Investing in the future generation

Abstract

In the past few years there has been an explosion of Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe, and in Africa more broadly. While many scholars had predicted the demise of religiosity with the emergence of secular development, empirical evidence in many African countries points to the contrary. Instead, new Pentecostal Churches have become important players in the public sphere and the development landscapes of many countries. A remarkable feature of new Pentecostal Charismatic Churches (PCCs) is their youthful congregants. Drawing on ethnographic research done among new PCCs in Harare, this article explores how new PCCs in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, try to (re)configure young people’s futures through various activities that specifically target young people. Indeed, many scholars have begun to frame Pentecostal Churches as drivers of development in many African countries due to their development activities in the communities they operate in. This chapter argues that by investing in the future generation, new PCCs are actively contributing to sustainable development. Apart from their various development practices, I also focus on the economic teachings of these churches and how they (re)configure development thinking and discourse.

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