Christianity is the predominantreligion in Zambia and is recognised as thestate religion by the country's constitution.[2] Before the arrival ofEuropeanmissionaries, the various ethnic groups residing in the territory of modern dayZambia practiced a variety ofAfrican traditional religions.
According to the most recent estimates, 75.3% of Zambians wereProtestant, 20.2% were otherChristians, 0.5% were Muslim, 2.2% followed other religions, and 1.8% had no religion.[3]: 20 However,the World Christian Database in 2016 noted that 82.3% of the population were Christian, 10.4% wereAnimists, 0.5% were Baháʼí, 2.2% were Muslim, 4.6% wereagnostic, and all other groups including Hindu were counted as 0.2%, in 2015.[4]
Zambia gained independence in 1964 fromthe British Empire.[5] Post independence, Pentecostal and charismatic missionaries from theUnited States were met with a wide audience in the 1970s. The growth of the religion suffered during the 80s and 90s on account of increased economic turmoil. AfterFrederick Chiluba (a Pentecostal Christian) became President in 1991, Pentecostal congregations expanded considerably around the country.[6] While the initial constitution did not specify religion, the amendment in 1996 declared the nation as "a Christian nation while upholding the right of every person to enjoy the person's freedom of conscience and religion". As per Article 1 of the constitution, the nation is a Sovereign Secular Republic and as per Article 25, citizens free to express thoughts and practice any religion.[7]
In September 2021 the newly elected president,Hakainde Hichilema, disbanded theMinistry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs and put regulating religions under the control of the Office of the Vice President.[8]
The government requires religious groups to affiliate with a "mother body" which in 2021 were 14 in number. The Christian ones were Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), and Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), Independent Churches of Zambia, Apostles Council of Churches, Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Christian Missions in Many Lands. The non-Christian ones were Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia, Hindu Association of Zambia, Guru Nanak Council of Zambia, Jewish Board of Deputies Zambia, Rastafarians, Council for Zambia Jewry, and Baha’i Faith in Zambia.[8]
Christianity is believed to have arrived in Zambia in the form of European Protestant missionaries and African explorers during the mid of 19th century.David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary who did pioneering missionary work that brought the attention of Africa to the Western world. Livingstone inspired abolitionists of the slave trade, explorers and missionaries. He led the way in Central Africa to missionaries who initiated the education and health care for Africans. Many African chiefs and tribes held him in high esteem and it was one of the major reasons for facilitating relations between them and the British.[9]
Zambia is officially aChristian nation according to the 1996 constitution,[2] but a wide variety of religious traditions exist. Traditional religious thought blends easily with Christian beliefs in many of the country'ssyncretic churches. Christian denominations include:Presbyterianism,Catholic,Anglican,Pentecostal,New Apostolic Church,Lutheran,Seventh-day Adventist,Jehovah's Witnesses,The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,Branhamism, and a variety ofEvangelical denominations. These grew, adjusted and prospered from the original Catholic missionary settlements (Portuguese influences) in the east fromMozambique and Anglicanism (English and Scottish influences) from the south. Except for some technical positions (e.g. physicians), Western missionary roles have been assumed by native believers.[6] Zambia has one of the largest communities ofJehovah's Witnesses in Africa with over 200,000 members.[10]
The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying on World Christian Encyclopedia) reported Zambia as having the eighth highest population of followers of theBaháʼí Faith, with 241,100, representing 1.80% of the population, placing it at fourth overall in that measure, in 2010.[11] However the official website of the Bahá'í Community of Zambia reported 4,000 Bahá'ís in 2018[12] and theUNdata reported 3,891 Bahá'ís in 2015.[13]
The William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation, an organization founded in 1995 and run by the Zambian Baháʼí community, is particularly active in areas such as literacy and primary health care.[14][15] The Maseltha Institute, its parent organization, was founded earlier in 1983.[15]
Islam arrived in Zambia in the form ofArab slave traders during the mid of 18th century. Other Muslims and people fromHindu community arrived to Zambia during British Colonial rule.[16] In 2014, there are 100,000 Muslims in Zambia, representing 2.7% of total population.[17][18] The vast majority of Muslims in Zambia areSunni. AnIsmailiShia community is also present. About 500 people in Zambia belong to theAhmadiyya sect ofIslam.[19]
There is also a smallJewish community, composed mostly ofAshkenazis. Notable Jewish Zambians have includedSimon Zukas, retired Minister, MP and a member ofForum for Democracy and Development and earlier theMMD andUnited National Independence Party. Additionally, the economistStanley Fischer, who is both the former governor of theBank of Israel and the former head of theIMF, respectively, was born and partially raised in Zambia's Jewish community.
Notable sects, such as theAlice Lenshina–ledLumpa Church and the newly established Last Church of Order also exist.
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Humanists and Atheists of Zambia (HAZ) is anonprofit organization founded in 2018 by Larry Mukwemba Tepa, with Thasiyana Mwandila serving as Vice-President.[20] The organisation promotessecular humanism and aims to normaliseatheism in Zambia, where nonbelief is often widely stigmatised.[21]
HAZ organises campaigns and public discussions on topics related to humanism,secularism, andhuman rights.[20] In June 2019, HAZ announced a youth conference scheduled for October that year; the announcement prompted a backlash on social media and calls from some quarters for the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs (later a department of the Office of the Vice-President) to intervene.[22][23]
In 2020, Larry Mukwemba Tepa also established theEthical Society of Zambia, a national secular humanist community and umbrella for mutual-aid and secular service projects in the country. According to the organisation’s mission statement, the Ethical Society is rooted in secular humanism and naturalism and seeks to promote reason, compassion, democracy, sustainability and human flourishing without reliance on supernatural beliefs.[24]
The Ethical Society describes a programme of inclusive activities, including weekly gatherings on ethical themes, ethical education for children, youth and adults, social justice and advocacy initiatives (such as projects addressing poverty, gender equity, education and environmental sustainability), community service and cultural events, and secular ceremonies for life transitions.[25]
In 2023 the Ethical Society received a grant to support an *Indigenous Language Literacy for Adult Education* project, led by Busubo Mwewa; the award and launch of the project were publicly announced via the organisation’s social media and by the grantmaker. The programme offers adult literacy instruction in local languages such as Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga, Lozi, Lunda and Kaonde through community-based learning and mobile approaches, with aims that include improving employment opportunities, health and civic participation and supporting cultural preservation.[26][27]
In 2023, the country was scored 3 out of 4 for religious freedom.[28]
