B
y A Correspondent
The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) joined other member bodies of the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa (FOCCISA) at its General Assembly held in Gaborone last week, where faith leaders reflected on the evolving role of religious leadership in the region.
During the gathering, Professor Billy Gama from the Malawi Council of Churches delivered a thought-provoking presentation titled “The Role of Religious Leaders in Southern Africa Today.” He identified four key sources of authority that guide faith leaders — Sola Scriptura or the Qur’an as a God-given mandate, the Holy Spirit as a source of courage and empowerment, the community of faith as a moral compass, and public trust through leadership roles attained by election or appointment.
Reflecting on Prof. Gama’s message, Zimbabwe Council of Churches General Secretary, Reverend Wilfred Dimingu, reminded delegates that effective leadership must emerge from lived realities rather than abstract theory. “Leaders are sharpened by and should learn from the context, not just from books,” he said, invoking the prophetic witness of Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a model of socially engaged spirituality.
Participants later broke into discussion groups to deliberate on how FOCCISA can strengthen its prophetic voice and foster transformative leadership amid the complex political, social, and economic challenges facing Southern Africa today.
The assembly forms part of FOCCISA’s ongoing “Conversations of Hope” initiative, aimed at equipping church leaders to respond to the moral and governance issues confronting the region.
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