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AEGIS European Conference on African Studies
11 - 14 July 2007
African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Healing churches: Pentecostal churches and HIV/AIDS in Zambia
| Panel |
15. Reconfiguring the Religion-HIV/AIDS connection: challenges and opportunities
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| Paper ID | 189 |
| Author(s) |
Rasing, Thera
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| Paper |
No paper submitted
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| Abstract | This paper focuses on the attitude towards HIV/AIDS among Pentecostal Churches in Zambia. It looks into the policy of Pentecostal Churches concerning their members who suffer from HIV/AIDS. This paper shows the changed ideas on HIV/AIDS among Pentecostal Churches, which changed from considering HIV/AIDS a non-issue, or a ‘disease for sinners’ to openness about this disease. Today these churches claim that they should accept people who are ill, including people suffering from HIV/AIDS, with a reference to the Bible.
This indicates a relationship between religion and healing in today’s Pentecostal Churches in Zambia. While previously healing was only a concern in most Pentecostal Churches in case of spirit possession or perceived demonic influences, today these Churches refer to healing as an assumed aspect of Christianity. Moreover, their healing seems to extent to various diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, TB and diabetes.
The openness about HIV/AIDS in these churches seems to be a major change. However, despite the changed policy in these Pentecostal Churches, their members experience difficulties in revealing their positive HIV status, because there is still stigmatisation among church members. This is because HIV/AIDS is still associated with illicit sex, and therefore sinful, or, it is associated with sins committed by the ancestors. The concept of sin and to keep away from sinful behaviour is preached and emphasised in these Churches. Due to the strict moral rules and the rather strict social control of members in Pentecostal Churches, the latter play a role in keeping up high moral conduct.
Religious leaders claim that they can heal by praying, and with reference to the Holy Spirit, the only spiritual power that is considered to be good. They oppose themselves to traditional healers, and try to keep their members away from seeking assistance from traditional healers, who, according to Pentecostal views, are charlatans. In this way, Pentecostal Churches emphasise their healing powers. By doing so and by restraining their members to seek assistance from traditional healers, they influence the private lives of their followers. This is in line with their views on opposing traditional cultural aspects. They therefore encourage their members to leave these traditions behind in order to become ‘good Christians’.
This influence is partly done by counselling, which is not only about one’s intimate and moral conduct, but emphasises religious aspects. In this way, people are not only assisted in their needs, but also encouraged to become ‘good Christians’
Some Pentecostal Churches offer projects for people who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, and some even have established NGOs for this purpose. They claim that the state fails to help these people, so they, as Christians, should assist those who suffer. They fill the gap and take over what should be state-based social services.
Thus, Pentecostal churches have reacted to the HIV/AIDS pandemic by emphasising the healing aspects of faith, and by taking up services that the state fails to provide.
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