By Ephraim Nyondo, contributor:
In his new book, Reverend Nick Chakwera, son to President Lazarus Chakwera, has asked theological institutions in the country to incorporate political science in their curriculums and also encourage clerics to study law.
Writing in his 365-page book, titled Religion and Politics: Why Christians Must Participate in Politics, Rev Nick and colleague Fatsani Kwenda argue that clerics must have a depth of knowledge, theology and philosophy when they approach issues to do with community or national governance.
“Besides core theology courses, pastors/clergy are also trained in psychology, accounting, grammar, philosophy, business, basic science and mathematics etc,” they write.
- Advertisement -
They add that all Christians must engage politically at least on one of the levels such as priestly, prophetic or kingly adding that if this be true, then learning about politics systematically would seem to be a necessity not optional for pastors and Christian leaders.
- Advertisement -
Rev Nick and Kwenda further proposes that theological schools or churches should identify and/or encourage members of their clergy to study law and be qualified lawyers even as they pastor.
“A lot of the politics that affect religion is in the area of law. Religious freedom did not come easy in the world but can easily be eroded within a generation. As we speak, many countries that presumably champion freedom have already curtailed religious freedom in numerous ways,” they write.
They add that if religious leaders are qualified lawyers, they may not need to pay hefty amounts or look for pro bono lawyers to help in the various legal fights that are surely coming ahead and are already here.
Generally, the book argues passionately, using historical and biblical, that religion and politics are inseparable, adding the only reason people feel they are inseparable is because the two have been wrongly defined and used.
- Advertisement -
“Since politics and society cannot avoid morality/ethics, and since morality is in the domain of religion, then religion and politics can never be separated.
The ethical concerns of politics, namely justice and the common good, are also the concerns of any religion worth its salt. We cannot imagine how some arrived at the conclusion that religion and politics are separable,” they argue.
