Human rights : the tension and conflict between church and state in Malawi : 2004-2012
Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust
Abstract
In this paper, I show the critical role played by the Protestant and the Roman Catholic Churches with regard to the government’s abuse of human rights in Malawi in the years 2004 to 2012. I argue that the Protestant and Catholic leaders’ response to Bingu wa Mutharika’s government’s violation of human rights was influenced by a number of factors: first, the Church leaders’ perceptions of Wa Mutharika’s uneasiness about their critical voice. Second were the Church leaders’ perceptions of the weak position of the government. Finally, I argue that though not always uniform or consistent, the churches’ prophetic voice was occasionally undermined by their partisan interests, which sometimes were exploited by the government.
Description
Please cite as follows:
Mbaya, H. 2014. Human rights: the tension and conflict between church and state in Malawi: 2004-2012. Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif, 55(1): 249-264, doi:10.5952/55-1-2-524.
The original publication is available at http://ojs.reformedjournals.co.za
Mbaya, H. 2014. Human rights: the tension and conflict between church and state in Malawi: 2004-2012. Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif, 55(1): 249-264, doi:10.5952/55-1-2-524.
The original publication is available at http://ojs.reformedjournals.co.za
Keywords
Malawi, Human rights, Churches
Citation
Mbaya, H. 2014. Human rights: the tension and conflict between church and state in Malawi: 2004-2012. Nederduitse Gereformeerde Teologiese Tydskrif, 55(1): 249-264, doi:10.5952/55-1-2-524.