POLYGAMY

MUTARE

Polygamy – including marrying off underage girls to church elders – could be abolished in the country’s Apostolic churches.

Faced with a diminishing congregation as HIV/AIDS claims more victims, the church has taken stock of its long-held doctrines.
 
Xavier Chitanda, a senior member of the Johane Masowe Church, said reforms were necessary to safeguard the church from losing followers to the pandemic.
 
Some of the practices are no longer in line with the current situation in the age where many people are dying to HIV/AIDS. It is proper that we stop polygamous affairs. Those with many wives will not be allowed to marry more. Those yet to marry will have one wife, said Chitanda.

 Elderly resist change
He said it was sad that some members of the church, especially the elderly, were resisting the changes and were reluctant to give up the old practice.
 
“Despite such challenges, we are stepping in the right direction as some of our members are realising the logic behind the shift,” he said.
 
He said the church doctrine of marrying underage girls had to be stopped as the practice was against the laws of the country.
 
The girl child has to be protected and given a chance in life of getting an education, something which was unheard of in our churches. She has to be let to achieve what she can to the maximum, unlike before when girls were made to marry old men.
 
Reverend Edson Tsvakayi of the same church sect said some founder church members found the reforms unpalatable.

Such church doctrines of many wives and young girls cannot work now, as it is dangerous and against the laws of the country, said Tsvakayi.

Witchcraft easier than reality
He said that, while they did not have official figures of members of the church who had died due to AIDS-related illness,they were substantial