The Upsurge of Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe in Relation to Malinkowski’s Contention the Religion Functions in Conjunction with Practicality.
The upsurge of Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe in relation to Malinkowski’s contention the Religion functions in conjunction with practicality.
In the past decade, Zimbabwe has seen a rapid growth in the number of Pentecostal churches mushrooming all over the country. Some of the Pentecostal movements have recorded a very rapid church growth with others having the largest congregations in the country.
This essay will discuss the increase of Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe taking into account Malinowski’s view that Religion functions in conjunction with practicality. Pentecostalism is defined as a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus and is an experiential religion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pententecostalism ).
Malinowski was an Anthropologist who studied the Trobriand Island. He observed that when fisher men who lived on the inner lagoon, where fishing was less dangerous, tended to follow different rituals from those who lived on the outer lagoons or the open sea. In the rituals of the latter, the desire to appropriate the forces of the unknown waters was far more prominent than among those who lived on the safe lagoons (Pearson, 1974).
According to Malinowski, the practices by the Islanders empowered them to do what needed to be done in a situation where events were beyond their material control. Thus they maintained the psychological well being of tribal members and allowed members to better participate in the necessary social and economic function of the community (www.nndb.com).
Since the year 2000, Zimbabwe went through a very difficult economic crisis. This saw Zimbabwe scoring the highest inflation rate ever to be recorded in any country. During this time, many Zimbabweans lived on shoe string budgets and others in extreme poverty. Many lost their jobs whilst others ended up relocating back to their
In the past decade, Zimbabwe has seen a rapid growth in the number of Pentecostal churches mushrooming all over the country. Some of the Pentecostal movements have recorded a very rapid church growth with others having the largest congregations in the country.
This essay will discuss the increase of Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe taking into account Malinowski’s view that Religion functions in conjunction with practicality. Pentecostalism is defined as a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus and is an experiential religion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pententecostalism ).
Malinowski was an Anthropologist who studied the Trobriand Island. He observed that when fisher men who lived on the inner lagoon, where fishing was less dangerous, tended to follow different rituals from those who lived on the outer lagoons or the open sea. In the rituals of the latter, the desire to appropriate the forces of the unknown waters was far more prominent than among those who lived on the safe lagoons (Pearson, 1974).
According to Malinowski, the practices by the Islanders empowered them to do what needed to be done in a situation where events were beyond their material control. Thus they maintained the psychological well being of tribal members and allowed members to better participate in the necessary social and economic function of the community (www.nndb.com).
Since the year 2000, Zimbabwe went through a very difficult economic crisis. This saw Zimbabwe scoring the highest inflation rate ever to be recorded in any country. During this time, many Zimbabweans lived on shoe string budgets and others in extreme poverty. Many lost their jobs whilst others ended up relocating back to their