ABSTRACT
This chapter explores ways in which a Pentecostal Charismatic Church (PCC) in Zimbabwe brings stability to the everyday lives of its members in times characterised by uncertainties, insecurity and precarity. The emerging Pentecostal Charismatic variant in Zimbabwe anchors its strategies within a ‘this-worldly’ discourse. The PCC has transformed itself into a network of opportunities and support in times when the state and the market have failed to create a conducive environment for the bulk of citizens to prosper. Pentecostals are taught entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy and investment expertise that come in handy in times of uncertainty. The PCC’s approach is pragmatic, spurring congregants to deal with the objective realities of their everyday lives. Next, the chapter explores ritual practices that inform and underscore congregants’ efforts to pull themselves out of poverty in a poorly performing economic environment. The chapter concludes by situating the PCC’s strategies within Appadurai’s Politics of Hope framework.
