Pentecostal Charismatic Christianity (PCCs), Religious Pilgrimage and Local Livelihoods in Harare

Since the late 2000s, new mega-Pentecostal Charismatic Churches (PCCs) attracting thousands of people who fill their enormous auditoriums have emerged. Led by youthful prophets, these new megachurches have decolonised hegemonic understandings of Pentecostal religiosity and mobility. While increasing scholarly attention has been paid to the rapid growth of Pentecostal Charismatic Churches (PCCs) in Zimbabwe and Africa, limited research has been done on PCCs, religious tourism and urban livelihoods. This chapter examines the complex nexus between Pentecostal religious pilgrimage and livelihoods, including the economic contribution of religious pilgrimage in Harare. Based on ethnographic and qualitative research from 2014 to 2016, the chapter examines the ‘south-south’ and ‘north-south’ Pentecostal religious pilgrimage and its contribution to urban livelihood and economy. Participant observation, in-depth interviews, informal conversations and observations were conducted with 40 participants who included religious tourists, local congregants, informal traders and church officials to understand the ways in which religious pilgrimage during mega-events such as ‘Nights of Turnaround’ and ‘Judgement Nights’ and ‘Billionaires Mindset Summits’ (re)shap(ed) livelihoods and local economies.