Pastors, Preachers and Wives: A Critical Reflection on the Role of Pentecostalism in Women Empowerment in Zimbabwe

Abstract

While women constitute the majority of members in literally all religions, the top positions tend to be monopolised by men. New religious movements have often promised women liberation and emancipation. One cannot discuss these new movements without paying particular attention to Pentecostalism, which, without doubt, represents the fastest growing brand of Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa. One of the key reasons why this Pentecostalism is flourishing is because the church strives to meet the spiritual and material needs of its members. Pentecostalism therefore represents a highly significant religious phenomenon during the contemporary period. It is therefore strategic to understand the status of women within Zimbabwean Pentecostalism. This chapter examines women’s notable rise to influential leadership positions through the Pentecostal movement in Zimbabwe.