





































Ecclesial Futures
2023 – Volume 4 – Issue 1

117
Ecclesial Futures – DOI: 10.54195/ef15515

B O O K  R E V I E W S

DOI: 10.54195/ef15515

Chitando, Ezra, and Ishanesu Sextus Gusha 
(editors). 2022. Interfaith Networks and 
Development: Case Studies from Africa

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
ISBN 9783030898069

Reviewed by Kimion Tagwirei

This book unravels the needful integration of faith-based networks and sustain-
able development in Africa. The editors are seasoned academics and practical theo-
logians. Ezra Chitando is a well-grounded and respected Professor of History and 
Phenomenology of Religion at the University of Zimbabwe and Theology Consultant 
on HIV for the World Council of Churches, who has researched and published exten-
sively about religion and development, security, gender, sexuality, climate change 
and related matters. Dr Ishanesu Sextus Gusha is a highly progressive priest in Palma 
de Mallorca, Spain, in the Anglican Diocese in Europe and is a former New Testa-
ment lecturer with the University of Zimbabwe who has researched and published a 
great deal on interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding and biblical theology. They present 
an enriching book with enlightening and empowering contributions by experts and 
theologians from different African countries.

The book connects religious networks with sustainable development. The Church 
carries a holistic mission of proclaiming and demonstrating the gospel in all areas 
of life, for example through kerygma (preaching total salvation), diakonia (attending 
to the needy, advocating for peace and justice) and koinonia (ecumenical, congre-
gational and social fellowship). Thus, the call for the interconnection of faith-based 
organizations (FBOs) to sustainable development deserves the attention of practical 
theologians, missiologists, ecclesial practitioners and stakeholders.

In the introduction, Ezra Chitando remarks on how “Despite the importance of the 
interfaith movement globally, it continues to be neglected in scholarly discourses. 
While there is a growing realization that religion is strategically placed to contribute 



118
Ecclesial Futures – DOI: 10.54195/ef15515

towards development, there is still some hesitation among scholars to invest in 
researching and publishing in this area” (3).

Chitando notes that religion and development as a discipline in universities continues 
to be an encouraging testament to the consideration and endorsement of faith as 
integral in developmental discourses. Observing that, generally, secular and reli-
gious worlds appear distant from each other and were for decades kept like separate 
compartments of life, he laments that “most developmental discourse and program-
ming has assumed a secular orientation, falsely believing the secular to be superior 
to the religious … yet, interfaith networks are critical players in the quest to meet the 
United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda 2030” (4).

Consequently, this book addresses the theme of interfaith networks and develop-
ment in Africa, with particular attention to SDG 10 (Addressing Inequalities) and 
others.

Engaging with practical reflections on interfaith initiatives and networks, this volume 
delivers new data and case studies from varied African contexts. It pays heed to the 
rising significance of interfaith networks in quest for the betterment of lives across 
the world.

Commendably, the book calls researchers, policy makers, activists and other stake-
holders to invest in researching and enhancing interfaith networks and development 
in and beyond Africa. Bearing in mind that there are some voices that doubt the 
contribution of religion to sustainable development, each chapter presents different 
types and roles of interfaith networks towards meeting the UN’s SDGs from diverse 
African settings.

The initial chapters provide theoretical reflections and examples of international 
interfaith networks that are active in developmental work. After the introduction, 
Sokfa John in the second unit explores key considerations for Interfaith Networks 
and development in West Africa. He scrutinizes the United Religions Initiative in 
West Africa, and proffers pivotal factors that determine one’s understanding of 
the structure, role and contributions of interfaith networks and their potential for 
sustainable development. His chapter suggests that spiritual and value foundation, 
size of network, brokerage, connections and other factors influence the effective-
ness of interfaith networks and development. This is highly commendable because 
it upholds flexibility, empathy, inclusivity, courtesy and collaboration in networking 
and engaging faith towards sustainable development.



119
Ecclesial Futures – DOI: 10.54195/ef15515

Thereafter, Ahmed Ragab, Emma Rachmawati, Grace Kaiso and Matthias Brucker 
revisit the contribution of the Faith to Action Network to development with a special 
focus on Africa. Appreciating that religious praxis is deeply rooted in communities, 
they say that “faith organizations reach large numbers of people with messages on 
health, gender equality and peace that resonate with local beliefs and culture and 
provide social services through sustained networks of support” (47). FBOs profess 
and propel the reconciliation of SDGs, human rights as well as faith teachings and 
values. The authors capture the growing influence of FBOs on humanity through 
establishing life-bearing entities such as schools and hospitals. This concurs with my 
researches (Tagwirei 2022: 3), which add that, besides education and health, some 
FBOs, especially churches, have also invested in real estate and agriculture. Result-
antly, they have deepened and widened their influence on humanity. Therefore, this 
book is greatly creditable for demonstrating that ignoring religious organizations in 
developmental deliberations is retrogressive and regrettable.

