Forward (N) ever! Backward march! Towards an Afro-centric Biblical philosophy of reconciliation in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This article is an attempt to formulate an African Biblical theologicalmodel of reconciliation in Zimbabwe. The history of Zimbabwe testifiesthat political violence has become endemic. It is this backgroundthat informed recent calls for national healing, reconciliation andintegration. However, the biggest challenge to this endeavour is themodel of reconciliation that should be adopted to bring about nationalhealing and integration. This article contends that, without consideringthe African past; that is, the traditional Shona and Ndebele conceptionsof justice, any attempt at reconciliation is doomed to fail. The articleis premised upon the hypothesis that in order to move forward we needto look back. In other words, Zimbabweans will never move forwardunless they reflect on and engage with their past. “Going back in orderto move forward is consistent with African teachings of life” (Muhwati,2010: 151-163). This observation lays the background for an Afrocentricscheme of reconciliation, hence the proposal that the ZacchaeusEpisode Model (Luke 19: 8), which resonates with the Traditional Shonaand Ndebele philosophy of reconciliation, be adopted in the quest fornational healing in Zimbabwe.