PRIVATIZATION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AND ITS EFFECT ON THE CHURCH’S ENGAGEMENT IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ZAMBIA: The Case of the United Church of Zambia.

Abstract

This study investigates privatization of the Christian religion in Zambia and its effect on the Church’s engagement in socio-economic development. Using the United Church of Zambia as the case study. Anchored in modernization theory, the research explores shifts in the church’s mission amid increasing individualization of religious life, the influence of Western ideologies, and the relegation of religion to predominantly private practice. The study covers the period from Zambia’s 1991 Declaration as a Christian Nation up to 2022, analysing changes in the UCZ's approaches to healthcare, education, and other developmental roles. Data were gathered qualitatively from a purposively selected group of 170 participants, including bishops, ministers, church elders, development conveners, and district council officers across all ten provinces of Zambia. The findings reveal that, despite Zambia’s legal and cultural environment that supports public religious expression, the church’s commitment to socio-economic outreach has faced challenges due to the privatization and commercialization of religion, individualistic attitudes, and societal transformations driven by neoliberal capitalism. This has contributed to a decline in communal support for mission initiatives and a growing focus on private spirituality and personal fulfilment. The study provides a nuanced understanding of the complexities and paradoxes facing the UCZ’s involvement in development, highlighting both the challenges and the strategies the church employs to remain relevant. The results offer experiential and policy-relevant insights for faith-based organizations and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of holistic, community-oriented responses to religious and socio-economic change in Zambia.