Church and State relations in Lesotho
A historical review locating the voice of the church in Lesotho’s political and mainstream history
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 16961500 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rethabile Benedict Leanya (0000-0003-0316-0336, University of the Free State, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Issue | 105(5) |
| Publication date | 2024-09-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Pharos Journal of Theology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2414-3324 • E-ISSN: 2414-3324 |
| Publisher | Africajournals (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.46222/pharosjot.105.532 |
| OpenAlex | W4401697739 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 3 |
The year 2024 sees Lesotho celebrate 200 years since the formation of Basotho as a nation. In these 200 years, the church has played a significant role in nation building and development. This article explores and seeks to locate the voice and presence of the church both as an ecumenical body and as a prophetic voice within the tumultuous history of Lesotho’s politics with a specific timeframe from 1833-2002. A literature review of relevant academic articles as well as historical works is used to ensure that the accounts recorded are factually correct. The formation of Basotho in the 18th century is a direct result of violence and war in the form of Lifaqane. King Moshoeshoe I, founder of the Basotho nation believed that peace could be procured via the presence of missionaries, therefore denoting the establishment of the church as an important factor. Within Lesotho’s mainstream history, the role played by the church has often been referred to in passing. Common sayings like “Baruti ba Moshoeshoe (Moshoeshoe’s pastors/ministers), and Lesotho ke naha ea Bokresete (Lesotho is a Christian nation)” are often quoted, and yet the actual role that the church has played and continues to play in Lesotho’s history and development has been an after-thought. In light of this, this article locates the role that the church has played in different eras of Lesotho’s history. From the establishment of the 1 st church (Protestant Church) in Morija, to the formation of ecumenical bodies such as The Heads of the Churches and Church Council of Lesotho to the current emerging coalition democracies under the constitutional monarchy
Christian Church · Christianity · Church History · Mainstream · Political science · Politics · Protestantism · Sociology · African studies and sociopolitical issues · Classics · Gender Studies · History · Law · Legal Issues in South Africa · Philosophy · Religious studies · South African History and Culture
| Highly cited | No |
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