Leadership challenges to the Episcopacy in the Anglican Diocese of Harare in Post-Independent Zimbabwe : a pastoral theological perspective (1980-2013)

Abstract

Leadership is never understood or interpreted in a vacuum but is always situated in a context. The specific context of this study is post-independent Zimbabwe. Thus the context calls for democracy, transparency and local community participation. Yet it is also the context of many post-independent African countries who have opted for democracy in theory, but the leadership style is very authoritarian. Authoritarian leadership has a long tradition within the church and specifically in the Anglican Church, Diocese of Harare, where bishops were often seen as kings or very close to kings and yet there are also alternative views on leadership within the Christian tradition that emphasises servant leadership. Colonial leadership appears to have had a great impact in Africa, and some governments have adopted such leadership styles as autocratic, authoritarian, and dictatorial. Self-centred leadership, however, has a great chance of being a source for lawlessness and corruption. Leaders are vested with power and authority, and if such trust with power is abused, the majority of ordinary people suffer. It seems that the leadership pattern in the church is parallel to that of national governance, or rather, church leadership is influenced by an African king leadership model. The leadership challenges noted in this research are mainly about 1) race, 2) land and 3) power. The bible gives examples of normative ways of leadership, which elicit responsibility, accountability and giving value to other people. Christ's life of service to others demands that one regards oneself less while considering the other person's needs first. The Christian calling is that of sacrificial love expressed through serving others even when it means going through persecution for that. The question that this study will seek to grapple with is how to think about leadership in the Anglican Diocese of Harare taking all these aspects of the context into consideration and seeking a preferred leadership style for the office of the bishop. The researcher suggests servant leadership as the alternate model to be implemented by the church. As a long-term solution, the researcher suggests that the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe revisit its priestly formation programme and leaders from all levels in the church to emphasise a consolidated leadership focus.