‘Reconfiguration and adaptation of a church in times of Covid-19 pandemic: A focus on selected churches in Harare and Marondera, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The explosion of COVID-19 pandemic on the global scene has redefined human interaction in a manner that is unprecedented. Religious practices have also been challenged globally as the new norm of social distancing and lockdown become the new normal strictly enforced by state apparatus. Freedom of association that underpins the hallmark of worshipping has thus been put to a halt. Churches then have to negotiate and create a new norm under such unchartered territories. This paper raises the key question around the new forms of exclusivity that is being brought by the pandemic in the operations of the church and how the church is attempting to deal with this. Using mostly virtual interviews with different representatives of selected churches in Harare and Marondera, the researchers investigated how the churches are adapting to the new social order. The paper demonstrated how COVID-19 lockdown has affected the operations of churches in Zimbabwe. Key policy pronunciations of social distancing and staying at home had direct and indirect implications on church members as well the administration of the church. Though the paper showed that adoption of digital platforms to communicate emerged as the most obvious option, there are some challenges that were highlighted. The paper also concludes that the church regrets the way it was “side-lined” in the promulgation of the policy position on Covid-19. There was a strong sentiment that the state could have engaged the church more as they also had the capacity to provide solutions to the problem.