Law, Religion, Health and Healing in Africa

M. Christian Green · Faith Kabata · Fortune Sibanda

2022 abe. · African Sun Media

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The Covid‑19 pandemic was global in its spread and reach, as well as in its medical, social and economic effects. In many respects, the global effort to “flatten the curve” produced a flattening of experience around the world and a striking coincidence of similar experiences in countries the world over. The identity, simultaneity and uniformity of experience were also manifest in common concerns at the intersection of law and religion in many nations around the world, including Africa. The lockdowns and closure of religious worship centres – churches, mosques and religious organisations of all sorts – raised questions of freedom of religion and the related concern for freedom of assembly, along with concerns about the relation of religion to science and public health, religious channels of communication and religious provision of social services. After all, health, communications and social services are all areas in which African religious organisations play key roles. Potential tensions around these issues raised further considerations about the nature of religion-state relations, the status of religious authority and whether religious and state actors would work together or at odds in addressing the Covid‑19 pandemic.

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Dr M Christian Green is a Senior Fellow, Center for Law and Religion Studies, Emory University, USA; Co‑Editor and Special Content Editor of Journal of Law and Religion; Associate Editor of Canopy Forum; and Publications Manager of African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ACLARS).

Dr Faith Kabata is Acting Dean and Lecturer at the Kenyatta University School of Law, Kenya. She obtained her doctorate in law from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Prof Fortune Sibanda is Professor of Religious Studies, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Great Zimbabwe University and Professor of Religious Studies, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Eswatini. He is also Academic Associate/Research Fellow, Research Institute for Theology and Religion, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa.