Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic : Is Rethinking the Interface of Religion and Science Possible in the Zimbabwean Context?

Abstract

The advent COVID-19 has not only changed the religious arena but has reawakened the age-old debate between religion and science. Previously science has regarded religion as non-verifiable and confessional whereas religion viewed science as atheistic and incompatible to religious beliefs and practices. Interestingly, COVID-19 has made humanity re-imagine and re-think the compatibility between religion and science. This chapter seeks to demonstrate that the age-old debate between religion and science in the context of COVID-19 has been reignited. Data were collected using observations of what people did and still do in dealing with the pandemic and other related literature. The study revealed that when faced with a crisis, people straddle on the two: religion and science without any misgivings. The religion-science debate seems to be too scholarly for the ordinary Zimbabweans. They utilise whatever is within reach as long as it is for life sustenance and human flourishing. Religion and science were found to be the flip sides of the same coin. Therefore, basing on the findings and using cultural evolution theory and belief studies, this chapter argues that in Zimbabwe COVID-19 has made it evidently possible to re-imagine and rethink the interface between religion and science from now and beyond. We, therefore, argue that science and religion will continue to interface beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and humanity should continue to utilise them as need arises and circumstances evolve for human flourishing.