The legacy of Sir Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd in Zimbabwean public life history

Abstract

This article investigates the contribution of white liberal politics of an ex-missionary New Zealander, Sir Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd (from 1953 to 1958), on the development of Southern Rhodesia towards becoming an independent state. It outlines the contribution he made towards the progress of black Zimbabweans in a number of spheres. It arouses interest in contemporary Zimbabwean religious and political discourses. Todd held a hybridity of roles in transitional politics from the blunting settler racism to the sharpening of African capability on multi-racial democracy important for our debate on the decolonisation of southern Africa. He was a rhetorically gifted radical paternalist who adopted reformist policies to advance both the African cause and his prophetic vocation. He suggested technocratic solutions that could reorganise and diversify political and economic options.Contribution: This study uses critical discourse analysis (CDA) on the wider literature on Todd’s biography and African policies in view of his Christian vocation towards changing conditions of socio-economic, political-religious and technological-technocratic solutions to contemporary African independence. He was a man of his times living and working in an increasingly problematic context guided by the Christian principles in which he was reared. He is the ‘father of faith’ in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (COCZ), and leaves us pedagogical lessons on human security, gender equality, church governance and human well-being that require review within the contemporary Christian fraternity.

Using ecumenical experiences to respond to new public life challenges

“…The RFP, led by Ian Douglas Smith, established a de-facto one-party state, and passed the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in defiance of the British authority. This became opposed by Sir Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd, a leader of the Democrats and the former Prime Minister, who wielded a lot of political influence in Zimbabwe (Masengwe & Dube 2021).…”

“…The council issued a pastoral statement condemning the UDI and advocating for a multiparty democracy instead of minority white rule (Meredith 1979). As the nationalist movement gained momentum, the CCSR became increasingly opposed to the RFP on matters of power, positioning itself as a pillar of nationalist dissent (Masengwe & Dube 2021).…”

Towards a postmissionary review of mission station names in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe

“…These names had particular meanings in their Shona language; for instance, Chivanga meant place of resilience; Chiname meant something that sticks on (referring to the type of grass in the area that sticks onto the clothes when passing over it); Chivodza meant something that causes deterioration; Mbirashava meant brown rock rabbits in the local mountains that had brown rocks; Runde referred to the river that thundered when full; and Dayataya referred https://theologiaviatorum.org Open Access to nearby hills that whispered when the rains were about to come. Use of these names thus had to achieve the listed intended meanings shown in (Masengwe & Dube 2021). Mr Todd at once confessed: 'Throughout the colonial years, white power had been based, in the first instance, on the occupation and the subjugation of the indigenous population, and second on administrative expedients' (Todd 1989:118).…”

“…Use of correctly spelt local names or legends captures and encapsulates the aspirations of African-Christian spirituality, because 'place names are discourses of power which are used to express and legitimise power because they are part of the symbolic emblems of power' (Mamvura 2014:ii). Such legends and 'fathers of the faith' in the COCZ should include Sir Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd (1908Todd ( -2002 (Masengwe & Dube 2021). Garfield carries the immortality of the missionary soul for this mission, hence the significance of his name for the station or its local derivative, Dayataya.…”

‘Robert’s Rules of Order’ on religious conflicts in the Church of Christ in Zimbabwe

“…'Despite the fact that CAM built hospitals, clinics, schools and colleges, they became instigators of infighting, rather than missionary work'(Masengwe 2020a:39). Their sentiments against organization in an African church such as having central offices, and actively sponsored fighters with food, medicines and a hideout on Todd's farm(Masengwe & Dube 2021b). Some Americans were enrolled into the Rhodesian army as informers and helicopter pilots because they were imperialists.…”