Problems and Prospects of Developing Covenantal Pluralism in Zambia, a “Christian Nation”

Abstract

This paper explores the possibility of covenantal pluralism in Zambia: Is it possible to develop a new approach for living together in a country with both religious and ethnic differences? Theoretically, it seems likely that Zambian citizens would likely benefit from expanding covenantal pluralism. However, while the paper discovers empirical evidence of popular support for key conditions and propositions of covenantal pluralism, progress seems slow. The paper uncovers little evidence that Zambia’s government diligently pursues covenantal pluralism, arguably because it might undermine a key source of governmental legitimacy—Zambia as a “Christian nation.”

Keywords:

• covenantal pluralism
• Christianity
• Christian nation
• Zambia
• humanism
• intra-faith
• inter-faith

Notes

1 Chan (2021) explains that Kaunda’s Humanism was “a homespun but extensively elaborated social philosophy of inclusiveness” largely comprising “Christian social democracy” with a “core principle of human equality within a constantly propagated national unity”. https://africanarguments.org/2021/06/kenneth-kaunda-the-philosopher-king-who-fell-with-dignity/

2 Although not a formal religious denomination, most people adhering to the Charismatic tradition belong to the broader stream of Pentecostalism. They place an emphasis on the holy spirit and the gifts bestowed by it, such as the healing power of physical touch and speaking in tongues.

3 Reinhard Bonnke (1940–2019) was a German-American Pentecostal evangelist, principally known for his gospel missions throughout Africa, which began in the late 1960s.

4 https://www.zamstats.gov.zm/.

5 Zambia’s 1996 constitution is at https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/26620/90492/F735047973/ZMB26620.pdf Accessed 23 June 2023.

6 1996 Constitution of Zambia: https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/26620/90492/F735047973/ZMB26620.pdf.

7 Only Botswana with six percent had a lower score than that of Zambia.

8 The Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia website is at https://iscz.webs.com/.

9 Zambia has more than 70 recognized ethnic groups.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jeffrey Haynes

Jeffrey Haynes is emeritus professor of politics at London Metropolitan University. He is the author or editor of over 60 books, including Revolution and Democracy in Ghana: The Politics of Jerry John Rawlings (Routledge, 2023) and Trump and the Politics of Neo-Nationalism: The Christian Right and Secular Nationalism in America (Routledge, 2021). He is co-editor-in-chief of Democratization, associate editor for religion at Heliyon, and editor of the Routledge book series, “Religion and Politics.”