Befittingly, the authors lament that “there is a lot of disagreement between faith 
actors and non-faith actors. Faith to Action Network believes that too much atten-
tion is given to those voices that propagate disagreement, and insufficient space is 
given to voices that seek agreement and constructive engagement” (62). They recom-
mend a shift of attention from differences to common interests towards enhancing 
constructive voices for inclusive sustainable development.

Complementarily, Ishanesu Sextus Gusha in chapter 4 applauds the monumental 
work of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz’s International Centre for Interreligious and 
Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID). Gusha heralds that KAICIID facilitates interfaith and 
intercultural dialogue for peace and sustainable development under an interreli-
gious governance of state and religious representatives from Judaism, Christianity, 
Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism in Austria, Saudi Arabia and Spain. Subsequently, 
Florence Iminza and Esther Mombo end the section with the work of the Programme 
for Christian–Muslim relations in Africa (PROCMURA) towards peacebuilding. They 
historicize PROCMURA as a capacity building and relational organization that affirms 
the principle of partnership, collaboration and networking in communities. Aptly, 
their review confirms the promising potential of FBOs in advancing the accomplish-
ment of SDGs in and outside Africa.

In chapters 6–9 the book promotes the integration of interfaith networks and gender. 
Based on researches in Tanzania, Ghana, Botswana, Uganda and Mozambique, sepa-
rate contributions tackle femininity, masculinities, inequalities and tragic violence 
with religious tolerance, dialogue and social transformation.



120
Ecclesial Futures – DOI: 10.54195/ef15515

Chapters 10–13 discuss African and global interfaith networks and development. 
Armed with case studies from selected African countries and international of Inter-
faith Networks, authors share various potentials, challenges and possible contribu-
tions of FBOs in development. They give examples such as the Inter-Religious Council 
of Uganda (IRCU) in Uganda, Zambia Interfaith Networking Group (ZINGO) in Zambia 
and evaluation of interfaith networking in Ghana which mirror the need for corre-
spondence and reciprocal collaboration between FBOs and secular institutions for 
sustainable development. Together, the contributions indicate that FBOs possess 
more than spiritual influence. They display that FBOs are blessed with human, finan-
cial and material resources that can be harnessed towards the attainment of SDGs.

Chapters 14–16 present diverse themes of interfaith networks and development. 
Chapter 14, by Ezekiel Abdullahi Babagario, delivers the theme of education and inter-
faith development in Northern Nigeria. The author remarks that “Education is power, 
it is an avenue where enlightenment is passed from one generation to the other” 
(266) and reveals that it inspires and enlightens people towards tolerance, harmony, 
co-existence and development. Following that, Tapiwa Gusha and Ishanesu Sextus 
Gusha interface environmentalism with interfaith dialogue through a case study of 
the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environmental Institute (SAFCEI). The work 
of SAFCEI upholds environmental stewardship.

In conclusion, Nomatter Sande brings the volume to its end with an incisive discus-
sion of interfaith communities from the African Diaspora. Taking migration and 
globalization into account, his chapter corresponds sustainable development with 
engagement, integration and dialogue. While focusing on interfaith trajectories in 
the United Kingdom, the author engages with the United States of America and 
Southern African contexts. Largely, he reconciles diversities of interfaith networks 
with their promotion of tolerance, dialogue, integration and cooperation. For eccle-
siology and missiology, this book inspires intersecting diaconia and koinonia with 
global interreligious discourses towards inclusive sustainable development. Overall, 
it teaches all of us to appreciate and maximize tolerance and co-existence as well as 
collaboration.

Taken together, all chapters observe and bless the marriage of interfaith networks to 
sustainable development and bemoan attempts to divorce them. I strongly believe 
that this is a transformational resource for religious, secular, academic and govern-
mental, non-governmental, collective and individual considerations for sustainable 
development. Its submissions are greatly insightful about the potential, problems and 
strategies of accommodating and utilizing FBOs to realize African and global sustain-
able development. Recommendations from its different chapters can be contextual-



121
Ecclesial Futures – DOI: 10.54195/ef15515

ized and applied in and outside Africa. All in all, this book motivates multiple further 
researches and publications in correspondence with changing contexts.

About the author
Kimion Tagwirei, Practical Theology Remote research fellow, University of Zurich, 
Switzerland
kimion22tc@gmail.com

mailto:kimion22tc@gmail.com

