Muchumayeli Bhebhe — новинки

Some African people converting to Christianity continue to supplement, substitute or dilute rituals, beliefs and practices of this religion with some from various other religions in the area. What puzzles the most is that those caught up in this habit are sometimes very much aware of how their Christian denominations deplore and classify the behavior as ‘religious harlotry’. A majority of the Evangelical Christian traditions condemn any form of mixing up of Christianity with other faiths. This book therefore explores the culture of multiple religiosity common in most parts of Africa by focusing on Zimbabwe, thereby proposing some solutions. Out of the many possible causes of multiple religious allegiances, this book focuses on the most recurrent ones as demonstrated by the field research. The phenomenon of fear; the conversion enterprise; the attitude of the messengers including the structure of the message; are some among the chief causes uncovered. However, as part of the solution; theologians, missionaries, religious leaders and some other interested parties are encouraged to work towards coining a contextually relevant and credible theology, suitable for a modern day Africa.

This work predominantly seeks to establish and demonstrate the fundamental causes of a continued vitality and resilience of ATRs in the life of a contemporary African who resides in the Zimbabwean cities. This endeavor seeks to find out why ATRs continue to exist in the face of onslaught from Christianity and other religions. Surprisingly ATRs are resilient and they persevere even if history has it that they have been undermined and demonized in their encounter with both the missionary religions and the western culture. Indeed ATRs have been constantly attacked and ‘knocked down’ but they are not necessarily being ‘knocked out’ as evidenced by the everyday life of most African people. All things considered, this endeavor seeks to explore that which sustains the beliefs and practices of these ATRs. The study is also going to be helpful to biblical scholars, theologians and traditionalists interested in ATRs’ encounter with other religions and their resilient survival.