ABSTRACT
Religious non-conformism is more effective when undertaken at an organisational level. It is therefore not surprising that present-day religio-political non-conformism is organised around organisations and networks. Resistance to colonial rule owed more to traditional religion and local understanding of community, dignity and freedom. During the colonial period the dominant religious actors performed a priestly role, collaborating with the colonial authorities. In the period between 1980 and 1999 the religious non-conformists from the colonial period had either moved on to do other things or simply basked in the euphoria of independence, thereby becoming latent non-conformists. One notable aspect of the independence decade relevant for this book is Mugabe's reconciliation policy, which was described by many people as a miracle or as a demonstration of human maturity unequalled in our world. Individual religious liberty was recognised as a part of the fundamental rights. The government adopted a Marxist policy of religion.
