Propaganda Hermeneutics of the Bible: Emerging Trends of the Interpretation of the Bible in Zimbabwe

This chapter was an attempt to develop the propaganda hermeneutics, a motif attempting to explain the intentional use of the bible to promote certain personal agendas and ideologies. The chapter has defined propaganda, its tenets, and types of propaganda. The chapter has also defined propaganda hermeneutics, its tenets, and its application. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s address to Anglican pilgrims at Bernard Mizeki has been used as a case study for the application of this methodology. Two texts, Psalm 122:1 and Matthew 9:13–15, have been selected for application among a couple of texts he cited on that day. The chapter has concluded and recommended that propaganda hermeneutics is quite evident in the political discourses by politicians in seeking to promote certain ideologies. It has been established that religious leaders intentionally perpetuate propaganda hermeneutics either in supporting a certain political agenda or promoting their doctrinal views. However, this methodology still needs further interrogation in further research for it to be refined.