ZOU Host a 3-day Church History Society of Southern Africa Conference
The 3-day Church History Society of Southern Africa (CHSSA) Conference is underway at the Great Zimbabwe University, Law School, Masvingo from 15 – 17 August 2024. The Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is co-hosting the conference in collaboration with the Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) and the University of Zimbabwe (UZ). The conference is running under the theme “Story telling in the history of Christian Churches in Southern Africa”.
Great Zimbabwe University Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Bernard Chazovachiyi welcomes delegates
Welcoming delegates to the Conference, the Great Zimbabwe University Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Bernard Chazovachiyi, implored the gathering to delve into the diverse narratives that have influenced the faith, culture and identity in Southern Africa. He further impressed upon delegates to engage in enriching discussions and debates, celebrating the diversity and richness of our faith heritage, viz-a-viz Education 5.0 heritage-based philosophy which calls to produce goods and services for the nation.
Professor Francois Muller (North-West University) opens the CHSSA conference in Masvingo.
Opening the conference on behalf of the President of the Church History Society of Southern Africa Professor Victor Molobi (University of South Africa); Professor Francois Muller (North-West University) thanked the hosts for their hospitality which he equated to a virtue of Christianity. He gave a brief of the conference quoting Mathew 13, the parable of the Sower. He quoted specifically verses 51 – 52 where he unpacked the purpose of the conference was to unravel the ‘treasure’ of the history of Chistian churches in Southern Africa so that people can understand the old and the new through story telling.
The CHSSA was founded in 1971, with the dedication to study Church History in the southern African region. It began as an interest group of the Southern African Missiological Society, but has eventually evolved into an independent organisation, with the vital role of supporting research and scholarship in Church History, and thus allow academics, students and researchers to interact and publish in this field.
The CHSSA recruited scholars from universities in southern Africa including the then University of Rhodesia, but the society had never been hosted in Zimbabwe. This is the first time that the conference is being hosted outside South Africa! Thanks to the long-term CHSSA membership of Prof. Paul H Gundani, Vice Chancellor of the Zimbabwe Open University, who was honoured to host this year’s conference in the ancient resort town of Masvingo.
Delegates follow proceedings during the conference.
The opening ceremony was followed by two sessions where Session 1 had three papers focusing on Mission history and storytelling in Southern Africa and was chaired by Professor Philippe Denis (University of KwaZulu -Natal) while Session 2 focused on life stories as a source for church history and chaired by ZOU Vice Chancellor Professor Paul H. Gundani.
ZOU Vice Chancellor Professor Paul H. Gundani chairing sesion 1 of the conference proceedings
Day 2 covered sessions three and four in parallel sessions A & B. Session three addressed issues regarding recovering the history of trauma in Zimbabwe, while session four A covered stories of faith in South Africa and session four B addressed issues of Culture, politics and religion in Southern Africa.
The delegates were treated to an expedition to the Great Zimbabwe. The trip was successful as delegates were treated to the heritage-based knowledge of the great Mutapa State to the present Zimbabwe. The annual general meeting was held at the Urban Lifestyles Hotel followed by a conference dinner.
Day 3 had one session, i.e. Session five. It unpacked the church narratives in Southern Africa with four presenters dissecting the issues involved followed by discussions. There were 3 presenters in this session which was closed by a conclusion from Professor Victor Molobi from UNISA.