critical to the search for sustainable development. Thus: 13 BiAS 25| ERA 4 | RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA | UBP 2020 The world’s religious traditions, despite their profound differences, all coa- lesce around a multi-religious vision of “shared well-being.” Such a vision puts the dignity of the human being at the center of the common good. Such a vision