Beyond Phenomenology: Teaching African Traditional Religions in a Zimbabwean University

Abstract

The crusade by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe witnessed in I999 during the Constitutional Commission's outreach programme was designed to have Christianity declared the official religion of Zimbabwe. This has the danger of claiming all the religious space for Christianity. This article examines the implications for the teaching ofAfi-ican Traditional Religions (A TRs) in the University of Zimbabwe. It is argued that the preponderance of Christianity and the emergence of church-related universities pose as potential threats to the viability of ATRs as an area of academic enquiry. If ATRs are to retain their status as an important component of human religious history, there is need for a proactive approach. The article argues that although the phenomenological 'method has been popular in the study of ATRs, it may not be adequate. If the marginalisation of ATRs is to be overcome, there is need for more radical pedagogical techniques in religious studies.