Christening a nation: A critical theological investigation of declaring Zambia a Christian nation

Abstract

Christening a nation: A critical theological investigation of declaring Zambia a Christian nation is a study contributing to the ongoing discussion concerning the theological implications surrounding the declaration of Zambia a Christian Nation, and how the Church in Zambia should respond to the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation? The study is shaped after Osmer’s (2008, 199—217) four tasks of practical theology namely: (i) the descriptive task (what is going on?), whose main objective was to have an all-inclusive consultation to understand the factors that influenced the declaration of Zambia a Christian nation, (ii) the interpretive task (why is it going on?), which helped to historically understand what related literature teaches about christening a nation, (iii) the normative task (what ought to be going on?), which discussed what the Bible and theologians teach, vis–à–vis christening a nation, and (iv) the pragmatic task (how might we respond?), which discussed some critical theological implications of declaring Zambia a Christian nation, and further offered a pragmatic response of the Church in Zambia. In this regard, the study used a qualitative explorative–descriptive approach. Christening Zambia and the subsequent declaration of Zambia a Christian nation aroused discussions among stakeholders like the religious mother bodies, government and other interested parties to understand its objective. Therefore, the declaration of Zambia a Christian nation presents some good prospects to the Church in Zambia of fulfilling the great commission of Jesus Christ, while at the same time it is a challenge when its biblical and theological basis is not properly considered.Christening a nation: A critical theological investigation of declaring Zambia a Christian nation is a study contributing to the ongoing discussion concerning the theological implications surrounding the declaration of Zambia a Christian Nation, and how the Church in Zambia should respond to the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation? The study is shaped after Osmer’s (2008, 199—217) four tasks of practical theology namely: (i) the descriptive task (what is going on?), whose main objective was to have an all-inclusive consultation to understand the factors that influenced the declaration of Zambia a Christian nation, (ii) the interpretive task (why is it going on?), which helped to historically understand what related literature teaches about christening a nation, (iii) the normative task (what ought to be going on?), which discussed what the Bible and theologians teach, vis–à–vis christening a nation, and (iv) the pragmatic task (how might we respond?), which discussed some critical theological implications of declaring Zambia a Christian nation, and further offered a pragmatic response of the Church in Zambia. In this regard, the study used a qualitative explorative–descriptive approach. Christening Zambia and the subsequent declaration of Zambia a Christian nation aroused discussions among stakeholders like the religious mother bodies, government and other interested parties to understand its objective. Therefore, the declaration of Zambia a Christian nation presents some good prospects to the Church in Zambia of fulfilling the great commission of Jesus Christ, while at the same time it is a challenge when its biblical and theological basis is not properly considered.