Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
is the dominant religion in
Eswatini
Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...
.
The relative prevalence percentages vary by source. According to Pew Research, over 88% of the total 1.2 million population of Eswatini express Christianity to be their faith, over 0.2% express no affiliation.
[Religious composition by country]
Pew Research, Washington DC (2012) According to the US State Department religious freedom report of 2012, local religious leaders estimate that 90% of Eswatini's population is Christian, 2% are Muslim, while under 10% belong to other religious groups.
According to the
CIA World Factbook
''The World Factbook'', also known as the ''CIA World Factbook'', is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The official print version is available ...
, the distribution is 40% Zionist, 20% Roman Catholic, other Christians (including Anglican, Methodist, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness) 30%, 2% Muslim and 8% other religions (including Baháʼí, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish).
In other sources such as Clay Potts, the religious demographics are 80% Christian, and 20% Islam and Traditional Swazi religion.
Anglican,
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
and
indigenous African churches including
African Zionist, and
Roman Catholics
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
constitute the majority of the Christians in the country.
On 18 July 2012,
Ellinah Wamukoya
Ellinah Ntombi Wamukoya (1951 – 19 January 2021) was a Swazi Anglican bishop.
In 2012, she was elected as the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Swaziland and she kept this position until her death in 2021. She was the first woman to ...
was elected Anglican Bishop of Eswatini; on 17 November 2012 she became the first woman to be consecrated as a bishop in Africa.
The Constitution of the Kingdom, which went into effect on February 8, 2006, provides for
freedom of religion
Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom ...
. The Government respects freedom of religion.
[ As of 2012, there have been reports of societal discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice.]
Christianity
The king of Eswatini, Mswati II
King Mswati II (Born:1820–Died:1868), also known as Mswati and Mavuso III, was the king of Eswatini between 1850 and 1868. He was also the eponym of Eswatini. Mswati is considered to be one of the greatest fighting kings of Eswatini.
Under hi ...
invited Methodist Christian missionaries to his kingdom in 1825.[ The first church to be established in the country was the Methodist Wesleyan Mission was established in Mahamba in 1844.] The Christian missions largely failed through 1881, and had few conversions to their credit. A larger presence of missionaries began in 1881 when members of the United Society arrived to establish the presence of the Church of England. Lutherans arrived in 1887 from Germany, and Methodists restarted their efforts in 1895 out of their Christian missions in South Africa
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
.
A Gothic-style church, which was built in 1912, still stands in Mahamba, and is the oldest existing place of worship in the country.
A large Roman Catholic presence, including churches, schools, and other infrastructure, exists in the country.[ The country forms a single diocese – the ]Diocese of Manzini
The Diocese of Manzini ( la, Manzinien(sis)) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Eswatini. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Johannesburg in South Africa. I ...
. The Zionist Churches, which blend Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship, and were developed in the early part of the 19th century, predominate in rural areas.[ Christian holidays such as ]Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
, Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
, Ascension Day
The Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, also called Ascension Day, Ascension Thursday, or sometimes Holy Thursday, commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is one of the ecumenical (i.e., shared b ...
are part of the national holiday calendar.
The Christianity followed by Swazi people incorporates rituals, singing, dancing and iconography of the traditional Swazi religion. According to Sibongile Nxumalo, the Christian missionaries that ignored or misconstrued "the positive aspects of traditional beliefs, customs and institutions of Swazi society" have largely been unsuccessful. More successful missions have adopted a syncretic approach.
The Christian organizations of Eswatini have been closely involved in the politics of the country. The colonial era Swaziland League of African Churches has had a long relationship with the royalty of Eswatini, and held public ceremonies such as Easter on the behalf of the King. The Zionist churches celebrate the Good Friday over three days with singing and dancing. The Eswatini Conference of Churches have historically attempted to be apolitical, but in 2004 they campaigned to make Christianity the state religion through a constitutional amendment, a move opposed by the King. The third politically influential Christian organization in Eswatini has been the Council of Eswatini Churches, established in 1976 as refugees flooded into Eswatini, and this group voiced views on Apartheid in South Africa and the ongoing civil war in nearby Mozambique. Their views contradicted the state's position, and the leaders of this new Council were then threatened with arrests and prison terms.
Swazi religion
The traditional Swazi religion recognizes a supreme God and creator, but more important are the spirits of ancestors. Swazi religion speaks of a creator known as ''Mvelincanti'' (he who was there from the beginning). Mvelincanti is too remote and so it is ancestral spirits ''emadloti'' which are more relevant in day-to-day life. Beasts are slaughtered and beer was brewed to please (propitiate) the spirits, and ask for help. The rituals are performed at the level of family associated with birth, death and marriage. Some Swazis blend these traditions with contemporary Christian practices.
Incwala
In the hierarchy of Swazi society, the king assumes the leadership position. The incwala
Incwala () is the main ritual of kingship in the Eswatini, Kingdom of Eswatini. This is a national event that takes place during the summer solstice. The main participant in incwala is the King of Eswatini; when there is no king there is no incw ...
ritual, which is performed annually, is considered a national religious event. The objectives of the event are to reflect the growth of the king, and to thank the ancestors for good harvests and to pray for good rain in the coming year. This event, which only takes place when there is a king, is the most sacred national event and all male Swazis are participant. The holiday for incwala depends on the phases of the moon, and is at the end of the six-week event.
Other religions
Followers of Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, the Baháʼí Faith
The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...
, Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
and Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...
are largely immigrants located in urban areas.[ According to the US State department, Islam forms about 2% of the population,] while 2% of the population is Muslim according to the CIA World Factbook, and the Official Government state it is less than 0.2%.[ The Muslims in Eswatini are formerly indentured workers who arrived from ]South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
during the colonial era.[
]
See also
* History of the Jews in Eswatini
The history of the Jews of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland.
Modern times
In 2002, Swaziland's prime minister, Barnabas Dlamini, said the country appreciates the contribution of its Jewish community: "The Jewish community is small, numbering in th ...
* Islam in Eswatini
Eswatini is an overwhelmingly Christian majority country, with adherents of Islam being a minuscule minority. Due to secular nature of the Eswatini's constitution, Muslims are free to proselytize and build places of worship in the country.
The n ...
References
{{Africa religion