body viewing yaMutumwa Mwazha
Archbishop Mwazha was among the early African independent church leaders—alongside figures like Johane Marange and Johane Masowe—who sought to establish autonomous Christian movements. These movements incorporated African cultural elements and addressed local concerns, emerging from a desire to move away from the limitations or paternalism of Western mission-controlled churches. The churches they led were distinguished by their white robes for both men and women.Birth and Early LifeArchbishop Mwazha was born on October 25, 1918, in Chirumanzu near Mvuma, just after a devastating influenza epidemic. According to his biography, "The Divine Commission of Paul Mwazha of Africa," and media interviews, it was a Catholic priest, Father Schmidt, who first announced his mission on earth.As a young child, he fell seriously ill. Resigned to the fate that he would die, his mother named him "Mamvura" (child of water), following Shona traditions where dead infants were buried near streams. However, when his mother rushed him to Father Schmidt at Holy Cross Mission for last rites, Mwazha suddenly felt better as the priest completed the baptism. The priest reportedly shouted excitedly, “Mwana amutsirwa basa! Mwana amutsirwa basa!” (The child has been raised to do God’s work).The Beginning of His MinistryMwazha started his spiritual journey at the age of 11. Assisted by his uncle, Nyamayendenga, he began learning the Catholic Catechism and reciting the Lord’s prayer every morning and evening, which became the pillar of his faith.He later described receiving visions and encounters with the Holy Spirit. In his biography, he wrote about a vision he had while in Standard Two at Maswaure Methodist Church in Chivhu: “The Lord showed my heavenly body to me. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to me twice in his image... I was flanked by two angelic figures. We were all clad in long white cloaks and our bodies were as bright as the full moon.”Teacher, Entrepreneur, and EvangelistBefore becoming a full-time evangelist, Rev Mwazha trained as a teacher and rose to the position of headmaster. He was also an entrepreneur who ran four retail businesses in the 1970s and early 1980s. He sold these businesses in the mid-1980s to devote his life entirely to the church he founded in 1959.His church has since grown significantly, with followers estimated to be nearly seven million across Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, and Western countries.Stance Against TelevisionA distinct aspect of his doctrine was the prohibition of television. To buttress the gospel of self-reliance spiritually and morally, Mwazha discouraged his followers from watching TV, arguing that it corrupted minds and was an instrument of Western domination and cultural imperialism.He was quoted in 2006 saying, “Our church doctrine prohibits members from watching television. This is because it corrupts our minds and in the process leaves us vulnerable to western ideas and values eventually leading to moral decay.”LegacyArchbishop Mwazha is described as an astute and charismatic leader. His teachings contained elements of cultural resistance to colonialism and tied closely with ideologies of black self-reliance and empowerment. After independence, his church supported the Government’s thrust on land reform and black empowerment.TO CONTINUE ➤
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