ZIMSEC O Level · Family and Religious Studies · Form 3, Form 4
Zimbabwe is a multi-faith country: Christianity, African Traditional Religion, Islam and smaller communities such as Judaism, Hinduism and the Bahá'í Faith.
Freedom of religion
The Constitution protects freedom of conscience, belief and worship, as long as practices respect the law and others' rights.
Religious tolerance
Respecting other people's beliefs even when they differ from your own.
- Benefits: peace, unity, cooperation in development and fewer conflicts.
- Ways to promote it: interfaith dialogue, learning about other religions, avoiding hate speech, and working together on community projects.
Religion and national development
Religious organisations run schools, hospitals, orphanages and development projects; they promote peace, counsel people and speak against injustice.
Challenges
Religious extremism, exploitation by false prophets, conflicts between some practices and health or children's rights (e.g. refusing vaccines or medical care), and intolerance.
Check yourself
- Define religious tolerance.
- Give two contributions of religious organisations to national development.
- State two challenges caused by religious intolerance.
Show answers
- Respecting the beliefs and practices of others even when they differ from your own.
- Any two: schools, hospitals, orphanages, development projects, peace-building.
- Any two: conflict and violence, discrimination, division in communities, hate speech.
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