The Role of the Methodist Church in Resolving Electoral Conflict and Promoting Peace in Zimbabwe

Religion is not a new player in politics. It has been central in igniting conflicts as well as in resolving others, in matters of peace destruction as well as peace building, in governance as well as causing mayhem, human destruction and genocide. Religion can play oppressive, exploitative, subordinating and dominating roles the way it can play very critical, liberating, reconstructive and developmental roles. History has demonstrated the ambivalent roles of religion that it becomes impossible to present only one side in any serious scholarship. It is therefore important to understand the paradoxical character of religions if one is to appreciate their roles and functionality amongst the different social groups, at different times and in different places. Africa is replete with all these of religions right from precolonial times through colonialism up to today.