The Place of Peace in Linguistic Diversity within Religious Congregations in Zambia

Zambia is a multilingual society with many languages and dialects that characterize people’s lives. Apart from being a tool for social integration, language is a repository for personal identity and cultural history. This explains why there is an emotional attachment to one’s tribe especially when one feels demeaned. This feeling of loss of dignity and respect can result in hatred that, if not handled well, can culminate in emotional and even physical violence both in secular and religious circles. However, when well embraced, multilingualism can contribute to the development of inclusive societies that enable multiple cultures, worldviews and knowledge systems to coexist and be fertilized. This chapter intends to establish how four different churches in Kabwe District of Zambia handle linguistic diversity to foster peace in their different religious programmes. Interviews on the role of language in the promotion of peace included leaders and ordinary church members.