The Prophetic of The Church in Politics in Malawi from 1950 To 2014. A Case of Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (C.C.A.P) Nkhoma Synod

The Prophetic of The Church in Politics in Malawi from 1950 To 2014. A Case of Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (C.C.A.P) Nkhoma Synod

Master of Theology (Church History)

The main aim of this research paper was to answer some questions which some politicians and Christians may ask pertaining to the involvement of the church in politics. These questions came in full swing into the people's cognizance when the Dutch Reformed Church missionaries and Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda were tantalizing the Malawian clergy that they should not meddle in high level politics. Both the colonial and independent government were referring to it as not biblical. The researcher had proved it to be not true since the Bible indicated how the prophets were involving themselves in politics. These prophets were fully involved in welfare of the people socially, religiously and politically. The researcher has also explained that both the church and the politics are ordained by God and therefore the church is obliged to involve itself in politics. The politicians too should also be allowed to play their roles in the church but with care otherwise it can bring catastrophe in the church.

The question of involvement of the church in politics was magnified during the reign of Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda who repeatedly saying that the church should not be involved in politics. Kamuzu Banda and his cabinet ministers went on saying that if there was any clergy wanted to meddle in politics, was asked to quit holy ministry and join the politics. In both cases, the members of the church were divided into two. Some were against the idea of meddling in politics basing that politics is the dirty game. While the other group was in a position of allowing the church to meddle in politics as they referred it to Jesus Christ as the political leader. The latter group believed that Jesus Christ came into the world to liberate the oppressed and marginalized as he was a freedom fighter for the vulnerable,(Luke 4:18-19).

The researcher therefore urged C.C.A.P Nkhoma Synod to be involved in politics so as to let the voice of the voiceless be heard in a society. In this case the church should act as the salt of the world regardless of the threats which the regime could made to the Christians who wanted to meddle in politics. In this case, the church was asked not to choose to remain silent on political issues whenever local citizens were marginalized by the politicians.

Wellos B. S. Chapota

Submitted to Justo Mwale University

2018

Supervisor: Dr. Victor Chilenje

All Right Reserved. Justo Mwale University

Physical Medium

English

Church Polity
Church History