@article{10.11648/j.history.20210902.14,
  author = {Robert Matikiti},
  title = {Confessing Jesus Christ in Cultural Context: The One-Sided Politics of COVID-19 Vaccination in Zimbabwe},
  journal = {History Research},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {127-135},
  doi = {10.11648/j.history.20210902.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.history.20210902.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.history.20210902.14},
  abstract = {This article argues that confession of Jesus Christ in relation to COVID-19 vaccines is shaped in important ways by the existential cultural contexts of traditional medicines in Zimbabwe. In Africa health is grounded in and informed by religious and cultural practices that emerge from the values and beliefs held by particular communities or groups of people. The COVID-19 vaccine roll out towards herd immunity must be understood in particular historical and cultural context of the community of faith. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy remains prevalent in Zimbabwe. Vaccination cannot succeed without taking seriously the social and cultural contexts of Christology. The presence of coronavirus in the midst of the community of faith is an assault on human dignity. It requires a clear Christological response in order to make Christianity meaningful and relevant to society. With mountains of unknowns about COVID-19 that even the epidemiologists and virologists are accepting, many Christians in the country are suffering from a religious civil war in the mind - the troubling conflict between Christian beliefs mediated by western cultural values or African traditional values. Christians are toying between sticking to their Western medical standards or stick to their trusted traditional medical practices. These conflicts do not only exist at a very theoretical level; they mean a constant series of practical coronavirus choices. The coronavirus pandemic brings with it serious theological issues for the Christian community of faith. If a Christian is sick as a result of coronavirus, should he/she go to the hospital, a traditional herbalist, or both? Should a Christian rely on traditional medicines or foreign medicines though there is vaccine politics between the West and East superpowers? The spread of coronavirus has been astoundingly rapid, complex and relentlessly killing people worldwide. In Zimbabwe, after managing the virus relatively well in its early stages, the second wave of new cases grew exponentially towards the end of July 2020. I maintain that the rejection of foreign vaccines went hand in hand with the trend to harness local resources to solve local problems and further Christ’s kingdom.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Confessing Jesus Christ in Cultural Context: The One-Sided Politics of COVID-19 Vaccination in Zimbabwe
AU  - Robert Matikiti
Y1  - 2021/11/23
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.history.20210902.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.history.20210902.14
T2  - History Research
JF  - History Research
JO  - History Research
SP  - 127
EP  - 135
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2376-6719
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.history.20210902.14
AB  - This article argues that confession of Jesus Christ in relation to COVID-19 vaccines is shaped in important ways by the existential cultural contexts of traditional medicines in Zimbabwe. In Africa health is grounded in and informed by religious and cultural practices that emerge from the values and beliefs held by particular communities or groups of people. The COVID-19 vaccine roll out towards herd immunity must be understood in particular historical and cultural context of the community of faith. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy remains prevalent in Zimbabwe. Vaccination cannot succeed without taking seriously the social and cultural contexts of Christology. The presence of coronavirus in the midst of the community of faith is an assault on human dignity. It requires a clear Christological response in order to make Christianity meaningful and relevant to society. With mountains of unknowns about COVID-19 that even the epidemiologists and virologists are accepting, many Christians in the country are suffering from a religious civil war in the mind - the troubling conflict between Christian beliefs mediated by western cultural values or African traditional values. Christians are toying between sticking to their Western medical standards or stick to their trusted traditional medical practices. These conflicts do not only exist at a very theoretical level; they mean a constant series of practical coronavirus choices. The coronavirus pandemic brings with it serious theological issues for the Christian community of faith. If a Christian is sick as a result of coronavirus, should he/she go to the hospital, a traditional herbalist, or both? Should a Christian rely on traditional medicines or foreign medicines though there is vaccine politics between the West and East superpowers? The spread of coronavirus has been astoundingly rapid, complex and relentlessly killing people worldwide. In Zimbabwe, after managing the virus relatively well in its early stages, the second wave of new cases grew exponentially towards the end of July 2020. I maintain that the rejection of foreign vaccines went hand in hand with the trend to harness local resources to solve local problems and further Christ’s kingdom.
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
ER  - 

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